Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why We’ll Have Evidence of Aliens—If They Exist—By 2035
Nautilus ^ | 10/4/2017 | Seth Shostak

Posted on 11/08/2019 8:07:08 PM PST by Duke C.

I’m optimistic by nature—as a scientist, you have to be. But my hopeful feeling is not wishful thinking; it is firmly grounded in the logic of SETI. Half a century sounds like a long time, but the search is truly in its early days. Given the current state of SETI efforts and abilities, I feel that we’re on the cusp of learning something truly revolutionary.

(Excerpt) Read more at getpocket.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science; UFO's
KEYWORDS: aatip; aliens; astronomy; endlessgrants; fauxiantroll; fauxiantrolls; fringe; ohsomysteriouso; pipedream; science; sethshostak; seti; skepticultists; ufo; ufos; worstexcerptever; yurimilner
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last
To: Duke C.; All

If one accepts the scientists’ explanation of how life arose here on Earth, then it developed in an environment inhospitable to the vast majority of life now on the planet. And, who are we to say the path followed here is the only option? That seems utterly arrogant, to me.

If one accepts the Judeo-Christian explanation of how life arose (was created) here on Earth, then who on Earth (so to speak) is to say what God can or cannot do?

As for civilizations being short lived in terms of geologic time, that’s true, BUT, the pattern is of civilizations rising, collapsing, and then new ones replacing the old. Unless we utterly wipe ourselves out — fairly hard to do — once an Industrial Age has occurred, if just enough information survives each time to get subsequent civilizations into their own Industrial Age(s) fairly quickly, then the pattern will likely still be of rises and falls, but much faster than in the past.* At least some civilizations should be able to get out into and inhabit, at a minimum, interplanetary abodes (Earth’s Moon, Mars, the Asteroid Belt, moons in the outer Solar System that have large quantities of water...). Heck, we are not THAT far from being able to do so, ourselves. Survival of any of those colonies makes recoveries even faster, as then technology retention is vastly enhanced.

Some civilizations last longer than others, too. In our case, say, a U.S. Constitution with certain inviolable additions near the front, could perhaps be better enduring. Learn from our mistakes, one might put it. Humans are adaptive and sometimes (sometimes) do learn from mistakes.

*I was watching a documentary the other day on how SLOWLY humankind had progressed for tens of thousands of years, and then we took off like a rocket once the Industrial Revolution began, with the Information Age providing sort of a “second stage” further boost.

The major problem is that over geologic time frames, the odds of Solar System-wide catastrophe go up. This would argue that civilizations reaching their own Industrial Ages need to last long enough, and be wise enough, to at least be capable of sending out generational “seed” ships.


61 posted on 11/09/2019 5:01:27 AM PST by Paul R. (The Lib / Socialist goal: Total control of nothing left worth controlling.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: be-baw

It should have been written 1:10^300


62 posted on 11/09/2019 5:32:16 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Everyone who favors socialism plans on the government taking other people's money, not theirs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: PIF

LOL!


63 posted on 11/09/2019 5:39:16 AM PST by jmacusa ("If wisdom is not the Lord, what is wisdom?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

he likelihood of finding a planet with ALL the requirements to support life AND for that life to exist at all, much less to be intelligent enough to build a transmitter, are virtually nil. The odds are like 1:10e-300.


The statistic is based on a priori assumptions which leads to nothing more than a guess. One might as well go with the 12-year climate change prediction based on the amount of time we have left on this Earth. That too is an a priori assumption. The truth is the actual percentage of finding another planet like ours has a percentage somewhere between 0 and infinity.

In simpler words, They “...know nuthin’, John Snow”


64 posted on 11/09/2019 5:42:29 AM PST by zaxtres
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DoodleBob

We’ll all be dead by then.


65 posted on 11/09/2019 5:53:01 AM PST by moovova
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: PIF

“Some scientists have posited that ...

Some scientists have posited that manmade global warming is real and we are doomed.
Bogus science both”

The “some scientists” supporting the civilization window theory included Enrico Fermi, who many people considered to be a fairly clever guy.


66 posted on 11/09/2019 6:04:04 AM PST by The Antiyuppie (‘When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.’)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Sirius Lee

There is a lot of evidence in our own history that civilization “peaks” last only 50-200 years. Egyptians, Greeks, Rome, Persia, Byzantines, etc.


67 posted on 11/09/2019 6:07:40 AM PST by The Antiyuppie (‘When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.’)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: PIF
Voyagers 1 and 2 are identical spacecraft. Each is equipped with instruments to conduct 10 different experiments. The instruments include television cameras, infrared and ultraviolet sensors, magnetometers, plasma detectors, and cosmic-ray and charged-particle sensors. In addition, the spacecraft radio is used to conduct experiments.

Fact Sheet: The Voyager Planetary Mission

I have never seen anywhere where it states what the exact experiments they were capable of conducting. But I can't imagine they made no attempts to contact intelligent lifeforms in any of their experiments. Particularly the experiments involving radio transmissions. If you have further information I am open to review it.

68 posted on 11/09/2019 6:14:53 AM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: DoodleBob
In college, one of my roommates was preparing for seminary school. He had a book on cults. There was a chapter on aliens and this is about what it said.

The aliens were really the fallen angels...demons if you will.

It was all Satanic.

69 posted on 11/09/2019 6:29:38 AM PST by ealgeone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget

I understand the whole dimensional concept. I would hate to be the guy that went from the third dimension to the second, and back. Would I re-inflate? I hope so.


70 posted on 11/09/2019 6:35:57 AM PST by Vermont Lt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: The Antiyuppie
There is a lot of evidence in our own history that civilization “peaks” last only 50-200 years. Egyptians, Greeks, Rome, Persia, Byzantines, etc.

We're somewhere between that.

I'd say US strength began in 1945 as we replaced Great Britain as the world's preeminent superpower.

Presuming we're still at our peak we're at year 74.

How much longer we will last will depend on the 2020 election.

IF Trump is re-elected, and we hold the Senate, he will be able to continue to re-shape the judiciary. That will go a long way towards keeping the US as a superpower that embraces freedom.

71 posted on 11/09/2019 6:38:49 AM PST by ealgeone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: Vermont Lt

Anytime you move a dimension down there is data lost. Moving up and folding back I don’t think is a problem at least in that the moving back is the same but moving down a dimension doesn’t result in being able to come back. At least that is how I see it logically.


72 posted on 11/09/2019 6:39:36 AM PST by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget (TRUMP TRAIN !!! Get the hell out of the way if you are not on yet because we don't stop for idiots)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: The Antiyuppie

Some people are cleaver sometimes and no so clever other times, particularly when they are dealing in aspects of science they are not familiar with, not to mention things have drastically changed since the 1950s.

So Fermi was talking through his hat on this subject.


73 posted on 11/09/2019 7:36:43 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Robert DeLong

Thats what I said.


74 posted on 11/09/2019 7:38:25 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: PIF
You said they had no way of detecting life, but I contend that most likely was not the case. So if you have evidence that supports your claim I must have missed it. I mean you may be right, but since I don't know where you glean your confidence in your statement, I respectfully must question said confidence.

I know the statement I made is accurate. We have garnered no evidence of existence of alien beings, at least as far as we (those who are nothing more than spectators) know. If you are more than just a spectator I would welcome the knowledge you possess. I am neither a skeptic not a believer. I just know what has been made available.

Also you can educate me as to why we would know by 2035 as to the truth regarding additional life that is capable of visiting our planet.

75 posted on 11/09/2019 7:56:52 AM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: ealgeone; HiTech RedNeck
Truthfully, there are lots of problems with the time and distance required for a carbon- or silicone-based life form to travel to Earth. And yet, we discuss and debate the topic and usually fly off into fantasyland.

If you are a Believer, the demonic theory is very compelling. Indeed, just like how people often say prayers in the midst of difficulty and obtain relief, I wonder how "alien abductees" would fare if they recite the Lord's Prayer.

76 posted on 11/09/2019 8:18:56 AM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^s)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Duke C.

Not any given year, but “maybe someday” would be the most honest answer. That’s “MAYBE” and “SOMEDAY”, not “for sure” and not by any set time frame.


77 posted on 11/09/2019 8:34:14 AM PST by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

Notice how the Vatican lately is ramping up the articles on ‘aliens’ and ‘intelligent extraterrestrial life’.

“The Lie” that those left to the Wrath of God are going to believe will be marvelous indeed.


78 posted on 11/09/2019 8:37:27 AM PST by Roman_War_Criminal (Like Enoch, Noah, & Lot, the True Church will soon be removed & then destruction comes forth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: DoodleBob; SkyPilot

[ Why We’ll Have Evidence of Aliens—If They Exist—By 2035 ]

Oh, that’s right. Hillary was gonna “release all the info on UFO’s”. (boy was Hillary desperate for votes)

Does this mean Skynet will building a T-800 chassis for Hillary to become President in 2035?

:)


79 posted on 11/09/2019 9:00:38 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

We are alone...


80 posted on 11/09/2019 9:15:37 AM PST by Does so (.Democrats only believe in democracy when they win the election...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson