It's life Jim, but not as we know it ...

[James]

What I find a little worrying is that approximately 70 light years away faint signals will be arriving on planets that may have intelligent life (IMHO life elsewhere is very likely!). Faced with seeing broadcasts of the Nuremburg rallies and footage of World War 2 and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki said intelligent life might feel they have but three options: 1) Get sorted and come over and get rid of those nasty humans or 2) sit back in the assumption that said nasty humans have gotten rid of themselves or 3) do whatever it takes to never ever let Earthlings know where you are in case we go and do them in one day.

I don't want to sound pessimistic but I'm really worried that advanced life out there will see our broadcasts of Big Brother, Eastenders or whatever and be horrified.

[Cloudwatcher]

I don't want to sound pessimistic but I'm really worried that advanced life out there will see our broadcasts of Big Brother, Eastenders or whatever and be horrified.

I don't see that as a problem. The really horrifying scenario would be if........THEY LIKE WHAT THEY SAW!!

[James]

I don't want to sound pessimistic but I'm really worried that advanced life out there will see our broadcasts of Big Brother, Eastenders or whatever and be horrified.

I don't see that as a problem. The really horrifying scenario would be if........THEY LIKE WHAT THEY SAW!!

Surely we're now into the realm of complete fantasy??

[barkis]

I don't want to sound pessimistic but I'm really worried that advanced life out there will see our broadcasts of Big Brother, Eastenders or whatever and be horrified.

I don't see that as a problem. The really horrifying scenario would be if........THEY LIKE WHAT THEY SAW!!

Surely we're now into the realm of complete fantasy??

I tell you, you will not get anything more alien that the creatures that occupy that hive they call a house. But, I have just got back from a walk around town with my wife, and I tell you what, they are amongst us. Most of them are glassy eyed with a small coloured device permanently attaching one of their hands to an ear, and shouting in an unintelligable language, perhaps communicating to others of their species scattered around our planet.

[Jeff RV]

Hopefully there is!!

Jeff.

[Cloudwatcher]

Surely we're now into the realm of complete fantasy??

You don't sound very sure!

We can only hope and spin the pray wheel.......very fast! :pale:

[James]

I am sure but won't say any more so as not to offend (any more than I have already) those of us who are Eastenders/Big Brother afficionadoes...

[barkis]

Hopefully there is!!

Otherwise i think we may not make it to the distant future to find out the way some country's behave.

We badly need new technology! or we don't stand any chance of finding out,(But even thats mostly created by war) unfortunately.

Sorry, please don't get me wrong I,m a bit p****d off at mo as my Son come back seriously injured from Iraq 6 weeks ago

So Just letting off steam.

I do apologize.

Jeff.

You don't owe anyone an apology Jeff . You are perfectly entitled to feel angry. All our good wishes go to your son, and wish him a swift and full recovery.

I guess the moderators will be keeping an eye on this, so best to leave it, As I think some very strong feelings may be vented.

Keep well .

Ron.

[Vega]

Oh surely were not all that bad.... they might also see the Moon landings, Woodstock, Live Aid, Live 8, M luthur King speeches, 'That' Beatles trans-atlantic broadcast of Hey Jude, Those great BBC programmes (Blue Planet, Planet Earth etc), THE SKY AT NIGHT (amen). The list goes on... but admitadly the negative list is probably a lot longer!

Vega

[Cloudwatcher]

Very well put,Ron. May I just say the wishes you made are seconded here.

Re your earlier post...... you hadn't been watching "Invasion of the body snatchers" prior to your walk,had you?

CW

[SteelRat]

You don't owe anyone an apology Jeff. All our good wishes go to your son, and wish him a swift and full recovery.

From me too Jeff.

you hadn't been watching "Invasion of the body snatchers" prior to your walk, had you?

Matthew? Matthew?? AAARGHH!!!

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I get this mental picture of the King & Queen of Omicron Persiei VIII from Futurama looking at replays of Big Brother and then deciding they're going to have to wipe us out for the good of the galaxy.

[SteelRat]

I get this mental picture of the King & Queen of Omicron Persiei VIII from Futurama looking at replays of Big Brother and then deciding they're going to have to wipe us out for the good of the galaxy.

Yup... old Lrrr'd sort things out sharpish

[barkis]

Very well put,Ron. May I just say the wishes you made are seconded here.

Re your earlier post...... you hadn't been watching "Invasion of the body snatchers" prior to your walk,had you?

CW

A lot of what I saw this morning, could well have been scenes from that very movie CW. It's getting rather worrying to me,

I have seen very old senior citizens trying to send text messages whilst crossing a busy road. We must be all getting slowly microwaved to death.

[James]

Oh surely were not all that bad.... they might also see the Moon landings, Woodstock, Live Aid, Live 8, M luthur King speeches, 'That' Beatles trans-atlantic broadcast of Hey Jude, Those great BBC programmes (Blue Planet, Planet Earth etc), THE SKY AT NIGHT (amen). The list goes on... but admitadly the negative list is probably a lot longer!

Vega

Thats true but only those civilizationss nearer us would have seen the good stuff! A civilization 45 light years away will probably be going to their casino's to gamble on who wins the Cuban Missile Crisis... one 10 years away will be arguing as to who's their favourite Spice Girl and so on...

[MartinB]

Thats true but only those civilizationss nearer us would have seen the good stuff! A civilization 45 light years away will probably be going to their casino's to gamble on who wins the Cuban Missile Crisis... one 10 years away will be arguing as to who's their favourite Spice Girl and so on...

Or whether Dan Archer's going to go arable.

[jimlennie]

Oh surely were not all that bad.... they might also see the Moon landings, Woodstock, Live Aid, Live 8, M luthur King speeches, 'That' Beatles trans-atlantic broadcast of Hey Jude, Those great BBC programmes (Blue Planet, Planet Earth etc), THE SKY AT NIGHT (amen). The list goes on... but admitadly the negative list is probably a lot longer!

Vega

Thats true but only those civilizationss nearer us would have seen the good stuff! A civilization 45 light years away will probably be going to their casino's to gamble on who wins the Cuban Missile Crisis... one 10 years away will be arguing as to who's their favourite Spice Girl and so on...

Hi,

Apart from the distance from our solar system being the key hurdle into proving that life exists elsewhere there is also the very important consideration of 'time' and 'when'. Suppose there is a planet orbiting a star 50 ly's away and on that planet life has evolved into a stoneage phase like we passed through 30,000 years ago eg.They would not be able to receive any signals from us as they would not have the technology yet. Assuming that these beings evolve at the same rate we did then in 30,000 years time they will have the technology to hear our present broadcasts..... but, suppose we have become extinct due to war, asteroid collision etc etc. Their scientists despite pointing their dishes in our direction will pickup nothing and therefore will assume ( like we do ) that Sol has no dependant life orbiting it.

There could be thousands of life supporting planets within a 100 ly's of Earth but it all depends on where they are on the technological timescale as compared with us. Our sun is 5 billion years old and presumably it takes this long for a life supporting planet to produce a technically advanced civilization.

Food for thought !

Jim

[jonifive]

"Ever since I was abducted by Aliens.....I've been dying for some payback!" I think this fantastic line sums up the majority of the human race....sadly.

"and pray that theres intelligent life somewhere up in space, cos there's [removed word] all down here on Earth" - ERIC IDLE

I honestly don't think we are ready to meet an alien race....we can barely look after ourselves, never mind integrate with another species! Any advanced civilisation who watched or visited us would probably think "too primative" and leave us alone until we grow up.

Jonathen

[Cloudwatcher]

"Ever since I was abducted by Aliens.....I've been dying for some payback!" I think this fantastic line sums up the majority of the human race....sadly.

"and pray that theres intelligent life somewhere up in space, cos there's *beep* all down here on Earth" - ERIC IDLE

Jonathen

As Einstein said (possibly) "Nothing in the Universe travels faster than the speed of laughter"

If 'They' have a sense of humour we could muddle along.

CW

[barkis]

"Ever since I was abducted by Aliens.....I've been dying for some payback!" I think this fantastic line sums up the majority of the human race....sadly.

"and pray that theres intelligent life somewhere up in space, cos there's *beep* all down here on Earth" - ERIC IDLE

Jonathen

As Einstein said (possibly) "Nothing in the Universe travels faster than the speed of laughter"

If 'They' have a sense of humour we could muddle along.

CW

In Space, No One Can Hear You Laugh.

[Hipolito]

Wow ... this is a thread I started nearly two years ago. Goes to show I haven't used the forum in ages.

So, Anyone spotted any UFOs or been abducted by aliens since then?

[vincentnm]

Have read a few books on the subject, ranging from rubbish like Eric Von Daniken, to mediocre ones introducing the Drake Equation, to matured ones like this - If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens - Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life: Stephen Webb: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Having argued, for and against, counter arguments, counter-counter arguments - My personal conclusion, in a nutshell:

1. Life would be utterly common in the universe, even in our galactic neibourhood.

2. Chances of intelligent life evolving is rather slim to the extent that we might be the only ones in our galaxy. However, there might be sentinent beings in some far flung corner of the universe. And it should be the ultimate quest for us and them to seek each other out.

3. ETI visted earth ?

Unlikely.

Well if they have, this would be their holy grail would'nt it?

Moreover, since they may be remarkably more advanced than us they would not engage in activities like military collaborations, crop/cattle mutilations and rectal exams, etc would they?

Regards,

Vincent.