Are We Alone in the Universe?

[Madeline]

Humm. Well, if ET exists, does science also posit what he looks like? Would he have to be humanoid in some vague way?

Could there intelligent mold, say?

 

[DiveCon]

again, the distance factor means it takes a very long time for those signals to get from point A to point B
and radio waves do not move at the speed of light
i dont remember how far away the closes C class star is from us, but i think its over 100 LY

Radio travels at the speed of light in space.

But I agree that the sheer distance such communication has to travel is silly long and takes forever.

doh, my bad
i was thinking the speed of sound

 

[Robert_Stephens]

Is there a way to estimate the number of technologically advanced civilizations that might exist in our Galaxy? While working at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, Dr. Frank Drake conceived a means to mathematically estimate the number of worlds that might harbor beings with technology sufficient to communicate across the vast gulfs of interstellar space. The Drake Equation, as it came to be known, was formulated in 1961 and is generally accepted by the scientific community.
N = R* fp ne fl fi fc L

where,
N = The number of communicative civilizations
R* = The rate of formation of suitable stars (stars such as our Sun)
fp = The fraction of those stars with planets. (Current evidence indicates that planetary systems may be common for stars like the Sun.)
ne = The number of Earth-like worlds per planetary system
fl = The fraction of those Earth-like planets where life actually develops
fi = The fraction of life sites where intelligence develops
fc = The fraction of communicative planets (those on which electromagnetic communications technology develops)
L = The "lifetime" of communicating civilizations
Frank Drake's own current solution to the Drake Equation estimates 10,000 communicative civilizations in the Milky Way. Dr. Drake, who serves on the SETI League's advisory board, has personally endorsed SETI's planned all-sky survey.

That is a fair number. From our knowledge, intelligence doesn't "mold" unless it is seeing Nibiru quite a bit or stars floating in our solar system other than our sun.

Robert

 

[DiveCon]

again, the distance factor means it takes a very long time for those signals to get from point A to point B
and radio waves do not move at the speed of light
i dont remember how far away the closes C class star is from us, but i think its over 100 LY

CV22.34, at 27 LY distant.

Robert

wow, only 27 LY?
hmmm then if there is intelligent life on that one, they should have received at least some radio or tv signals by now

 

[Article 15]

again, the distance factor means it takes a very long time for those signals to get from point A to point B
and radio waves do not move at the speed of light
i dont remember how far away the closes C class star is from us, but i think its over 100 LY

CV22.34, at 27 LY distant.

Robert

wow, only 27 LY?
hmmm then if there is intelligent life on that one, they should have received at least some radio or tv signals by now

Yeah, you would think. Of course the odds against intelligent life being there are enormous so I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Robert_Stephens]

again, the distance factor means it takes a very long time for those signals to get from point A to point B
and radio waves do not move at the speed of light
i dont remember how far away the closes C class star is from us, but i think its over 100 LY

CV22.34, at 27 LY distant.

Robert

wow, only 27 LY?
hmmm then if there is intelligent life on that one, they should have received at least some radio or tv signals by now

Yes.

Since radio travels at the SoL, and since radio was started 108 years ago. Our entire civilization has been broadcasted out to 108 LYs. That has reached 8 stars like our sun. Those, as we know it, have planets but it is unconfirmed what type panets they are. Yet.

The downside of this means they have received untold episodes of Bonanza.

Robert

 

[sparky]

Then why have we not been contacted?

my theory?

well, we've all lived next to the F*cko's right? I mean, sorts that are so amazingly socially stunted one waits until they're not in sight to enter or leave their own abode, because the less you have to deal with them , the better.....

 

[DiveCon]

CV22.34, at 27 LY distant.

Robert

wow, only 27 LY?
hmmm then if there is intelligent life on that one, they should have received at least some radio or tv signals by now

Yes.

Since radio travels at the SoL, and since radio was started 108 years ago. Our entire civilization has been broadcasted out to 108 LYs. That has reached 8 stars like our sun. Those, as we know it, have planets but it is unconfirmed what type panets they are. Yet.

The downside of is this means they have received untold episodes of Bonanza.

Robert

and casey kasum


LOL

of course thats assuming they are capable enough to decode it and understand it

 

[sparky]

The downside of is this means they have received untold episodes of Bonanza.

Robert

puts a whole new spin on the 'ol 'take us to your leader' ditty Rob....

 

[Article 15]

CV22.34 is now entering it's hair band phase.

 

[Robert_Stephens]

puts a whole new spin on the 'ol 'take us to your leader' ditty Rob....

Priceless! Everything else, MasterCard!

Robert

 

[Robert_Stephens]

So, how many stars are there out to about 100 LY from Earth.

A few years ago the Hipparcos sattelite measured distances to ~120,000 nearby stars, so somewhere there is an exact answer to this question. I don't know to what magniture Hipparcos could measure parallaxes for, and whether it could see the dimmest M dwarfs 100 light years away, so it may or may not have observed all the stars within 100 light years. Given how dim M dwarfs are, I would guess it probably didn't. In other words, somewone probably figured out exactly how many stars in the Hipparcos catalog are withi 100 light years, but I don't know that answer, or whether that ould be all of the actual stars within 100 light years (~30 parsecs).

So, here's an estimate. In our part of the Galaxy, the average distance between stars is about 1 parsec. (30 pc~100 ly). 4pi/3* (30 pc)^3 is about 113,000 stars out to a distance of 30 pc or about 100 lightyears. Now, about half of the star systems are binaries or multiple systems, so 113000 + 113000/2 is about 170,000 stars. That's a lot!

As for how many have planets, well, we have detected several hundred extrasolar planets, but they are almost all very large planets orbiting very close to their parent star, simply because this is what is easiest to detect. The more we look, the more we'll probably find, so there are probably many thousands of planets within 100 ly of our solar system.

Robert

 

[editec]

I suspect that there is life all over the place in various states of development.

However those at our stage of development are probably rather rare.

And I suspect that a LOT of life that does reach our stage of development doesn't suvive long enough to reach mush more advanced stages of development, either.

So if there are adcanced species who have reached the point where they could travel though time and space, and if they know that we exist, I also don't doubt that they are smart enough to understand that we need to SAVE OURSELVES before we will be ready to make contact with more advanced civilizations.

AFter all, if a species is NOT smart enough to handle one planet well enough to keep itself alive, why on earth would you want those primatives sharing the universe with those that were intelligent enough to get past this critical junction in species development?


Would YOU supply savages with the advanced technology to ruin your neighborhood?

 

[Robert_Stephens]

I suspect that there is life all over the place in various states of development.

However those at our stage of development are probably rather rare.

And I suspect that a LOT of life that does reach our stage of development doesn't suvive long enough to reach mush more advanced stages of development, either.

So if there are adcanced species who have reached the point where they could travel though time and space, and if they know that we exist, I also don't doubt that they are smart enough to understand that we need to SAVE OURSELVES before we will be ready to make contact with more advanced civilizations.

AFter all, if a species is NOT smart enough to handle one planet well enough to keep itself alive, why on earth would you want those primatives sharing the universe with those that were intelligent enough to get past this critical junction in species development?


Would YOU supply savages with the advanced technology to ruin your neighborhood?

The last sentence question, answered first: Yes, I do and would. I am an Archaeologist for NASA. And do high end thermal and visual imaging for them. I help and like everybody. Unless they try to kill me and then that is what the 12 gauge is for.

So, it seems logical, that since we help everyone who cannot help themselves here, other civilizations would do the same if they found us and had the means to travel at WARP speed to get here.

It is popular now that all things, and all life, is BAD. I'm not certain where this comes from, but its disturbing. Our planet is fine and in no way in danger of failing. It's been here for 4.3 billion years, and will remain a few more billion.

Robert

 

[Madeline]

So, that March 15th drop dead date has been extended?

 

[Madeline]

I have another question, Robert. Yanno that tv show "Life After People"? Fascinating stuff....but if ever such a thing happened, wouldn't people just evolve all over again?

 

[rikules]

Given the vastness of space, I'd say it is more than likely that life exists elsewhere.

you use way too much illegal drugs

 

[uscitizen]

I have no math or science skills to stand on, Robert, but if I were betting, I'd put $5 on "we are alone". It is certainly possible we are not, but what are the odds that if things are as you describe (no doubt you're correct), the Earth is the most advanced planet and the occupants of none of the others have bothered to reach out and touch us?

I view ET the same way I do ghosts: could be, but doesn't seem terribly likely.

BTW, is there or isn't there evidence of life on Mars in the distant past?

Umm Maddie why would they want to reach out and touch us?
I mean really if they are advanced enough to travel hundreds of light years why fool with us?

Would most of us like to hang out with abos in Austrailia? Or people living in huts and using spears in mid Africa?
Heck most of us just avoid the trailer trash and ghettos.

 

[rikules]

I suspect that there is life all over the place in various states of development.

However those at our stage of development are probably rather rare.

And I suspect that a LOT of life that does reach our stage of development doesn't suvive long enough to reach mush more advanced stages of development, either.

So if there are adcanced species who have reached the point where they could travel though time and space, and if they know that we exist, I also don't doubt that they are smart enough to understand that we need to SAVE OURSELVES before we will be ready to make contact with more advanced civilizations.

AFter all, if a species is NOT smart enough to handle one planet well enough to keep itself alive, why on earth would you want those primatives sharing the universe with those that were intelligent enough to get past this critical junction in species development?


Would YOU supply savages with the advanced technology to ruin your neighborhood?

when we bring 3rd world primitive savages as immigrants to live in our inner cities and towns....

aren't we doing just that?

 

[uscitizen]

And remember I am from the Beta Traingula system

A good disguise though? I have a trained human that fronts for me though. Intelligent cat appearing creatures have no rights on this planet.