Posted on 05/22/2014 11:55:42 AM PDT by Las Vegas Dave
Aliens almost definitely exist.
At least, that's what two astronomers told Congress this week, as they appealed for continued funding to research life beyond Earth.
According to ABC News, Dan Werthimer, director of the SETI [search for extraterrestrial intelligence] Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, told the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Wednesday that the possibility of extraterrestrial microbial life is "close to 100 percent."
"In the last 50 years, evidence has steadily mounted that the components and conditions we believe necessary for life are common and perhaps ubiquitous in our galaxy," said Werthimer in his written testimony, adding: "The possibility that life has arisen elsewhere, and perhaps evolved intelligence, is plausible and warrants scientific inquiry."
Werthimer's colleague Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, also told Congress that he believes our chances of finding extraterrestrial life are high.
“The chances of finding it I think are good and if that happens it will happen in the next 20 years depending on the financing,” Shostak told the committee.
(Excerpt) Read more at huffingtonpost.com ...
The problem with science research grants is that the scientific research will tend to produce results that generate more and more science research grants and less and less valid data..it becomes a feed back loop...a runaway greenback effect.. global warming "science" is the classic example
Every theory has boundaries. In this case, the boundaries make perfect sense. Origin of the species — TOE. Origin of life — theories of abiogenesis. Creationism doesn’t need to make the distinction, and so it doesn’t.
” propagate at the speed of light, so Alpha Centauri is about four years away.”
Alpha Centauri is a binary system. The chance of intelligent life is remote as planets would likely have a bizarre orbit. As a matter of fact all the closest stars are pretty poor candidates. The good candidates, according to the Hubble discoveries, are a lot further away. (That’s my reading on the data.) Also, the likelihood that we could get there or they could get here in anything like a probable lifetime is very remote. Even if, like turtles, they lived to be 500. And, why would they invest the money (or, whatever they have for an economy?)
Imagine we find porpoises are as intelligent as we are. What do we have to talk about? Perhaps they’d be annoyed by sonar or tuna nets. But beyond that we have nothing to say to each other.
The question is a non sequitur. The answer entirely depends on whether or not God decided to put life on other planets, and as far as I can tell He is under no obligation to inform us on that point.
I have always been fascinated with this topic. Probably likely alien life exists. my concern is whether any of these SETI efforts will make it more likely the aliens could find us. I know we are already generating lots of radio and tv. If the answer is SETI does not increase the risk then I am fine. However I think the main focus on search for alien life should be defensive in nature.
God separated us far apart for a good reason. Or if there is no other life God created a vast universe to show us how special and rare we are.
I almost definitely had a date with Catherine Zeta Jones years ago and believe it or not, two weeks ago I almost definitely won the Mega Millions Jackpot! I was ONLY 6 numbers off!
So glad to see I’m not alone in my belief.
If the universe is infinite that means that, statistically speaking, the odds are greater than “0” that somewhere out there in the deep recesses of space there sits a striped ass ape in front of a word processor typing “to be or not to be, that is the question ...”
“With trillions of solar systems it’s got to have happened millions of times.”
And it’s a pretty sure bet that any advanced civilization within range already knows about us.
“Life” could very easily be out there. Like a planet full of squirrels and stuff. But I think that intelligent life is very rare.
(Look at Earth. Prime habitat for life and how many species have gone to the moon? One. Once.)
Intelligent life that can survive and advance long enough to achieve intergalactic travel? Probably largely unheard of in the history of the universe.
Alien advocates argue that there may be multiple species of super-advanced aliens out there tooling around in space crafts that are thousands of years ahead of us, technologically-wise.
That always assumes that a civilization - especially a really advanced one - can survive that long before imploding.
What has always struck me as funny is that all the time we read, “This planet could have the ingredients to support life.......as we know it.”
Who is to say that life on any other planet may breathe argon, helium, nitrogen, or some other unkown gas??? They may be very comfortable in 400 degree temperatures...or -500 degree temps...They may eat rocks and crap dirt...
It is ridiculous to only relate OUR requirements for life to anywhere else....Unless we are looking for another place for us to go...
Just listening with radio telescopes shouldn't tip off the aliens that we're here.
Those "I Love Lucy" broadcasts though...
“Aliens almost definitely exist.”
I agree, even if the conclusion is unwarranted. There is no proof. None whatsoever.
I find it hard to believe that life did not arise elsewhere in the universe. However, finding it will be a real challenge.
The problem for life to arise is self-replication. That could put some restrictions on the chemical basis.
Wouldn’t that pretty much go against what the Bible Says?
“the possibility of extraterrestrial microbial life is “close to 100 percent.”
Based on what?
The chemistry could very possibly be totally different and unknown to anything earth could have...
The d’RAT’s are plotting how they can get more votes.
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