Could aliens look like us?

[RWS]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

 

[Picaro]

If they don't look like Michelle Obama Democrats will proclaim them 'racists' and attack them. No point in them having anything to do with Earth.

 

[Mousterian]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

....still searching for an intelligent left winger

 

[PredFan]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

You are correct. But there are likely "aliens" on planets that resemble blobs, or reptiles, or intelligent fish, or even dinosaurs. However, these beings would not have the technology to travel to earth. I have also held this belief for decades. I always believed that science agreed with me. It's a bit surprising that they put this article out now.

 

[RWS]

Definitely agree PredFan. Of course, the article doesn't pertain to aliens visiting earth, but if they did, they would probably be similar to us.

What exists on their planet could be anything.

But a higher life form that develops an advanced brain, and the ability to manipulate its environment, has to give up some of the other survival aspects it may have, due to the limited resources available to natural selection. So the smarter and more advanced a being gets, the more vulnerable it becomes physically.

Then, other factors come into play to protect that being in it's vulnerable state. Like having at least 2 eyes for 3 dimensional vision (more than 2 eyes is a waste of resources that are necessary to develop the brain). 2 ears for 3d hearing (more than 2 ears is a waste of resources for same reason). Appendages that can manipulate the environment and use tools (again, more than 2 is a waste of resources). And a means of locomotion (more than 2 legs is a waste of resources). Furthermore, the eyes, ears, and nose should be held higher than the body to help detect predators from a distance. And since those senses require super fast brain access, the brain should be located close to the eyes, ears, and nose.

Pretty soon, we start to get close to the description of a humanoid type body to describe an organism that is able to evolve a high intelligence and dexterity to manipulate its environment, using the slow and logical process of natural selection as opposed to creation.

Because "creation" could create anything with unlimited resources. But natural selection has to work with what it has, and only very gradually increase resources as it evolves.

 

[fncceo]

Absolutely!

 

[miketx]

 

[theliq]

If they don't look like Michelle Obama Democrats will proclaim them 'racists' and attack them. No point in them having anything to do with Earth.

Moron

 

[WinterBorn]

Definitely agree PredFan. Of course, the article doesn't pertain to aliens visiting earth, but if they did, they would probably be similar to us.

What exists on their planet could be anything.

But a higher life form that develops an advanced brain, and the ability to manipulate its environment, has to give up some of the other survival aspects it may have, due to the limited resources available to natural selection. So the smarter and more advanced a being gets, the more vulnerable it becomes physically.

Then, other factors come into play to protect that being in it's vulnerable state. Like having at least 2 eyes for 3 dimensional vision (more than 2 eyes is a waste of resources that are necessary to develop the brain). 2 ears for 3d hearing (more than 2 ears is a waste of resources for same reason). Appendages that can manipulate the environment and use tools (again, more than 2 is a waste of resources). And a means of locomotion (more than 2 legs is a waste of resources). Furthermore, the eyes, ears, and nose should be held higher than the body to help detect predators from a distance. And since those senses require super fast brain access, the brain should be located close to the eyes, ears, and nose.

Pretty soon, we start to get close to the description of a humanoid type body to describe an organism that is able to evolve a high intelligence and dexterity to manipulate its environment, using the slow and logical process of natural selection as opposed to creation.

Because "creation" could create anything with unlimited resources. But natural selection has to work with what it has, and only very gradually increase resources as it evolves.

Part of what you say is accurate. But that does not mean that aliens would look anything like us. Plus, it does not take their natural environment into account.

2 eyes is the most efficient, giving depth perception without wasting resources. But where are the eyes on the body? On retractable stalks? High on the body? Or lower on the body. If the atmosphere on their planet is dense and prone to fog, having eyes lower would be an advantage in that they could see where they are going.

2 ears is efficient as well. But placement is also a question. Having them be moveable is a big advantage.

As for appendages, this is where I think you are wrong. Depending on the environment in which they developed, more than 2 arms could be an advantage. Did they climb or move around in an arboreal setting? Having arms to swing from while still having arms to manipulate their environs would be advantageous.

And depending on their original environment, having more than 2 legs could be an advantage. Think open plains. 4 legs allows for greater speed and an ability to traverse a greater variety of terrain types.

 

[Bonzi]

If you believe God is an alien, very likely as we were supposedly created in His image

 

[alang1216]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

There are two issues I see. How the aliens evolved and what they look like when they come to our planet.

If their home planet is larger than ours then they will be short and stocky. If it is smaller they will be tall and thin. Every aspect of their home will affect their evolution.

We have been around for a very short time and we are rapidly developing AI and bio-silicon interfaces. I think the aliens will be non-biological since things like DNA seem too fragile to travel in space. I also think they will be very, very small. Less mass means less energy to move them. We are already starting to build machines at the nano scale so they will too.

I don't think any alien needs anything from us, we would only provide amusement to them. If that is true and they are nano-scale or even smaller, they may already be here, we just can't see them.

Maybe.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

If you believe in an infinite universe then there is an alien out there somewhere that looks exactly like you and asking the very same question on an internet forum.

 

[RWS]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

I agree that there are lots of intelligent beings on this planet outside of humans. It could very well be so, that given enough time, those life forms will also evolve to the point that they can create structures capable of leaving the planet. But to get to an advanced enough level to be able to create a spaceship, it has to have the intelligence and dexterity to use tools, with much pre-planning. That may require abandoning some of their genetic resources that help them in their current stage, to allow for the more advanced features that will be needed to "make a spaceship": Also, a water species ala the movie "Arrival" and its octopus-like aliens, has to be able to melt the metals and form the shapes they need to build the spaceship and electronics. That would be hard to do under water, unless there's a non-fire heat source, and they can shape the metals before they cool.

Of course, it could be anything, using techniques that we cannot imagine yet. Anything is possible. But I have always thought that the probables for an alien visiting earth, will be recognizable as humanoid in many ways. The others creatures that would exist on their planet fascinate me in the diversity they could have.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Absolutely!

Russians.

 

[RWS]

Definitely agree PredFan. Of course, the article doesn't pertain to aliens visiting earth, but if they did, they would probably be similar to us.

What exists on their planet could be anything.

But a higher life form that develops an advanced brain, and the ability to manipulate its environment, has to give up some of the other survival aspects it may have, due to the limited resources available to natural selection. So the smarter and more advanced a being gets, the more vulnerable it becomes physically.

Then, other factors come into play to protect that being in it's vulnerable state. Like having at least 2 eyes for 3 dimensional vision (more than 2 eyes is a waste of resources that are necessary to develop the brain). 2 ears for 3d hearing (more than 2 ears is a waste of resources for same reason). Appendages that can manipulate the environment and use tools (again, more than 2 is a waste of resources). And a means of locomotion (more than 2 legs is a waste of resources). Furthermore, the eyes, ears, and nose should be held higher than the body to help detect predators from a distance. And since those senses require super fast brain access, the brain should be located close to the eyes, ears, and nose.

Pretty soon, we start to get close to the description of a humanoid type body to describe an organism that is able to evolve a high intelligence and dexterity to manipulate its environment, using the slow and logical process of natural selection as opposed to creation.

Because "creation" could create anything with unlimited resources. But natural selection has to work with what it has, and only very gradually increase resources as it evolves.

Part of what you say is accurate. But that does not mean that aliens would look anything like us. Plus, it does not take their natural environment into account.

2 eyes is the most efficient, giving depth perception without wasting resources. But where are the eyes on the body? On retractable stalks? High on the body? Or lower on the body. If the atmosphere on their planet is dense and prone to fog, having eyes lower would be an advantage in that they could see where they are going.

2 ears is efficient as well. But placement is also a question. Having them be moveable is a big advantage.

As for appendages, this is where I think you are wrong. Depending on the environment in which they developed, more than 2 arms could be an advantage. Did they climb or move around in an arboreal setting? Having arms to swing from while still having arms to manipulate their environs would be advantageous.

And depending on their original environment, having more than 2 legs could be an advantage. Think open plains. 4 legs allows for greater speed and an ability to traverse a greater variety of terrain types.

Great points!

An alien on any other planet can take on almost infinite shapes and forms. My thoughts are about an alien species that is capable of building a spaceship and visiting other planets. I always thought that if natural selection and evolution are right, those beings will have very similar humanoid features.

Like you said, 2 eyes and 2 ears are the most efficient. Not the best, but the most efficient. And that efficiency allows our limited genetic resources to be mutated into forms that will allow development in other areas, such as the brain and nimble fingers. More eyes and/or ears than necessary, require more resources allotted to those organs and corresponding brain functions. It could be very helpful for an organism to have lots of eyes, like flies and spiders, but they will have to somehow absorb a lot more genetic resources in the future in order to advance. Or remove some eyes to let some resources free for other purposes.

I love your point about where the eyes should be. In an earth-like land environment, they should be high on the body so they can see things past obstructions. Antennae eyes would seem a little vulnerable to getting chopped off by accident. In your example, where there's dense fog on the planet, you are absolutely right that the eyes would probably be lower. And in that case, the brain and ears would also be lower. So great point!

But definitely... the anus will not be on the top of the body. No species that observes gravity, wants to poop on themselves!

 

[Balancer]

There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could...

Dogs and dolphins do not have the main thing - the workers have enough grasping limbs. If the dogs acquired a mind in the course of evolution, then they would also have such limbs. And they would eventually become humanoid:

With dolphins more difficult. They have a different habitat. So sensible dolphins, most likely, would become like mermaids But here is another interesting question - why did not the mind develop in the ocean? The pressure of the human mind can not explain this problem, because the influence of mankind on the ocean, in general, is insignificant even now. And it was completely absent in earlier epochs. And life in the ocean is much older than life on land.

 

[RWS]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

There are two issues I see. How the aliens evolved and what they look like when they come to our planet.

If their home planet is larger than ours then they will be short and stocky. If it is smaller they will be tall and thin. Every aspect of their home will affect their evolution.

We have been around for a very short time and we are rapidly developing AI and bio-silicon interfaces. I think the aliens will be non-biological since things like DNA seem too fragile to travel in space. I also think they will be very, very small. Less mass means less energy to move them. We are already starting to build machines at the nano scale so they will too.

I don't think any alien needs anything from us, we would only provide amusement to them. If that is true and they are nano-scale or even smaller, they may already be here, we just can't see them.

Maybe.

Great points as well! I agree that smaller planets would be tall/thin aliens, and larger planets short/stocky aliens.

And just like humans, they would probably send out robotic probes first. But the AI had to be created by a living being, which means it has the abilities to create that level of technology. And either those beings, or the AI, had to build the spaceship. So we're still talking about an advanced life form on another planet capable of visiting other planets, whether themselves or through their AI representatives.

And they could be sending nano-scale spacecraft out, but the originating aliens still have to have the physical and mental requirements to create them. And if evolution and natural selection applies to them at similar rates to Earth, they should minimize the unnecessary physical traits, and maximize the mental and dexterity traits.

 

[RWS]

There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could...

Dogs and dolphins do not have the main thing - the workers have enough grasping limbs. If the dogs acquired a mind in the course of evolution, then they would also have such limbs. And they would eventually become humanoid:

View attachment 158693

With dolphins more difficult. They have a different habitat. So sensible dolphins, most likely, would become like mermaids But here is another interesting question - why did not the mind develop in the ocean? The pressure of the human mind can not explain this problem, because the influence of mankind on the ocean, in general, is insignificant even now. And it was completely absent in earlier epochs. And life in the ocean is much older than life on land.

What sparked the growth of humans was the invention of how to create fire. Which allowed everything from warmth to weapons. Not possible under water.

 

[RWS]

I have been arguing for dozens of years that an alien that is capable of building a spaceship, would probably look like us. Not exactly, but they will have similar traits that we recognize as "humanoid". This is due to natural selection and the capabilities needed to build a spaceship. A "blob" is not going to land on earth and roll out of its spaceship.

It has to have the capabilities to build the spaceship, and being that natural selection will favor the maximum and minimum requirements for those capabilities, and the necessities they need to survive and evolve, aliens that land on earth could very well look similar to us. I've been saying this for over 30 years.

So Oxford finally did some science on the subject, and came up with the same conclusion that advanced life on other planets could be similar to us. Of course, it's not proof, but it's nice to see one of my 2170 theories get some recognition. ;-)

Aliens may be more like us than we think | University of Oxford

If you believe in an infinite universe then there is an alien out there somewhere that looks exactly like you and asking the very same question on an internet forum.

Absolutely true. There would actually be infinite aliens that look exactly like us and all asking the same question. That's probably why my internet is so slow....