Are we alone in the universe?

[marharth]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

Edited October 31, 2011 by marharth

[StormTemplar]

Had that coming, I read those arguments from some websites already, and I have some questions to them as well. Would an advanced civilisation be stupid enough to not see the difference between us humans, who have dominated this planet and are at the very very beginning of space conquest, and undevelopped life? Wouldn't they have gone through what we're are right know, and therefore know that we're actually looking for them? In other words wouldn't they see us as children and try to educate us, much like some scientists try to educate monkeys?

 

Sorry to say but you haven't understood any of what I said about the Universe's age, maybe I was not clear enough. I don't argue that the Universe is 15 billion years old. Mathematically it is that old. I argue how we relate to that age. Let's make things simple. Imagine the Universe would only last 5 more billion years from now. In that case, it would've gone through 75% of its lifespan already. This means that we're at a late stage of the Universe. We're among the last, let's say 20% developped species to appear in the Universe. We're not in the lead at all, just small fry. We will do nothing of importance, ever.

Now imagine that instead, the Universe actually lasts 15 trillion years. This means it's only been through 0.1% of it's lifespan so far. All of a sudden, we look like we appeared ridiculously early in the Universe. In 15 trillion years, we'll have been among the first 0.1% developped species to have existed. We will be in the lead in front of the next 99.9% species that will exist. We will eventually play an important role in the Universe (unless we get extinguished because of a war/supernova/galaxy collision or whatever).

 

To sum up it's all relative. Why does everyone have to be pessimistic about how we stand in the Universe, maybe we are not small fry after all. Maybe we are, I don't know either. But it's not because the numbers are big that we're necessarily the last, otherwise nobody would play the lottery.

Edited October 31, 2011 by StormTemplar

[marharth]

Had that coming, I read those arguments from some websites already, and I have some questions to them as well. Would an advanced civilisation be stupid enough to not see the difference between us humans, who have dominated this planet and are at the very very beginning of space conquest, and undevelopped life? Wouldn't they have gone through what we're are right know, and therefore know that we're actually looking for them? In other words wouldn't they see us as children and try to educate us, much like some scientists try to educate monkeys?

 

Sorry to say but you haven't understood any of what I said about the Universe's age, maybe I was not clear enough. I don't argue that the Universe is 15 billion years old. Mathematically it is that old. I argue how we relate to that age. Let's make things simple. Imagine the Universe would only last 5 more billion years from now. In that case, it would've gone through 75% of its lifespan already. This means that we're at a late stage of the Universe. We're among the last, let's say 20% developped species to appear in the Universe. We're not in the lead at all, just small fry. We will do nothing of importance, ever.

Now imagine that instead, the Universe actually lasts 15 trillion years. This means it's only been through 0.1% of it's lifespan so far. All of a sudden, we look like we appeared ridiculously early in the Universe. In 15 trillion years, we'll have been among the first 0.1% developped species to have existed. We will be in the lead in front of the next 99.9% species that will exist. We will eventually play an important role in the Universe (unless we get extinguished because of a war/supernova/galaxy collision or whatever).

 

To sum up it's all relative. Why does everyone have to be pessimistic about how we stand in the Universe, maybe we are not small fry after all. Maybe we are, I don't know either. But it's not because the numbers are big that we're necessarily the last, otherwise nobody would play the lottery.

Assuming they are even aware of us, or in the same galaxy of us, possibly. They could either do that or ignore us until we are more developed on our own. The world as it is now would not take kindly to a alien race.

 

It does not matter if we appeared early. Nothing is stopping other civilizations from appearing early. Mankind was able to advance a lot in 200 years, out of the thousands of years we have existed. Other civilizations could of advanced like we did in the last 200 years, but at a constant rate.

[Keanumoreira]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

 

Marharth, you have to understand that these are higher beings. We have no idea what they want with us, what their purposes are, or what their goals ultimately end with. They could be pure scientists, out to discover the universe for the sake of science itself, to explore at us with a probing eye like a little kid with a magnify glass and a tiny ant hill. They could be psychotic lunatics that get a good kick out of experimenting on our sexual organs or to see how we react in fear, and with what fear, to their outside stimuli. There's no telling what they need. For all we know, they could be mining our planet, they could see some potential in us or are some faraway missionaries on a quest to spread religion or ideas. Maybe, they just decided to turn Earth into a protected galactic ecosystem, or a point of interest in their museum tour around the stars. It could be for politics, or personal whimsy. We just don't know. They are aliens with countless varying aspirations. The reasons for coming here, to our little blue marble, could be for literally anything.

[SageRaintree]

It is said when you strike a match you create life, when you extinguish the match you destroy life. So what is life exactly? Does a conscience make life more viable? When you stand alone in a room whose universe are you intruding upon?

[marharth]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

 

Marharth, you have to understand that these are higher beings. We have no idea what they want with us, what their purposes are, or what their goals ultimately end with. They could be pure scientists, out to discover the universe for the sake of science itself, to explore at us with a probing eye like a little kid with a magnify glass and a tiny ant hill. They could be psychotic lunatics that get a good kick out of experimenting on our sexual organs or to see how we react in fear, and with what fear, to their outside stimuli. There's no telling what they need. For all we know, they could be mining our planet, they could see some potential in us or are some faraway missionaries on a quest to spread religion or ideas. Maybe, they just decided to turn Earth into a protected galactic ecosystem, or a point of interest in their museum tour around the stars. It could be for politics, or personal whimsy. We just don't know. They are aliens with countless varying aspirations. The reasons for coming here, to our little blue marble, could be for literally anything.

No reason they would mine us. Many other planets for that, no reason to hone in on ours.

 

That being said the universe is so massive I doubt anyone even knows we exist.

 

I am going to go back to my old theory that violent alien races would not be able to reach space travel.

 

Pretty simple, if your a violent race your more likely to kill yourself off before you can get into advanced space travel.

[Keanumoreira]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

 

Marharth, you have to understand that these are higher beings. We have no idea what they want with us, what their purposes are, or what their goals ultimately end with. They could be pure scientists, out to discover the universe for the sake of science itself, to explore at us with a probing eye like a little kid with a magnify glass and a tiny ant hill. They could be psychotic lunatics that get a good kick out of experimenting on our sexual organs or to see how we react in fear, and with what fear, to their outside stimuli. There's no telling what they need. For all we know, they could be mining our planet, they could see some potential in us or are some faraway missionaries on a quest to spread religion or ideas. Maybe, they just decided to turn Earth into a protected galactic ecosystem, or a point of interest in their museum tour around the stars. It could be for politics, or personal whimsy. We just don't know. They are aliens with countless varying aspirations. The reasons for coming here, to our little blue marble, could be for literally anything.

No reason they would mine us. Many other planets for that, no reason to hone in on ours.

 

That being said the universe is so massive I doubt anyone even knows we exist.

 

I am going to go back to my old theory that violent alien races would not be able to reach space travel.

 

Pretty simple, if your a violent race your more likely to kill yourself off before you can get into advanced space travel.

 

How do you really know that? What about gold or water? Gold is needed to shield from deadly radiation, and water for obvious reasons. Maybe Earth is a pit stop on a long galactic road trip, or they just so happened to stumble upon an oasis in the desert that is space and are marooned here or something. Again, we don't really know.

Edited October 31, 2011 by Keanumoreira

[marharth]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

 

Marharth, you have to understand that these are higher beings. We have no idea what they want with us, what their purposes are, or what their goals ultimately end with. They could be pure scientists, out to discover the universe for the sake of science itself, to explore at us with a probing eye like a little kid with a magnify glass and a tiny ant hill. They could be psychotic lunatics that get a good kick out of experimenting on our sexual organs or to see how we react in fear, and with what fear, to their outside stimuli. There's no telling what they need. For all we know, they could be mining our planet, they could see some potential in us or are some faraway missionaries on a quest to spread religion or ideas. Maybe, they just decided to turn Earth into a protected galactic ecosystem, or a point of interest in their museum tour around the stars. It could be for politics, or personal whimsy. We just don't know. They are aliens with countless varying aspirations. The reasons for coming here, to our little blue marble, could be for literally anything.

No reason they would mine us. Many other planets for that, no reason to hone in on ours.

 

That being said the universe is so massive I doubt anyone even knows we exist.

 

I am going to go back to my old theory that violent alien races would not be able to reach space travel.

 

Pretty simple, if your a violent race your more likely to kill yourself off before you can get into advanced space travel.

 

How do you really know that? What about gold or water? Gold is needed to shield from deadly radiation, and water for obvious reasons. Maybe Earth is a pit stop on a long galactic road trip, or they just so happened to stumble upon an oasis in the desert that is space and are marooned here or something. Again, we don't really know.

Gold is not the best material to shield from radiation, and our planet is not the only one with gold. If you can travel intergalactic distances you already have a method of getting food and water easily, simply stopping at certain planets would not cut it.

[Keanumoreira]

Why would a advanced civilization make contact with us? Why would they even CARE that we exist?

 

We are not a threat, we have nothing a advanced civilization would need.

 

Its pretty easy to guess the age of the universe due to background radiation. We are not just guessing randomly, that's not how science works.

 

Marharth, you have to understand that these are higher beings. We have no idea what they want with us, what their purposes are, or what their goals ultimately end with. They could be pure scientists, out to discover the universe for the sake of science itself, to explore at us with a probing eye like a little kid with a magnify glass and a tiny ant hill. They could be psychotic lunatics that get a good kick out of experimenting on our sexual organs or to see how we react in fear, and with what fear, to their outside stimuli. There's no telling what they need. For all we know, they could be mining our planet, they could see some potential in us or are some faraway missionaries on a quest to spread religion or ideas. Maybe, they just decided to turn Earth into a protected galactic ecosystem, or a point of interest in their museum tour around the stars. It could be for politics, or personal whimsy. We just don't know. They are aliens with countless varying aspirations. The reasons for coming here, to our little blue marble, could be for literally anything.

No reason they would mine us. Many other planets for that, no reason to hone in on ours.

 

That being said the universe is so massive I doubt anyone even knows we exist.

 

I am going to go back to my old theory that violent alien races would not be able to reach space travel.

 

Pretty simple, if your a violent race your more likely to kill yourself off before you can get into advanced space travel.

 

How do you really know that? What about gold or water? Gold is needed to shield from deadly radiation, and water for obvious reasons. Maybe Earth is a pit stop on a long galactic road trip, or they just so happened to stumble upon an oasis in the desert that is space and are marooned here or something. Again, we don't really know.

Gold is not the best material to shield from radiation, and our planet is not the only one with gold. If you can travel intergalactic distances you already have a method of getting food and water easily, simply stopping at certain planets would not cut it.

 

But gold is the easiest to find, and I'm not talking about water for the ship, I mean water for their people. Vast amounts of that water to fuel their civilization.

Edited October 31, 2011 by Keanumoreira

[ffa1mf]

The question isn't all that specific - but there is probably "life" in the universe and perhaps even outside of this universe. Single cells maybe. Short life span, die off before they even establish a cycle. Intelligent "human like" life? Doubt it.

 

For some reason there is the expectation that if A exists with B then that equals C and that writing out a bunch of complex equations "proves" that intelligent life must exist simply because the numbers have lots of zeros behind them.

 

Human minds work that way, but not nature.

 

In nature there is an infinite number of random results that occur from A existing with B. There is no guarantee C will result. It may result, but there is no guarantee that it will occur again just because it happened once and highly improbable it will occur again - given there is infinite random results.

 

If some type of intelligent life does ever form and then mature sufficiently to expand into the universe and then beyond, earth will be a cold, dead rock floating endlessly in the void.