Scientists say: Aliens more like T2 than ET

New.Com.AU ^ | July 24, 2003 | The Australian

[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

[Cicero]

You can't do science without any evidence.

[ffusco]

Alien Biology- a course without subject matter.

[ClearCase_guy]

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 ...

[Bikers4Bush]

We are Borg.

[dead]

You can't do science without any evidence.

Dr. Dick can.

[ffusco]

Borg? Sounds Swedish.

[ffusco]

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.

[dirtboy]

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.

[Zavien Doombringer]

We get Signal!

[4mycountry]

T for 2 and 2 for T...

[Naspino]

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).

[Drew68]

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.

[Paradox]

"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..

[CounterCounterCulture]

The hell you say?

[ffusco]

"Pure Energy"- are you channelling Spock?

[Consort]

So, ETs are from Austria. The country has produced some really strange chararcters.

[4mycountry]

Borg, Sluggy style:

[HenryLeeII]

You can't do science without any evidence.

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