The Physics of Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations

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

[js1138]

First, you must be able to travel BACK to the origin.

Not true at all, particularly if the probes are robotic. It would be nice to be able to relay messages back at the speed of light, but not essential.

[PatrickHenry]

If ou can't communicate faster than speed of light, nothing you do away from the home system will ever be economically viable.

Before radio and the telegraph, ships would routinely go on multi-year voyages and then come back, having been out of touch all the while. If the ship was loaded with valuable cargo, the shipowners became rich. The problem isn't communications, it's finding something that will justify the costs of the transport system.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Ah, but I was thinking of making a profit (not prophet) from the interstellar civilization.

True, a "simple" probe, (broadcasting back radio information) could be a prophet, without having having to navigate back.

[Prodigal Son]

Interesting read.

[PeriwinkleMinniepaws]

SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) bookmark

[BigCinBigD]

Ping for later.

[Dengar01]

bump for later read

[Centurion2000]

BUMP

[Casloy]

We may find out there are thousands of planets like ours and God only takes care of us part time. That could explain 9/11. God was off taking care of a problem on Intara.

[SunkenCiv]

[over two years later]

Well put.

[cgbg]

I am embarassed to admit I didn't know what the 2001 Monolith was until I read this article.

Thanks for posting it!

[Fred Nerks]

"Time to kick Saganism to the curb."

Thanks for the thought.

I couldn't agree more. And greetings to whoever it was who said; 'Carl Sagan was an entertainer...'

[Las Vegas Dave]

*OPI pings.

*=Of Possible Interest
(Note: thread is from November 2003)

[JustDoItAlways]

What about the physics of exceeding the speed of light.

It may simply be impossible to build a spaceship that can travel faster than the speed of light or even anything approaching a sizable fraction of the speed of light.

That would mean that there are NO interstellar civilizations (as advanced as they may be) and we are all stuck in own little local solar systems.

That seems to answer the question of why we haven't been visited.

[kalee]

ping

[Solamente]

Thanks for the ping. This seems like the thread to post what will probably disturb the religious members of Free Republic, but I'll try to take care by contemplating before posting. I'll get back soon to address this topic.

[Fred Nerks]

July 29, 1997

Scientists Discover Methane Ice Worms on Gulf of Mexico Sea Floor

Click here to view photos of the iceworms

A team of university scientists using a mini research submarine on a NOAA-funded research cruise has discovered, photographed, and sampled what appears to be a new species of centipede-like worms living on and within mounds of methane ice on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, about 150 miles south of New Orleans.

Although scientists had hypothesized that bacteria might colonize methane ice mounds, called gas hydrates, this is the first time animals have been found living in the mounds.

The discovery of dense colonies of these one-to-two-inch-long, flat, pinkish worms burrowing into a mushroom-shaped mound of methane seeping up from the sea floor raises speculation that the worms may be a new species with a pervasive and as yet unknown influence on these energy-rich gas deposits.

http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/iceworms.htm


Some species just can't answer back...

[SunkenCiv]

Wow! That looks like a cool (heh) standalone topic. Sometime... not now... ;')

[Fred Nerks]

http://www.astrobiology.com/extreme.html

FYI

[Frank_Discussion]

Thanks for the pingage, LVD.

I'll have to come back to the thread a bit later, but fascinating...