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Scientists say: Aliens more like T2 than ET
New.Com.AU ^ | July 24, 2003 | The Australian

Posted on 07/25/2003 11:54:44 AM PDT by yankeedame

Aliens more like Arnie than ET

By Leigh Dayton, Science writer

July 24, 2003

IF extraterrestrials exist they look more like the steely Terminator than cuddly ET, say scientists on a cosmic quest for smart aliens.

"The rise of the machines? There's a lot of Hollywood in there, a lot of crashing and smashing about, but it's possible," astronomer and science historian Steve Dick said of the Terminator movies.

According to his new view of ET, intelligent aliens long ago dispensed with weak flesh-and-blood bodies in favour of steel-hard sinews and silicon brains.

Dr Dick, of the US Naval Observatory in Washington, based his argument on the "intelligence principle" - when a species can improve its intelligence it will do so.

"If you don't get smarter you get left behind," Dr Dick said yesterday at the International Union of Astronomy conference, meeting in Sydney.

He said the earliest that "post-biologicals" could have evolved in the oldest and most distant galaxies was 7.5 billion years ago.

That's a mere 6 billion years after the big bang that created the universe 13.7 billion years ago.

According to Dr Dick, such superior beings would have begun existence as dim-witted primordial life, evolved into intelligent but biological lifeforms, and then made the evolutionary leap to brainy machine life.

Seth Shostak, an astronomer with the SETI Institute in California, yesterday agreed with Dr Dick, who will publish his ideas in an upcoming edition of the International Journal of Astrobiology.

"It's an idea I've been pushing for 10 years, Dr Shostak said.

"It's fairly obvious that the assumption the aliens would be soft and squishy little grey guys ... is clearly provincial. They might be grey, but they won't have big almond eyes."

Instead, Dr Shostak speculates that machine life would have a utilitarian appearance because "they don't have to appeal to mates".

As well, he predicted the machines would be compact, because their intelligence would be limited only by internal connections, running at the speed of light.

And if and when we find the new ET, will he, she or it be dangerous?

"Well, I have some goldfish, and I'm a lot smarter than they are, but I don't wake up thinking I've got to kill those guys," Dr Shostak said.

"I don't think we need to worry about the machines."

The Australian


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: allyouraliens; arebelongtous; resistanceisfutile; youwillbeassimilated
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1 posted on 07/25/2003 11:54:45 AM PDT by yankeedame
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To: yankeedame
You can't do science without any evidence.
2 posted on 07/25/2003 11:58:36 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: yankeedame
Alien Biology- a course without subject matter.
3 posted on 07/25/2003 11:59:35 AM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: yankeedame
If extraterrestials exist, they have big ears, but refuse to pierce them due to a taboo on all piercings made about the neck. My evidence? Same as this joker.

By the way, I need another grant ...

4 posted on 07/25/2003 12:00:10 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (France delenda est)
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To: yankeedame
We are Borg.
5 posted on 07/25/2003 12:00:37 PM PDT by Bikers4Bush
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To: Cicero
You can't do science without any evidence.

Dr. Dick can.

6 posted on 07/25/2003 12:01:18 PM PDT by dead
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To: Bikers4Bush
Borg? Sounds Swedish.
7 posted on 07/25/2003 12:01:33 PM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: yankeedame
According to Dr Dick, such superior beings would have begun existence as dim-witted primordial life, evolved into intelligent but biological lifeforms, and then made the evolutionary leap to brainy machine life.

A ridiculous assumption that the goal of life is efficiency and intelligence.

8 posted on 07/25/2003 12:02:52 PM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: yankeedame
According to his new view of ET, intelligent aliens long ago dispensed with weak flesh-and-blood bodies in favour of steel-hard sinews and silicon brains.

And then probably went to pure energy and we wouldn't recognize them as life and they couldn't be bothered with us.

9 posted on 07/25/2003 12:02:56 PM PDT by dirtboy (Free Sabertooth!)
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To: yankeedame

We get Signal!

10 posted on 07/25/2003 12:03:26 PM PDT by Zavien Doombringer (Ain't nothing worse than feeling obsolete....)
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To: yankeedame
T for 2 and 2 for T...
11 posted on 07/25/2003 12:03:37 PM PDT by 4mycountry (Over-achiever extraordinare!)
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To: yankeedame
He's probably right. There are two theories I think. One is that the smarter a being becomes the weaker it becomes as it uses less of its muscle (ET). The other is that the smarter the being becomes the more likely it will be to enhance its physical being (Hulk).
12 posted on 07/25/2003 12:04:34 PM PDT by Naspino
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To: yankeedame
Intellegent alien beings (should they exist) will stand upright, have opposable thumbs, and have two eyes to facilitate bi-focal (3D) vision.

Why?

Because it is the most efficient design.

13 posted on 07/25/2003 12:05:23 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: yankeedame
"If you don't get smarter you get left behind," Dr Dick said yesterday at the International Union of Astronomy conference, meeting in Sydney.

What a weenie..

14 posted on 07/25/2003 12:06:49 PM PDT by Paradox
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The hell you say?


15 posted on 07/25/2003 12:07:03 PM PDT by CounterCounterCulture (Anagram of my screenname: TRUE UNCLE TRUER COCONUT)
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: dirtboy
"Pure Energy"- are you channelling Spock?
17 posted on 07/25/2003 12:07:13 PM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: yankeedame
So, ETs are from Austria. The country has produced some really strange chararcters.
18 posted on 07/25/2003 12:07:44 PM PDT by Consort
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To: Bikers4Bush
Borg, Sluggy style:


19 posted on 07/25/2003 12:08:01 PM PDT by 4mycountry (Over-achiever extraordinare!)
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To: Cicero
You can't do science without any evidence.

Also, only Dr. Dick can do science...

20 posted on 07/25/2003 12:08:23 PM PDT by HenryLeeII
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