The search for aliens beyond our solar system has drawn a blank so far. Let's seek traces of ancient indigenous ETs in our own backyard physicist Enrico Fermi when ruminating on the question of life in the cosmos.
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- Science Blogs
- ALIEN LIFE
- If Aliens Exist, should we be eager to meet them? – Starts With A Bang
- Search National Geographic
Even if I found a way to harness the properties of space-time itself Rene Alcubierre proposed this, but IIRC it was proven mathematically untenable you could get to just under c but it would still take a load of energy and a lot of time. Those could well be fundamental physical constraints. For instance, if you look at the universe as the surface of a sphere, in two dimensions along the surface distances are longer than if you go through it in the third dimension.
Going back to the sphere analogy, the third dimension does no good if the universe is flat and bounded. The same would be true of a ring-shaped black hole. But the ring-shaped event horizon would create a region of space with all sorts of interesting properties, but I am not sure if you could space warp with it. Here we have a truly massive spaceborn intelligence that lives for hundreds of millions or hundreds of billions of years that has no problem with trips that average no faster than 0. However, they tend to develop profound antipathies towards other middle-aged female parishioners who also do lots of church work and gardening.
Between us and intelligent interstellar clouds, maybe not so much. We present an updated dynamical and statistical analysis of outer Oort cloud cometary evidence suggesting the sun has a wide-binary Jovian mass companion. A Bayesian statistical analysis suggests that the probability of the companion hypothesis is comparable to or greater than the probability of the null hypothesis of a statistical fluke.
Such a companion could also have produced the detached Kuiper Belt object Sedna. Alan, I think you overestimate the cost for a generation ship.
We spent more than that for our little Iraq adventure. And exactly how anybody could draw a downwards-sloping trendline past the era of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Zionism and the Taliban is quite beyond me…. However, I find a flaw in each — specifically assuming human motivations or behaviors for any would be E. It seems a stretch to assign such motives as exploration, conquest, exploitation, etc when all we have to go on is our own psychology. We would be whats collected. Perhaps they would figure out how to make us into a vaccine for one of their dieseases.
Or maybe grind us up for use in alien hemmroid cream, for our soothing qualities. I honestly belive if intelligent life did come here it would be for the biology and not much else. Therefor, as Hawking says it wouldnt be good for us. Dont forget the great lengths we go to after returning from space to avoid any harmful diseases or bacteria.
So once they did find us they would need time to do research. This leads me to think that aliens coming and abducting people or cows may not be so far fetched. We to would take samples and study them if we found life on another planet. We wouldnt just fly down there, take off our helmets and start walking around asking to speak to their leader. Occurred to me last night how much we presume an alien species must have a lifespan similar to ours.
Science Blogs
What if an alien species has a life span like bristle cone pines, which can live for 5, years or more? For a species with a normal life span of , years, interstellar space travel is not as near a big deal as it is for us. At least something to think about.
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It will remain thus for at least another billion years, before the star we are orbiting begins to get uncomfortably hot. For a nearby race of sentients driven out of their own solar system by a dying star, they may point some of their ships towards Earth, having noted the spectral signature of an oxygen-rich atmosphere and taking that as all the evidence they needed that it is eminently life-sustaining. At last after journeying hundreds of years, with the transport crafts near the end of their useful life, they alight upon Earth only to find it already hosting sentients halfway through warming it up nicely for them.
Making my way through some interesting comments, a couple points: Even now the most advanced postindustrial societies have limited or declining population growth. We may endure some terrible effects from global warming and concomitant widespread industrialization but on the geologic timescale these are mere growing pains. Aliens that have not yet transitioned into entirely electronically hosted intelligences would need to find another suitable oxygenated, temperate habitat, as their star goes red giant or nova.
Completing my earlier comment, the fact that the aliens would have to be hosted by a dying star further limits the chances that any given alien civilization will be a colonization threat to its traversible lightyear space. Then you have to figure that it may be that sentients tend to evolve towards a Matrix-like situation of disembodied, non-organic intelligences, needing only server space and solar panels to survive.
This possibility limits further still the number of sentients in need of a new organic life support system. Finally, while some may conclude from the sweep of history on Earth that we inevitably evolve towards greater amiability and peace, it is possible that civilizations can enter alternate stable states of nonfreedom and oppression and still become highly technological. See the history of China. But while this type of advanced planetary civilization is possible, it may not predominate or even be very likely, thus further limiting the chances of a rapacious alien colonizing society, although it does not limit the chances that they may be rapacious only out of need and self-interest see my earlier points.
I have questions, I want to know and understand. I would like to see you all arrive and then terraform our secondary planet that we call Venus, so that you can have a new Home World. I want to be neighbors, I want you to be a great teacher for humanity. I think the question with regards to proper caution is this: Which is more likely to be the greater threat — deliberate alien hostility, or accidental alien negligence? If they are advanced and powerful enough to come to us, they might be so advanced and so powerful enough that they could do vast damage to us through the accidental byproducts of their activities, and not care to look out for us or even bother to notice us, the same way we might not care about the ant hills we plough over when we mow the lawn.
If they come to this solar system to harvest resources, there are many sources much more accessible than the earth, but depending on how thorough they are, their activities could still severely damage us. If they mine Jupiter sufficiently to disrupt its gravitational influence on the asteroid belt they could be sending a shower of big rocks falling into earth crossing orbits. If they tap the Sun for hydrogen sufficiently they will alter the pattern of solar output and profoundly affect our climate. And if so, we should hope that complex life is in fact relatively rare in the universe, rare enough that there might be a chance than even a supremely advanced alien intelligence will still value it for the sake of its rarity enough to be motivated to avoid accidentally harming it.
ALIEN LIFE
One more thing to add — if spacefaring aliens come to the solar system to harvest resources, even if they do in fact take care not to harm us, it could still turn out badly in the long run. Again, depending on how thorough they are, they will be depleting the very same resources we need if we ever want to leave this solar system ourselves — which is essentially the same as sentencing us to slow death by increasing solar luminosity. I was shocked at how common the idea was that any people that advanced would be devoid of kindness, and unable to recognize us as intelligent.
The possibility that ignorant or paranoid people would creep them out and make them unwilling to stick around and help is more likely than malice, I think. However, there is a great possibility that aliens are unlike anything we can possibly imagine. Earth may be deadly poisonous to an alien species.
Water, oxygen, nitrogen, could be incredibly toxic to them, much like mercury is to us. Another thing I like to think about, is the scale of aliens. Even if they are carbon, water-based life forms, their physical structure may be nearly incompatible with the scope and size of Earth. We evolved to fit this planet. If intelligent alien species exist, so did they for theirs. Even in our own solar system, there are no two planets alike. Even the moons of Saturn vary in composition greatly. They might be doing that now from afar for all we know.
Does the microbe know that we observe it? I have been a fan of science for as long as I can remember, and while I believe that making contact with an extraterrestial civilization would be a good thing. I also believe in caution, if we use ourselves as an example then caution would be advised.
When someone comes to visit me at my home I expect the visitor to show some simple courtesy. Well this planet is my home, so highly advanced or not we should be prepaired to welcome friends and repel invaiders. In the past two decades we have made some amazing scientific decoveries and I am sure that when the time comes we will be ready for first contact. If it was a type III culture it would be interested in our sun for energy input. Perhaps they would see us as an intriquing species along their way as they amassed their energy intake.
They would have the technology to certainly hide their satelites to absorb the energy. Attack of for resources? A type II would still be using its own sun for energy. I suppose we could try shooting lead bullets at them. Answer We are an advanced civilization who have been to moon,having sent unmanned spaceship to roam around our other planets etc etc etc, then why were we unable to contact the advanced life existing elsewhere in the universe????????
Besides human life span is extremely limited. As regards the flying saucers-god alone knows how far it is true. The laws of nature are constant for all existing.
If Aliens Exist, should we be eager to meet them? – Starts With A Bang
Also,how is it that we were unable to track their entry into our space when some of us have wonderful defence systems. How were we unable to missile down even a single flying saucer. As regards the roswell incident — god alone knows how far it is true. If it is really true,then the flying saucer should be exhibited to the entire world.
These are my personal views. Please weigh them for yourself to come to conclusion. Can anyone study anything in few seconds. However,not all forms of life may be extremely intelligent ones. They may be classified as under:. Even the brainiest of our species will not comprehend forever. At the start of it. As far as i guess-if flying saucers are really visiting us,then their planet is right behind our back yard.
However our telescopes may be failing due to natural factors like a big cloud of gas hiding their vicinity or refractional causes due to which we are unable to detect. The fact is that we do not know anything about any alien species yet and anything is just a wild guess. No assumption is safe as far as aliens are concerned.
Aliens can as egoistic, selfish and tyrannical as human on this planet or even worse. Or they could be angelic creatures with all goodness. Since our survival is important to us, we better be careful. We can not expect anything but wait and see. I think the only entities we will ever meet will be of the Borg type, as all civilizations will ultimately encounter their own singularity event…as will we. Problem is, we can not assign to others what their resources, understandings, motives and actions would be.
Just because we want to apply our values to the question does not mean that the situation would be so. It seems so ridiculous to try and impose our own human reasoning on alien species, so much of what we do would seem unnecessary and arbitrary to even another species on this planet, any alien species could have any number of unfathomable reasons to wipe us out.
Even if we did choose to apply human reasoning to what they might think, another possibility is they are expanding for expansions sake, they have got this far into the universe through ruthless expansion, in order to complete homogenise the universe into their being. I think your ideas are incredibly naive and asinine. I hope you are never someone in charge of planetary security policy if we ever crawl out of the muck far enough to actually have such a unified idea for our species. Got any proof they dont exist???? I believe in aliens and it has nothing to do with the reasons you stated.
Also yea u seem to be trolling. Why not just go to what u prefer and leave the others to their preferences? Religion is the most closest thing to evidence that aliens exist. This is a troll. Nothing to see here. I love it that your asking these Aliens to come forth with their answers to evolution which has possibly taken billions of years to master, but unfortunately, their not going to understand a single word of the English language, depite your great desire to reach this message to them.
My pet cockatoo who is hand reared and whom speaks perfect English was greet by a wild cockatoo just a few weeks ago. Much to the wild cockatoos disgust and confusion, he rejected the new friend and went on his merry way. The communication barrier in this instance would most certainly be the greatest hurdle in learning from the more superior evolved lives that occupy our universe. We should, at the very least, be eager to steal their technology every chance we get.
Especially the weapons and interstellar drives. Because if our civilization evolves any further, and in particular developes relativistic travel, we are a mortal danger to them — the same way a petri dish overflowing with botulism bacilli would be to us. A star-faring civilization would, almost certainly, be so far beyond us that, even as biological units, we would be utterly outmatched.
It would be like comparing a modern human with, say — not an insect or the like, which is the usual comparison — but with an opossum or, at best, sea-going mammal. What really irks me, to go along with your irksomeness, is that you would brand understandable caution and hesitation, in the face of such a potentially grave species-threatening situation, as cowardice. Or homicide — considering the future generations of humanity forever exterminated because you had to have things your way. The truth is, we cannot assume that an intelligent species will act as we have.
It is very likely they an intelligent species that has traveled to our planet, has figured out how to travel faster than the speed of light. When we are talking about an intelligent species that has traversed the universe, we cannot think on a linear basis. For a species to evolve technologically to this point, it is prettly likely that they do not rely on fossil fuels, and have discovered another avenue of science to extract energy from an abundant source aka free energy.
Thus, no reason to come to earth for fossil fuels. There is in fact, an overwhelming amount of evidence out there that intelligent life is already here, and has been here observing the planet for at least 60 years and most likely longer than that. In conclusion, it is far more likely that intelligent life would be here to try and guide us into not destroying ourselves, or the planet for that matter. It is far likelier that a more evolved, more well-adjusted alien culture would choose to nurture or observe humanity, rather than wipe us out. So if the Space Shuttle were accelerated to such an extent, and launched directly onto the Earth, it would at the very least end civilization if not blow off the atmosphere and kill every living thing on the surface.
The technology required to create a system capable of throwing objects to that speed, and bringing them in on a target world, is within a hundred years of terrestrial development. The entire question is, given our history, and the advance of technology, would any coldly rational extraterrestrial allow us to reach that point, bringing ourselves into range of being a lethal threat to them. So this is something that needs to be taken into consideration before we start madly flagging the Universe like a streetwalker on Saturday night, looking for a helpful lift.
I have been closely following the ancient allien theories on the history channel for some months now. I must confess that it will be bad for us to make contact with any extra-terrestial race at the point in time. If the rumors about alliens visiting our planet is true then it must mean that they are far more advanced than we are and might colonize planet earth. Otherwise they would not be the leading scientist. Show me one humble scientist that has a job. So why would a smart alien whant to get together with you? I find Both sides of this debate have great points.
Does nobody believe that the higher intelligence a individual posseses the more distance it creates from its instincts to breed and eat: Hunting the likes of the big cats , whales and other species to extinction just for a nice rug or ingredients for our little luxuries , However as some people have previous commented why travel all that way just to bother some naked apes stuck on a rock. I think if we think these thoughts, then the answers are with us, and if it can be done, all the answers will appear in due time and it shall be done.
The truth is, If they exist, They are all different. Some may be out there looking to take over everything in there path while other life forms are out there fighting to survive. People seem to be categorizing Aliens as One species. Where there would be different types like there are different humans, we are not all the same.
And we call our planet Earth, What if they other life forms like to call their planet earth? Some may be less advanced as us, Like a common flower? While others are even more advanced then us and are still exploring around the home planet before taking off into the unknown. Fantastic post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I think humans have kind of grasped a thought that, if aliens do indeed exist, they are going to be evil. If we find aliens, what do you think we are going to do? Most likely take them in and study them, and this would more than likely be seen as an evil act, and they just might react with a war.
Hostage situation ————————————————————— Besides, the communication barrier would most likely be near impossible to get over. A maybe more relevant question than what the aliens would do to us is what WE would do to them.. Humans are biologically predisposed for bloody murder and warfare just compare to chimps that also have clan wars. Whenever we encounter another species other predators eg , or other humans for that matter, that compete for reseources with us we resort to violence or the threat of in a majority of cases.
If we in the future encounter an evolved alien species, it is very likely this encounter sooner or later will result in armed conflict. Especially if we feel threatened or if they in some way compete w us for resources. Also — bear in mind that FTL will probably never exist in any form ; so if aliens arrive at our doorstep they are here to stay.. If they are that advanced I doubt we could detect them if they wanted to stay hidden.
We are an excitable and violent species So I think they would take their samples and leave quickly without us knowing. If they have evil designs on our planet all they have to do is pop a designer virus into the atmosphere that wipes out humans and they can do what they want after things quieten down. Say one did and what if he told us there was no God? What if he explained we were just an infantile, homicidal species with a father fixation? Why do people always assume that aliens need the same resources as life on earth, maybe the consume liquid gold and eat chemicals that would kill us in seconds.
If we were to be contacted by Extra-terrestrial life it would be for 1 of 2 reasons: Outcome 1 ; resources: For this species to need resources it would could be two things they are after, the sun to provide energy to there craft or a goldilocks planet on which to resettle in both cases because of there advanced technologies they will get what they want, meaning our planet is left frozen and cold or we will not be the dominant species on the planet.
Outcome 2 ; scientific exploration: To summaries in nearly every occurrence imaginable when you think about it without rose tinted spectacles whether the aliens are hostile or not and considering nature only lets one species survive and it is always the strongest meaning if we were to ever be contacted it will most likely not end well for the human race. First of all, the first part of that statement is patently untrue. Obviously, there are multiple species extant on earth right now.
Search National Geographic
Therefore, nature certainly allows multiple species to survive. Now I can only assume that being alive and sentient, you knew that. Therefore, I assume you meant that only one intelligent species can survive. Are chimps and dolphins intelligent species? Research has shown that they can be taught rudimentary language skills, for instance. Therefore, we should probably consider them intelligent. Only one species has ever evolved that fits that definition, namely humans. Stronger, in the biological sense, does not mean more intelligent, possessing more advanced technology, or anything like that.
It really means better suited to its current environment. In that respect, humans probably would be stronger than an alien species, which likely would have evolved in a different environment than that of earth. Perhaps the aliens evolved on a world where atmospheric pressure was double or half that of our atmosphere.
Perhaps they evolved on a colder world and have more efficient enzymes that would kick into overdrive on our relatively warm planet, with harmful effects. What makes you think that humans are the dominant species on earth now? In biological terms, we are far outclassed by most species of bacteria, for instance. There are more E. Coli in your lower intestinal tract, for instance than there are people on the entire earth.
If you look in certain places on earth, human presence is minimal or nil, whereas bacteria would be plentiful for example, suboceanic vents. Both in terms of numbers and in terms of geographical range, we are far outclassed by bacteria. It is complete ignorance to ignore the possibility that a more advanced civilization would mean us harm. It is also ignorant to assume that they will mean us harm. Hawkings is smart in what he said, you are an ignorant person if you ignore the probability of them being just as, if not more savage than we are as human beings.
Surely an intelligent civilization has the same carnal desires of any form of life on this planet, to take and take until they die. Is it wrong to be fearful of the worst possible outcome? If the majority of mankind is under the conception that alien life capable of interstellar travel is wrong and contacting such a being will mean the eradication of humanity, are you willing to make that bet?
I believe that is more of what Hawkings was talking about rather than a one sided view of the situation as most of you seem to misinterpret. I realise that aliens may come for resources, but i think that if they have advanced in technology so far, along the way they must have learnt to negociate, and learnt empathy and such emotions.
So they may realise that life on other worlds is precious and should be left to live peacefully. Also, if you look at us, so far at our current level of advancement one of the only reasons that we have gone to explore other worlds is curiosity; we have not gone out seeking materials.
So I think that the first time the aliens find us, it will be out of curiosity. From my perspective, we may explore different worlds not only out of curiosity, but with the intention of finding resources as well. To fund such expeditions must, at some stage, have a reward potential to justify the event. Spaceship1 was not created just for the curiosity of space flight.
Yes, it has shown a way of economic flight into space, but it is also a way to generate funds for the owner. Curious people pay to get that thrill of going into space. Eventually exotic materials will be brought back from Mars for exploitation after lunar mining is under way. We do not tend to explore for no return at some stage. As far as alien contact is concerned, we will never know their intention until arrival. We may be lucky that the amount of pollution we have been radiating for the last century could be a red flag. On the other hand, that could mean we miss out on our education of universal existence.
Eric, if aliens are dangerous, then by their ability to get here they are unstoppable, therefore we lose nothing by giving up the fear of alien invasion. First of all how can you say they are highly advanced beyond our capacity then compare ourselves with them? They are hardly our peers, they are more advanced than we are and will be for a few thousand years. So, we are not equal to them. These being have been visiting earth for thousands of years even father back than the Pharaohs in Egypt.
They probably look at us as a cancer in the universe, given how we seem to be obsessed with violence and annihilating ourselves. We must appear primitive and ignorant. Probably a very low life form. Since everything is interconnected, our bombing and using greater and greater weapons to blow up the planet must have an affect on the entire universe. Perhaps, given the abductions which seem to be about talking blood, impregnation and cattle killing, they must be doing scientific experiments.
Perhaps knowing our future they plan to reseed the world with a more highly developed species that is part us and part them to replace us, once we blow ourselves off the planet. It seems mankind is hell bent on destroying himself without any stopping or common sense. So, these beings have given up on saving present humans are only culturing us for the new world that lies ahead. Hopefully in the new world they will have made us smart enough to begin a new society, one without profiteering, greed, hate, ignorance and ego.
Since light speed means that any reasonably distant therefore able to hide from passive detection alien life will be by the time the message gets to us have had a few centuries of technological advancement in the meantime also indicates the balance of society. Even to say that there is no comparison: An ant still gets compared to humans. There are differing resources that may be of value, other than mineral or animal.
If we can keep our heads down, I think we should. Assuming Aliens even want to speak to you is as arrogant as most humans already are! It is the arrogance of your own self importance that you base our entire species existence on. I got news for you, we crush bugs and animals all the time, sometimes just because we can! Please make a tax-deductible donation if you value independent science communication, collaboration, participation, and support open access. Northcote Parkinson Every massless particle and wave travels at….
Basically, the Universe is heavier than it should be. Science Blogs Go to Select Blog If Aliens Exist, should we be eager to meet them? Posted by Ethan on April 26, The two big ones that I want to ask are these: The resources available to plunder on our planet are limited, and it is almost unimaginable to imagine surviving a long amount of time many years, at least , but probably many generations without any power source at all!
But you did it. What was your solution to your energy needs? How about some alien vs. I highly doubt that there are any more intelligent civilization. Anyway, to address some of your other arguments against what Hawking who I agree with, by the way said: Which leads me to: Then again, maybe their already here and have played a part in our own evolution…viruses! The philosophy that I hold is that we, as curious humans, a product of the Universe, who strive to understand their existence, can be boiled down to: The extinction of life thru our domination limits our ability to learn and survive.
So there is no reason to worry about aliens because they most likely do not exist. Also, you fail statistics anyway, but hey. What leads you to assume they did? Regarding the Ant-Colony-Sugar analogy: Hawking for the win. Now we need to stop destroying our one and only inhabitable planet. I wonder what Carl Sagan would say if he were alive to hear this today. I forgot to mention.
Congratulations on a record number of responses. This is a great post, and a great comment thread, so kudos to Ethan and everyone. Hawking is simply extrapolating from a well-known anthropological fact. With this discovery, we come ever closer to the idea that life is common in the universe. Perhaps you are not convinced. That is OK; let me speculate what would happen should we ever find evidence of life beyond earth even if you think such discovery unlikely. Finding life elsewhere would end our cosmic isolation: These enticing possibilities are why my colleagues and I have spent 17 years developing a spacecraft mission dedicated to understanding Europa.
Bill Nye Talks Extraterrestrial Life: Unless Earth is special beyond reason, you can confidently assume there are plenty of societies out there. That doesn't mean that they'll come to Earth or, as many believe, already have. Interstellar travel, despite what you've seen at the local multiplex, is hard. But we could easily get in touch via radio signals or flashing laser lights.