The importance of unimportance

[Harrison]

Watch the video, no it's not our galaxy, but it is the nearest one to us. Andromeda, the latest giant image from NASA. Each point of light is perhaps home to some being out there, trillions upon trillions of lives we will never know.

What an amazing universe we have.

 

[watersprite]

somewhere, out there

 

[clg114]

Watch the video, no it's not our galaxy, but it is the nearest one to us. Andromeda, the latest giant image from NASA. Each point of light is perhaps home to some being out there, trillions upon trillions of lives we will never know.

What an amazing universe we have.

So true. I have no doubt that "some where out there" (to quote kestrel) there is life. How could there not be? But I do not believe that we've had any visitors. The distances are so great that it just doesn't seem possible. Oh my, I hope this doesn't start a discussion about wormholes.

 

[Tom]

Ok, ok... Of course there is life elsewhere. And I'll come clean and admit I do hold a intergalatic poker game on Saturday nights and have for years. We bet M&Ms which is the only universally accepted currency.

Seriously, I do think they are out there, but like clg114 don't think it likely they have been able to reach us (or us them) yet. I am undecided as to what to expect - will they be more likely friendly or agressive? There are arguments for both I suppose.

 

[zurb]

I'm still waiting for Douglas Adam's infinite improbability drive to be developed. Seems easy enough. Just need some clever mathematician to work out the improbability of such a device actually existing – and of course a hot cup of tea!

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

I saw a program about Brian Green's Elegant Universe. IIRC, there was a Japanese astrophysicist who was passionate about the need to get off true planet while the universe was still "small enough" and before the next asteroid strike. I remember thinking we already don't treat each other, let alone other earth species, well. What cause is there to believe we would treat any other life form well?

And what do we think the outcome of encounter will be?

Humans. The Universal Virus. Now playing the biggest screen ever.

But those pictures are beautiful beyond words.

 

[Spiller]

Since I became interested in astronomy, space exploration, extraterrestrial life, when I was a kid, I've always considered the fact that we're keeping all our eggs in one basket quite the risk to our species - to all the amazing diversity of life on our planet. The greater our awareness and knowledge of space, it's dangers, its uses and resources, the greater should be our incentive to leave our world and spread out into the universe, it seems to me.
All the sci-fi involving humans' exploitation of extraterrestrial environs and species aside for a moment, I can't help but wonder if it's part of our evolutionary destiny to move beyond the confines of our biosphere and encounter what - and who - ever is out there.
Why are we intelligent enough to question our existence? Why are we capable of exploring and examining our environment? How do we have the desire and capability to escape this gravity well we evolved in and live in space and consider living on our neighbouring planets? How come we have the capacity to adapt to living and moving freely in a 3 dimensional zero gravity environment without prior experience?
As much as we've shown ourselves to be selfish, violent and uncaring to our own kind as well as all other life here in our history, we have also proven to be capable of so much more, compassion toward our fellows, the animal kingdom and our environment - don't forget that sci-fi thread.
I think we're a young species, childlike, finding our way.. we learn lessons as individuals and as a race, we still repeat the same mistakes but, eventually, we do get it!
Perhaps moving off this planet will be akin to moving out of our childhood home and getting our first digs - a new and huge learning experience, but a necessary one, one that will allow us to expand our world view to a universal view.. one that, should we survive it, will prompt us to mature spiritually as a race.

 

[Spiller]

I'm still waiting for Douglas Adam's infinite improbability drive to be developed. Seems easy enough. Just need some clever mathematician to work out the improbability of such a device actually existing – and of course a hot cup of tea!

How about Star Treks impulse and warp drives? The series is already a known crucible for ideas like the mobile phone and tablet.. And I wonder where the experiments in quantum teleportation will go - we can already move quantum information across a room, the limit may only be the processing power currently available to us..
.. And as clg114 mentioned wormholes, it's only fair to add reference to the text in Stephen Hawkings 'A Brief History of Time', discussing the subject as a viable way to travel through time as well as across great distances

I think it may be tricky to say that it's impossible for aliens to have visited us based on our current understanding of the universe and the distances involved.. just because we can't do it (yet) doesn't mean no-one has found a way.
Where do all those accounts of UFO's come from? Are those people all lying/delusional/mistaken?
The fact that we can conceive an idea and sometimes put it into practice may not make it right or true, but it makes it intriguingly possible.

 

[qwerty]

I saw a program about Brian Green's Elegant Universe. IIRC, there was a Japanese astrophysicist who was passionate about the need to get off true planet while the universe was still "small enough" and before the next asteroid strike. I remember thinking we already don't treat each other, let alone other earth species, well. What cause is there to believe we would treat any other life form well?

And what do we think the outcome of encounter will be?

Humans. The Universal Virus. Now playing the biggest screen ever.

But those pictures are beautiful beyond words.

I cant agree with you more.
PIGS IN SPACE....bringing bureaucracy to a universe near you.

 

[watersprite]

I cant agree with you more.
PIGS IN SPACE....bringing bureaucracy to a universe near you.

Humans are currently destroying other creatures on earth due to out over population and other reasons. We are and have been terribly efficient at the destruction of other life forms. If time travel does become possible, I wonder who will be the one to stop us.

 

[Omega]

In my opinion, to say that we are the only life in the universe reeks of human arrogance. As far as us being visited, I believe that a more advanced understanding of physics will have to develop before we can really consider the question. Until then everything is conjecture.

 

[qwerty]

Humans are currently destroying other creatures on earth due to out over population and other reasons. We are and have been terribly efficient at the destruction of other life forms. If time travel does become possible, I wonder who will be the one to stop us.

I am afraid its up to you Kestrel, a time travelling Narwhale told me that you are our only hope, he also gave me some boxing gloves to pass on to you so you can knock some sense into the world's leaders and show everyone the folly of indulging our self destructive natures.