CycleChat Ivestigates - Alien Life

[figbat]

Where’s the “yes, they exist but are as unaware of us as we are of them” option?

Space is big. Like really big. REALLY REALLY BIG! To believe that we are alone is incredible arrogance; the same vastness that statistically increases the chances of life elsewhere also reduces the chances of detecting it, let alone communicating or meeting with them.

 

[Drago]

Where’s the “yes, they exist but are as unaware of us as we are of them” option?

Come on Figgers. You should know better than to expect common sense in a Drago thread!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

As far as I can see the possibility of life developing on a planet of the right type in the right zone of the right type of star

it quite high

but that chances of it surviving for long as not so high

and the chances of intelligent life developing are

basically unknown because we have a sample size of one
so all the science based on that is an extrapolation from that example
and if you tried to predict the result of something from a single example in any other branch of science then you would be shouted down
but finding another example is proving difficult!

 

[numbnuts]

Q. Did God put all his eggs into one basket ?

 

[Drago]

Q. Did God put all his eggs into one basket ?

I don't know. Did she?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Q. Did God put all his eggs into one basket ?

She doesn't lay eggs, she gives birth to live young.

 

[fossyant]

The chances of intelligent life on other planets must be high, as there isn't much on planet earth. Plenty of pond life still !

 

[lazybloke]

*If* that's typical it suggests that simple organisms are common, but intelligence rare, and perhaps very rare indeed

Aha, You've sampled daytime TV?

 

[Dogtrousers]

What's the big deal with intelligence?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Where’s the “yes, they exist but are as unaware of us as we are of them” option?

Space is big. Like really big. REALLY REALLY BIG! To believe that we are alone is incredible arrogance; the same vastness that statistically increases the chances of life elsewhere also reduces the chances of detecting it, let alone communicating or meeting with them.

And as they are (and will continue to be) unaware of us and we of them they are like Russell's Teapot, their existence becomes a matter for faith not proof.

Except maybe...

The closest we’ll ever get is a planet with a gas composition that is “likely” due to organic life. We won’t know for sure but scientists would give a likelihood of its origins. I hope to see this in my lifetime.

 

[Paulus]

What's the big deal with intelligence?

Plenty of people don't have it and seem to muddle through.

 

[Electric_Andy]

The universe is so large (infinite even) that there absolutely must be intelligent life out there. But making contact with us would depend on a number of highly improbable things:

They would need to develop a social/scientific intelligence similar to our own, to even comprehend leaving their planet.
The likelihood of their planet having the materials needed to build a ship would be very low.
The time frame for doing all of this would have to be exact, and even if they left 10,000 years ago it might take them 1000 light years to reach us. Given that they can't travel at the speed of light, it would take longer. Even if they had sussed out cryogenics, they would probably find the Earth to be dead, with maybe a few cockroaches and Keith Richards strolling around in a daze

 

[roubaixtuesday]

What's the big deal with intelligence?

Without a technological civilisation, detecting extraterrestrial life is likely impossible.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Without a technological civilisation, detecting extraterrestrial life is likely impossible.

Distinguishing between alien life that is intelligent and that which is not is like discussing how many angels dance in the head of a pin, or whether Russell's Teapot is willow pattern or a nice arts and crafts design.

Expecting a technological civilisation just like ours has been for all of ... ooh ... 120 years is the result of watching too much Star Trek.

Not that there's anything wrong with watching too much Star Trek of course (Edit: The Original Series only, of course. The rest is shite)

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The universe is so large (infinite even) that there absolutely must be intelligent life out there. But making contact with us would depend on a number of highly improbable things:

They would need to develop a social/scientific intelligence similar to our own, to even comprehend leaving their planet.
The likelihood of their planet having the materials needed to build a ship would be very low.
The time frame for doing all of this would have to be exact, and even if they left 10,000 years ago it might take them 1000 light years to reach us. Given that they can't travel at the speed of light, it would take longer. Even if they had sussed out cryogenics, they would probably find the Earth to be dead, with maybe a few cockroaches and Keith Richards strolling around in a daze

The universe, whilst not infinite, is far larger than you suggest. It's mind boggling.

Our own galaxy is ~100,000 light years across and has 100s of *billions* of stars.

There are ~100 billion other galaxies, the nearest being Andromeda, at 2,500,000 light years away.

The furthest observed are of the order of 14 *billion* light years away.

James Webb picture of the distant universe - this is a patch of sky the size of a grain of sand at arms length.