Distress signal

Dive into the surprising history of the SOS, its origins, its true meaning and how it ended up becoming the most recognized distress signal in the world.

Signals of distress

Photo about Red hand flare - a distress signal both at sea and land. Image of horizontal, danger, pyrotechnic - 29207680

You know it's a distress signal, but what does it actually stand for? A lot of people think it's an abbreviation for “save our souls.” (It's not.)

Smoke signal as part of outdoor winter survival wilderness course. Learn more about survival courses in the article.

Signs of the telegraph are still evident today. Everyone knows of or at least has heard of the universal sign for distress, SOS. What had become an international standard in 1906 still exists today. SOS stands for the three letters in morse code which are represented by three quick beeps followed by three long beeps and another three quick beeps. It can either be written, made audibly by hitting or tapping something, or made visual by flashes of light.

Does sharing these "distress signals" help protect victims or put them at risk?

SOS was the most commonly used distress signal from the turn of the 20th century until before WWII. But exactly what does SOS mean?

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