Why Aren't We Picking Up Radio Signals From Nearby Alien Civilizations?

[Delta4Embassy]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

 

[ScienceRocks]

Maybe because radio as we understand it probably doesn't last as a vehicle of communications for more then a century?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Maybe because radio as we understand it probably doesn't last as a vehicle of communications for more then a century?

Would think whether it survives for very far or long it'd still be obviously intelligent in origin. Either there's nothing in any kind of nearby range, or we have detected such signals and just don't get told about it. As would make more sense than telling the world at large.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Don't gain anything telling the world, "Hey there's these aliens at least as intelligent as we are out there." After the nerds stop clapping, the next sound you'd hear is the religious lunatics blowing their brains out. And while that's not actually a bad thing, the ones who go nuts first are the worry.

 

[Porker]

let me know when you meet one.

 

[Harry Dresden]

let me know when you meet one.

i think you just did.....

 

[MaryL]

We are the aliens here, too, and we are still on our baby legs. The methods and the technology aside, perhaps we need to mature a little before another race responds. Like on this board.

 

[mamooth]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species?

Because earth's combined total of radio signals fade to way below the cosmic background levels within 10 light years of earth. There are only a few stars within that radius. It's very likely nobody knows we're here.

The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Caution is warranted.

The SETI program can't find earthlike planets. It can only find powerful beacons that have been deliberately set up to make contact. More optimistic people thought we'd find lots of such beacons out there, from many races who wanted to make contact. And we've find none. It's like driving into a strange town and finding it completely empty of people. The silence is a little creepy.

Possibilities:

1. Intelligent life arises much less often than we thought.

2. We hit the cosmic lottery, and were the first to build a technological civilization.

3. Technological civilizations always end up destroying themselves.

4. Earth is considered like a zoo, and the whole galactic area is quarantined.

5. A few paranoid xenophobic races lay low, and then annihilate any upstarts they detect. It only takes one group of killers to wipe out all the friendly races.

 

[Roadrunner]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species?

Because earth's combined total of radio signals fade to way below the cosmic background levels within 10 light years of earth. There are only a few stars within that radius. It's very likely nobody knows we're here.

The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Caution is warranted.

The SETI program can't find earthlike planets. It can only find powerful beacons that have been deliberately set up to make contact. More optimistic people thought we'd find lots of such beacons out there, from many races who wanted to make contact. And we've find none. It's like driving into a strange town and finding it completely empty of people. The silence is a little creepy.

Possibilities:

1. Intelligent life arises much less often than we thought.

2. We hit the cosmic lottery, and were the first to build a technological civilization.

3. Technological civilizations always end up destroying themselves.

4. Earth is considered like a zoo, and the whole galactic area is quarantined.

5. A few paranoid xenophobic races lay low, and then annihilate any upstarts they detect. It only takes one group of killers to wipe out all the friendly races.

6. Aliens heard about HIV????

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"Why Aren't We Picking Up Radio Signals From Nearby Alien Civilizations?"

Because there are no near-by alien civilizations.

Far away, either.

 

[Mr. H.]

Contact was a decent movie.

Contact 1997 - IMDb

 

[Harry Dresden]

"Why Aren't We Picking Up Radio Signals From Nearby Alien Civilizations?"

Because there are no near-by alien civilizations.

Far away, either.

yea a universe this vast and we are definitely it....got proof of that dimples?....

 

[RetiredGySgt]

"Why Aren't We Picking Up Radio Signals From Nearby Alien Civilizations?"

Because there are no near-by alien civilizations.

Far away, either.

So billions of planets but only earth has life? Sure thing.

 

[eots]

"Why Aren't We Picking Up Radio Signals From Nearby Alien Civilizations?"

Because there are no near-by alien civilizations.

Far away, either.

 

[Asclepias]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Simple. Aliens dont use radio signals at all. Humans think their higher forms of long distance communication must be the norm. Its probably likely aliens use a superior form of long distance communication. Radio waves may be the equivalent of cave man grunts to others.

 

[jon_berzerk]

because the distance is too great

 

[CrusaderFrank]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Why aren't we picking up alien March Madness telecasts?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Simple. Aliens dont use radio signals at all. Humans think their higher forms of long distance communication must be the norm. Its probably likely aliens use a superior form of long distance communication. Radio waves may be the equivalent of cave man grunts to others.

While this is possible I tend to think any possible technological device will be much the same regardless of who makes it. Nuclear weapons for example should be identical planet to planet. Once you know you can split certain atoms to release that energy potential you may well make that sort of weapon. Again with radio transmissions. Any technological civilization will need communications and come up with some mechanical way of doing it. What works here should work everywhere.

 

[Asclepias]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Simple. Aliens dont use radio signals at all. Humans think their higher forms of long distance communication must be the norm. Its probably likely aliens use a superior form of long distance communication. Radio waves may be the equivalent of cave man grunts to others.

While this is possible I tend to think any possible technological device will be much the same regardless of who makes it. Nuclear weapons for example should be identical planet to planet. Once you know you can split certain atoms to release that energy potential you may well make that sort of weapon. Again with radio transmissions. Any technological civilization will need communications and come up with some mechanical way of doing it. What works here should work everywhere.

Maybe instead of nuclear weapons they just open up a Black hole over your planet? That would make a nuclear weapon look like a firecracker.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

We're sending our radio signals in every direction for almost a hundred years now. So why aren't we picking up any from other species? The reason I worry about is simple enough: nearby alien species with technology realize there are hostile alien races who send invasion or attack fleets to detected intelligent planets for conquest or annihilation so keep their radio transmissions to a local variety, not ones that radiate out into space. Imagine a dot representing our Sun with lots of red dots all around representing hostile alien races. Could be on their way right now. On the more cheerful side, could be a friendly one on the way too who'll say "SHHHHH!"

Simple. Aliens dont use radio signals at all. Humans think their higher forms of long distance communication must be the norm. Its probably likely aliens use a superior form of long distance communication. Radio waves may be the equivalent of cave man grunts to others.

While this is possible I tend to think any possible technological device will be much the same regardless of who makes it. Nuclear weapons for example should be identical planet to planet. Once you know you can split certain atoms to release that energy potential you may well make that sort of weapon. Again with radio transmissions. Any technological civilization will need communications and come up with some mechanical way of doing it. What works here should work everywhere.

Maybe instead of nuclear weapons they just open up a Black hole over your planet? That would make a nuclear weapon look like a firecracker.

Let's not give weapons designers any bright ideas k?