How Lonely is Our Planet?

Tech Central Station ^ | 11/12/2003 | Kenneth Silber

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Seems to me any civilization advanced enough to traverse interstellar space would be advanced enough to observe us undetected. Cloaking device on, Captain!

[aardvark1]

I believe it was Bill Watterson of "Calvin and Hobbes" fame who put these words in the mouth of Calvin's feline friend: "The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us."

[Twinkie]

Schnozzy & Wozzy having lunch! Grubbies,
Lizard & Sea Urchins on the menu today!

[Moonman62]

Our "eyes" are decent, and have a substantial range, but no matter how hard we search we can find no sign of intelligent life.

How hard have we searched?

If there are civilizations more advanced than our own, why wouldn't they make themselves easier to find. Keep in mind, they would certainly know that we are here.

[RadioAstronomer]

Keep in mind, they would certainly know that we are here.

How? Our radio signals have only gone about 50 light years.

[Moonman62]

They would have known that life was here for quite a long time by observing the spectral lines in our atmosphere.

[jennyp]

...Are sharks less evolved than primates?

Is complexity a desirable trait and simplicity undesireable, in the grand scheme of things?

Apparently not, until one species happens to pass a certain threshold of intelligence. At that point, history tells us that it became very desirable for us. So I guess one species has to first stumble onto that one developmental pathway & reach that threshold level where more intelligence is better. Up until that point, a runaway evolution of increasing intelligence is not necessarily desirable at all.

[jennyp]

Cockroaches are the pinnacle of evolution

As I understand it, bacteria still make up the bulk of the biomass on Earth! However, we're the only species who will ever know this.

[Semper Paratus]

We could be monitored up the ying-yang and not know it with sub-atomic sized probes reporting back our relative primitiveness.

[RadioAstronomer]

Life yes. Tool making life? Not sure if you could tell that way. Will have to think about that. :-)

[Consort]

It's the old non-interference-prime-directive thing.

[beezdotcom]

"But this doesn't make much Marklar when you consider that these Marklar are nothing like the Marklar that were Marklared on the earlier Marklar."

[farmfriend]

Our radio signals have only gone about 50 light years.

Is that all? Wow. That doesn't get us very far does it.

[KantianBurke]

Detective Marsh says for you to quit mixing up episode quotes! :>

[farmfriend]

It's the old non-interference-prime-directive thing.

They are waiting for us to develope warp drive. Course they will have to be passing by at just the right moment.

[KantianBurke]

and Kenny's a poor piece of crap.

[paulklenk]

[farmfriend]

Hahaha, It's a cook book!!!!

[Britton J Wingfield]

I want to believe.

[mdmathis6]

"We could be monitored up the ying-yang and not know it with sub-atomic sized probes reporting back our relative primitiveness."

Zotar and I were just discussing the results of your probed ying-yang, puny earthling!....we predict quite a bit of laughter back at galactic head-quarters!