The Physics of Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations

http://www.mkaku.org/ ^ | unk | Michio Kaku

[Robert A Cook PE]

Yes, but Microsoft set us back a couple of points.

(Not for having invented DOS, but for Gates and IBM having convinced everybody that they have to use it, or use only lower case in misspelled unix letters.)

[Poohbah]

Maybe civilization doesn't survive its first (and last) brush with nanotechnology, and we have no alien civilizations, but hundreds of otherwise habitable worlds covered with Eric Drexler's "gray goo."

[Robert A Cook PE]

Or, these species decided that they are scared the hell of us, and have decided as long as we DON'T get into space, and we DON'T know that they exist, we will remain safely isolated from destroying them.

And I'm only partially pulling your leg......8<)

[Michael Barnes]

The movie "Contact" is the way I would like to envision it going down (minus all the Gov't politc'ing). Makes the most sense to me as well.

Although, rational thought tells me, if we had massive amounts of technology, I doubt we would contact a world like our present day one in the condition it is in. It's a security risk in the long term.

[GeekDejure]

Hey, Geek, they're talking about your relatives!

...thought process[Sheeesh... I've been outed !!!]

<<<<< Hapa Skootic Roond De Zidabuk Mict De Ezzchanyamus >>>>>

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[RadioAstronomer]

I think the Lorentz Transformation is the deciding factor here. There could be a million civilizations on our own back yard and they would never visit. Think of the energy required to get to the nearest star much less one that is 500 parsecs away.

[onedoug]

One God. One morality. Decency toward others. Deed over creed.

Everywhere, and for all time.

[Arioch7]

Interesting, I had to look up Mr. Drexler. You are way above me on this one!

[js1138]

Only if you think in terms of sending adult biological organisms rather than some sort of seeds capable of using raw materials to replicate and send on the next wave. The seeds could be nanodevices rather than biological organisms. You could get quite far in a few hundred million years, even at a small fraction of lightspeed. And if General Lightspeed Clark wins, even that won't be a barrier.

[PatrickHenry]

I think the Lorentz Transformation is the deciding factor here. There could be a million civilizations on our own back yard and they would never visit. Think of the energy required to get to the nearest star much less one that is 500 parsecs away.

I think there are star-clusters where the stars are rather tightly packed. Maybe only light-days apart. I may have this all wrong. But if places like that exist, it's realistic that interstellar travel is going on. But there, not here.

We need some heavy-duty new technology before we can get serious about interstellar travel.

[Poohbah]

We're in the boring, unfashionable end of the Galaxy.

But wouldn't having stars only a few light-days apart cause problems with planetary formation and planetary habitability? Our solar system is only about one light-day across.

[Quix]

Believers are slated to RULE AND REIGN with Christ . . . evidently through endless ages and countless galaxies.

. . . I believe based on a currency of love in an attitude of humility applying the Golden Rule.

And this is bootcamp.

[Michael Barnes]

Anyone interested in getting an idea of our "neck of the woods" should check out Starry Night. I in no way have an affiliation with said software, but found it a very cool tool to teach my youngin's with. The Pro edition is very good in my opinion..

At any rate, just throwing this out there. The software gives a good idea of the VASTNESS of space.

Oh..And this bad boy is MINE in April....

[Michael Barnes]

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[Senator Pardek]

I think there are star-clusters where the stars are rather tightly packed. Maybe only light-days apart. I may have this all wrong.

Messier 13

[truthandjustice1]

"Close enough."

I'll eat your soul.

[RadioAstronomer]

Here is the rub. Do we want to waste our limited resources on sending one-way robots into space? Telescopes do very well and I think those resources would be used here first.

[RadioAstronomer]

We need some heavy-duty new technology before we can get serious about interstellar travel.

Indeed. :-) We haven't even started to get serious about interplanetary travel. Sigh.

[PatrickHenry]

We're in the boring, unfashionable end of the Galaxy. But wouldn't having stars only a few light-days apart cause problems with planetary formation and planetary habitability? Our solar system is only about one light-day across.

Actually, we're in the high-style district. Our distance from neighboring stars is analogous to big lawns in expensive parts of town. Distance gives us privacy, and it may be what's kept us alive and given us time to develop. Those jam-packed stellar clusters are like tenements, where you can always hear people's conversations down the hall.

The solar system is a light-day across? I doubt it. Pluto is about 40 times farther from the sun than we are, and we're 8 light minutes from the sun. Pluto is therefore 320 light-minutes away from the sun, and that's an orbital diameter (very rough, because it's really an elipse) of 640 minutes, which is more or less 10 or 11 hours. Less than half a light-day. This is very seat-of-the-pants, so I'll let RadioAstronomer mop up after me.

[KevinDavis]

Here is my take in this:

1. We are not alone. There is no way.
2. I think there are other humans from different planets
3. Why I think aliens has not visited us, I don't know, all I got to say is this, I wouldn't this planet, hell I want to leave this stupid rock!
4. Will we make contact with other life forms.. Yes.. When I don't know.


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