Quote:
Originally posted by Sir Kenyth:
Easy there Earthdog! You missed a point. The other planets would have to develop life "AT THE SAME TIME". Our time here is a nanosecond compared to the life span of the universe. Countless stars have lived and died before life ever appeared on this world. They would have to pick us out of this endless expanse of stars you pointed out. How would they know? Our very first radio transmissions havn't even reached the next solar system yet! I'm not saying life on other planets is impossible. I'm saying it's improbable that intelligent life would be out there at the same time as us and at the same time be close enough to find and visit us. That's if it's even possible for matter to travel at the speed of light! Maybe I'm wrong, but it's looking like nothing found in the universe travels fast enough to traverse the reaches of space in a suitable amount of time. Just getting matter up to the speed of light is looking pretty impossible as it stands. Don't hold your breath waiting on the SS Enterprise to be developed anytime soon. All in all, I mean we are unlikely to ever make contact with intelligent alien life.
I'm also not waiting on body temperature reduction to yeild 2000 year productive lifespans. Hypothermia does reduce metabolism. It also causes coma and death because the body can't function properly.
I don't know what you saw that night. I wasn't there. It sounds like it was an exciting experience though.
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First Id like to point out that OUR radio transmissions dont have to reach another planet for someone to notice us, and thats pre-accepting that they have the capability to do so. From what Ive been reading radio waves travel at the speed of light. Radio has been broadcast since.... 1906??? The nearest star to our own is Beta Centuari, which is 4 light years from Earth. Radio signals have not only reached Beta and Alpha Centuari but have traveled WELL PAST them.
The fact that our radio signals have been broadcast for nearly 100 years means those signals have traveled nearly 100 light years.
Scientists have recenlty discovered a planet in a solar system 55 light years from here. This planet has an orbit that is fairly non-eliptical. In other words its an earth-like orbit. They know this planet is on the scale of Jupiter so more than likely its a gas giant.
The astronomers believe its even possible there is an earth-like planet within this solar system. 100 years ago it was belived that it wasnt even possible to HAVE planets outside of our solar system. In the last 10 years astronomers have logged over 100 extra-solar planets.
Now we get back to questions and arguements.
If there is a species that has exsisted for hundreds of millions of years they could have been exploring space for millions or even hundreds of millions of years. They wouldnt have to receive our radio signals. They would probably have logged our planet as being capable of supporting life eons ago.
First the look for a suitable size star. Then (like us) they look for a gas giant to see if there is any noticable gravitational pull on said star. If the gas giant is FAR enough form the star there could possibly be smaller planets in orbit around said star that would be far enough so the planet wouldnt be a molten rock and yet close enough to contain enough heat to be capable of supporting life.
The distance from the sun to the planet is what determines if the planet is capable of supporting life. As a species we belive that is necessary to have water as well. This may not be true, but until we can find a planet that doesnt have water and still has life its a theory that cant be dismissed.
So there you have the basics of how OUR scientists are attempting to find life on other planets. For an alien species thats been around for millions of years they would already know this. Only theyd be a hell of a lot better at it than we are.
In recent years the biggest advance in astronomy has been The Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble is limited by the fact that its so close to the earth --- and the sun. If we could get the same telescope on the fringes of our solar system, say near Neptune or Uranus, we wouldnt have so much planetary or SOLAR light interfereing with the reception of images form deep space. The further away you get from our sun the better the reaseach would be. If we had the capability, and Im guessing that in 200 years we will, we could have a string of telescopes toward Apla Centuari.
This would certainly change what we know about space. Keep in mind that if we can do it a species thats millions of years old, more than likely, not only CAN but HAS.
They can see us even if we cant see them.
Sorry if I go off a little bit on this subject but it happens to be one of my personal favourites
[ 06-27-2002, 01:21 AM: Message edited by: Earthdog ]