Do you believe in life outside our planet?
Do 'aliens' exist? Why or why not?
Yeah, there have been plenty of people who claimed to have been visited by aliens from other galaxies. The question still remains, if these aliens have been visiting earth for many years, why don't they show their faces? I think it is about time, don't you think? So no, I don't believe in them.
tink :icon_chick:
Do I think there is sentient life elsewhere in the universe or even within our galaxy? Of course. To think otherwise would be the ultimate in egotism. Do I believe that this sentient life has visited here? Probably not (although there have been a couple of people I worked with over the years I'm not sure of ;) ). I mean after all, if you had the means to travel billions of miles through space, would you want to visit the insanity that is us. I don't think so!!!!
Beverly
Sure. The probability that life of one form or another exists elsewhere is very high based upon the total number of stars (each of which might have its own solar system).The exact number of stars is unknown, but it is in the billions
of billions range...that is a fairly large number. Will they come here? I coincide with BeverlyAnn, why on bloddy hell will they waste millions of light years coming here? We've got nothing special.
yea. da universe is to damn big for us to be da only people here.
I believe that the universe as we know it is only a small portion compared to what we have not explored. Why would we be the only life form? Now that there is overwhelming proof of aliens is debatable. If indeed even one tangible shred of absolute evidence did exist, this question would not have been asked. That being said, it's hard to believe that the only life forms in this immense universe are on planet Earth.
according to the drake-sagan equation the galaxy should be jam-packed with alien civilizations chattering away like m->-bleeped-<-ies. thousands or millions of the things. unfortunately SETI has found absolutely no evidence for anybody communicating anywhere, except for us.
the great physicist fermi asked the question "where are they?" any technological civilization should be able to colonize the galaxy within 5 to 50 million years. the trouble is, there is absolutely no evidence on earth of any visit in the past. none.
now, it is very possible the drake-sagan equation is wrong, especially in the section that deals with the development of life. actually not life itself, that is probably exceedingly common. the major problem is probably the jump from single celled animals to multi-celled animals. The number of planets where that developed may easily be one. us.
another problem, foreseen by drake and sagan is the lifetime of technical civilizations. do they destroy themselves before they can begin interstellar colonization? do they exhaust their resources before they can leave? what the hell are they thinking if they are there watching us from afar?
my personal feeling is that even if they did develop, even if they did manage to survive their atomic era, the difficulties of interstellar travel are insurmountable. we will never know. so there.
Quotewe will never know
"Never say never" ;)
"Outside our planet?" Do you mean as opposed to "inside our planet?"
Quote from: Chris on September 14, 2007, 02:49:37 AM
yea. da universe is to damn big for us to be da only people here.
Depends on how you define life... The current feeling is that there is microbiotic life on Mars.
I think you can guaranty that there are and have been civilizations out there the problem is the distances involved in travel to where there maybe life.. also finding life at a similar stage to us would be difficult as we have really only been looking for a milisecond compared to the life of the universe.
One thing I will say though is that I dont think we have been visited because if a civilization could manage to conquer the vast tracts of space. they are going to do one of two things either conquer us or make friends with us. They are hardly going to turn up in the UK and make nice patterns in the corn or deepest Arizona and abduct the odd passerby. Its just not realistic
Quotethey are going to do one of two things either conquer us or make friends with us
There are a lot more options than that, even only looking at it from our perspective. It could be that we do not have the ability to know that they are doing something, perhaps even in another dimension we can not detect.
Quote from: lisagurl on September 14, 2007, 02:52:08 PM
Quotethey are going to do one of two things either conquer us or make friends with us
There are a lot more options than that, even only looking at it from our perspective. It could be that we do not have the ability to know that they are doing something, perhaps even in another dimension we can not detect.
but why would they bother? the technology needed to cross the vast tracts of spacce seem to me to preclude messing about looking at at individual humans.... If thry can come here they will most probably announce it in one of two ways.... but then again you never know do you ?
The dimensional thing actually fits in with some theories about God which are pretty interesting
I believe in the "possibility" of them. I believe that God created everything we know and everything we don't know. And there is so much out there that we haven't yet discovered, I feel it's pretty pompous of us earthly humans to think we are the only life He created anywhere.
The basic building blocks of life, amino acids, exist everywhere in the universe. It is a by product of the stars. I believe that life does exist everywhere.
I believe that the only aliens that have visited us are from other countries, not planets.
I don't believe that interstellar travel is possible. I'm perfectly willing to change my mind on this one however if someone can show me something new on the subject. Unlike all the technologies we enjoy today, nothing we know now gives us a hint that it will ever be possible.
Cindi
Quote from: Jeannette on September 15, 2007, 11:10:57 PM
I believe in the "possibility" of them. I believe that God created everything we know and everything we don't know. And there is so much out there that we haven't yet discovered, I feel it's pretty pompous of us earthly humans to think we are the only life He created anywhere.
Ok I deleted my post because I read back and noticed you took the words right out of my mouth. This is EXACTLY how I feel.
Thanks Jeannette :laugh:
The universe that we know of stretches billions and trillions of miles. I am of the belief that there are extraterrestials everywhere far away. On one hand I want to see what they look like and how they act and communicate but on the other hand I don't want to know. Then again, I probably wouldn't mind living with some extraterrestials of they offer a comprehensive healthcare package at an affordable price along with cheesecake.
I think it is unlikely for life to not form itself. Also unlikely that said life will fail to invent cheesecake. Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: Malachite on March 21, 2012, 11:25:36 AM. . . a comprehensive healthcare package at an affordable price along with cheesecake.
The Aliens Are Here! It's called "the Obama Administration" !
Quote from: Forum Admin on September 13, 2007, 08:00:21 PM
Do you believe in life outside our planet?
Do 'aliens' exist? Why or why not?
Another "old thread"? Somebody is STALKING you N**O ! Of course there is !
We'll Be There Soon Enough Ourselves !
I often wonder whether, on some distant world, there are beings asking if we exist.
I do believe in the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent and non-intelligent life forms because of the laws of probability favor them.
Some of the unexplained UFO data also points to their existence
it is illogical to assume that life is an anomaly.
yet, life itself can be illogical.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7045%2F6929374705_78c714297a_n.jpg&hash=ec3d5f2892de7e406be1e00f076844e56679789b)
Live Long, and Prosper.
Personally I think life is hilarious!
In the absence of hard evidence I have to go with a definite "probably, but I can't prove it." The speed of light is a pretty formidable barrier to travel over stellar distances. As a confirmed "geek girl" I think it would be really neat if there was.
Karen.
Lot depend on what you call life ! but yes there is life out there :)
That *we* cant see or hear it doesn't prove a thing,if i was a visitor and look at a television *show* i would recommend to isolate that bunch of idiots. Second space is HUGE.
It would be strange if we are alone in the universe. I mean what are the odds of that?
I strongly believe in life at other planets and I also believe that we are missing a big chunk of our past. Because when you look at cave paintings etc you clearly see that there are beings that they painted that look like aliens. And the fact that even the Sumerians wrote that aliens genetically engineered us doesnt make me less convinced :D.
Well I might be a bit of a nutcase but I dont think that we should take it for granted that we are the grandest beings in the universe. Because there are evidence that suggests that earth was seeded by meteorites etc. And if earth was seeded then why should not other planets have been seeded too?
One of my biggest interests is space and the universe as a whole. There is so many mysteries to solve and so many things to explore. Please upload me to a computer and send me away on a spaceship that can explore the whole universe :D.
Quote from: justmeinoz on March 22, 2012, 06:19:53 AM
Personally I think life is hilarious!
In the absence of hard evidence I have to go with a definite "probably, but I can't prove it." The speed of light is a pretty formidable barrier to travel over stellar distances. As a confirmed "geek girl" I think it would be really neat if there was.
Karen.
I think that there may be other ways to get to far away places than travelling at the speed of light. One theory that makes me really excited is that it might be possible to fold the universe and therefore make shortcuts. That would be awsome :D.
Quote from: Carolina1983 on March 23, 2012, 07:59:46 AM
One of my biggest interests is space and the universe as a whole. There is so many mysteries to solve and so many things to explore. Please upload me to a computer and send me away on a spaceship that can explore the whole universe :D.
lemme guess, big SGU fan, too? ^_^
Quote from: Carolina1983 on March 23, 2012, 07:59:46 AM
It would be strange if we are alone in the universe. I mean what are the odds of that?
I strongly believe in life at other planets and I also believe that we are missing a big chunk of our past. Because when you look at cave paintings etc you clearly see that there are beings that they painted that look like aliens. And the fact that even the Sumerians wrote that aliens genetically engineered us doesnt make me less convinced :D.
Well I might be a bit of a nutcase but I dont think that we should take it for granted that we are the grandest beings in the universe. Because there are evidence that suggests that earth was seeded by meteorites etc. And if earth was seeded then why should not other planets have been seeded too?
One of my biggest interests is space and the universe as a whole. There is so many mysteries to solve and so many things to explore. Please upload me to a computer and send me away on a spaceship that can explore the whole universe :D.
Can I join please? ::)
Quote from: Malachite on March 25, 2012, 09:57:00 PM
Can I join please? ::)
Boy, I'm afraid youll take up the computing power of the ship's matrix by running simulation scenarios that make yourself into Tuxedo Mask... yeash :P
Quote from: veritatemfurto on March 25, 2012, 10:04:15 PM
Boy, I'm afraid youll take up the computing power running simulation scenarios making yourself into Tuxedo Mask... yeash :P
LOL the sad thing is I probably would....
Quote from: Malachite on March 25, 2012, 10:06:16 PM
LOL the sad thing is I probably would....
we'd have to isolate your subroutines into a feedback loop.
There is probably life on other planets. The problem is distance to these places. It would take tens of thousands of years for a radio signal to reach them. The other questions arise.
1 Did life on a certain place evolve enough to facillitate the communications technology we have today? SETI has not found any signal that can be construed as coming from an intelligent unnatural source.
2 If we did receive and understood the signal from another being out there, will those beings and their society still be around to receive the return signal from us?
3 If these beings did receive our return signal and sent a reply, will humans still be around to receive it? Will our society change so that we no longer have the technology to do so or that it would be banned to receive that reply due to political or religious fears?
4 Propulsion. We still have the old chemical rocket technology. A human trip to Mars will take 3 years to Mars and back. Travel in the inner solar system is not good on the human body. The astronauts in the ISS are still well within the Earth's magnetic field. Getting to Mars is fairly easy. It is the return that is difficult. A return craft will have to slow down to get into Earth's orbit at a speed much faster than they left it. It took Messenger two flybys past Mercury to slow down enough to get into orbit around it.
5 If there are beings well ahead of our technology, Will they be friendly? Stephen Hawking has this analogy that it would be like the European settlers in the Americas wiping out the aboriginal tribe after tribe with their advanced technology and diseases. We may not have any warning of these beings arriving and doing what thay please despite our current technology.
Joelene
Quote from: veritatemfurto on March 25, 2012, 09:47:38 PM
lemme guess, big SGU fan, too? ^_^
I am actually more into movies like Cargo, Event Horizon and Alien :). But SGU has its moments I have to admit that :P.
We should invent a spacecraft and upload our brains to the main computer then leave when we are too old to have fun on earth :D. So who is a good engineer? :P
Quote from: Carolina1983 on March 26, 2012, 01:53:54 AM
I am actually more into movies like Cargo, Event Horizon and Alien :). But SGU has its moments I have to admit that :P.
We should invent a spacecraft and upload our brains to the main computer then leave when we are too old to have fun on earth :D. So who is a good engineer? :P
i donno about you, but I'd rather Ascend... lol a computer is a computer and can still crash and if that happens, you as a program might get corrupted lol
What evidence is that there is life here, from an ET point of view?
If that is your evidential statement can you prove it elsewhere?
It would be funny if we were the most technologically advanced beings in our area of the Galaxy. Not much point listening for radio signals if the neighbours are just starting to master the steam engine. :laugh:
Karen.
Quote from: justmeinoz on March 26, 2012, 06:19:30 AM
It would be funny if we were the most technologically advanced beings in our area of the Galaxy. Not much point listening for radio signals if the neighbours are just starting to master the steam engine. :laugh:
Karen.
"Subspace communication (also called subspace radio or the hyperchannel) was the primary form of communication used throughout the Federation. By transmission through subspace rather than normal space, subspace communication permitted the sending of data and messages across interstellar distances faster than the speed of light. This made it much more practical than conventional radio. In fact, Starships rarely even monitored frequencies that traveled at the speed of light or slower. (VOY: "The 37's")"
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Subspace_communication (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Subspace_communication)
It is logical to assume that any sentient non-violent species has developed a set of Prime Directives for reconnaissance and covert interaction with lesser pre-warp cultures of a solar system before engaging in formal contact.
Quote from: Joelene9 on March 26, 2012, 12:33:43 AM
4 Propulsion. We still have the old chemical rocket technology. A human trip to Mars will take 3 years to Mars and back. Travel in the inner solar system is not good on the human body. The astronauts in the ISS are still well within the Earth's magnetic field. Getting to Mars is fairly easy. It is the return that is difficult. A return craft will have to slow down to get into Earth's orbit at a speed much faster than they left it. It took Messenger two flybys past Mercury to slow down enough to get into orbit around it.
Actually, we've got that travel time down to about 9 months for MSL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Science_Laboratory) and may be able to shave that time down even more to three to five months each way, depending on orbital differences in the trajectory and continual development of more powerful and efficient engines... With a two to four week surface stay per mission, there could be as many as four crews in transit at any time if NASA and the rest of the IASC can do well with the proper backing.
Yeah I know computers suck =/.
It would be nice if we could manufacture bodies made for spaceflight :D. Then just swap bodies when needed. But ehm that is only in my mind :P.
Quote from: veritatemfurto on March 21, 2012, 09:03:40 PM(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7045%2F6929374705_78c714297a_n.jpg&hash=ec3d5f2892de7e406be1e00f076844e56679789b)
Live Long, and Prosper.
My daughter is Officially a Trekkie - she stayed home from school and is watching a full season of "
Next Generation" !
Quote from: veritatemfurto on March 26, 2012, 09:40:51 AM
Actually, we've got that travel time down to about 9 months for MSL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Science_Laboratory) and may be able to shave that time down even more to three to five months each way, depending on orbital differences in the trajectory and continual development of more powerful and efficient engines... With a two to four week surface stay per mission, there could be as many as four crews in transit at any time if NASA and the rest of the IASC can do well with the proper backing.
MSL is a one way trip. A 3 month transit to Mars was on the books long ago. It is the return that's the problem. In the 3 months that it took to go to Mars, the Earth had zoomed past Mars in its orbit.
The technology for a nuclear powered hydrogen thruster was made and tested long ago for the purpose of going to Mars. That project got canned due to funding. I knew someone on that project and he spoke at my club meeting once showing pictures of the breadboard setup and tests and a government flick on it. That place is still in mothballs waiting for refunding. Most of those on that project are gone now, it has been a long time. There is much ado of sending nuclear reactors up safely using rockets. The Cassini Saturn spacecraft was in legal limbo for a while before it was launched. MSL is the hope here. There is a reactor aboard "Curiosity" , but nobody did challenge that launch.
Curiosity will have an interesting landing on Mars this August. It is called a skycrane method. Something that's never been tried before.
Joelene
Quote from: Kiera on March 26, 2012, 12:56:57 PM
My daughter is Officially a Trekkie - she stayed home from school and is watching a full season of "Next Generation" !
LOL the entire series I grew up watching during dinner every weekday after Oprah.... TNG first, then homework ... I think I didn't eat a bite when Best Of Both Worlds was running for the first time!
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7063%2F6929320979_8a35c66cc8_n.jpg&hash=d9815de207dd9bb8e81a2c71abd27463e421e60c)
Quote from: Joelene9 on March 26, 2012, 04:17:16 PM
MSL is a one way trip. A 3 month transit to Mars was on the books long ago. It is the return that's the problem. In the 3 months that it took to go to Mars, the Earth had zoomed past Mars in its orbit.
The technology for a nuclear powered hydrogen thruster was made and tested long ago for the purpose of going to Mars. That project got canned due to funding. I knew someone on that project and he spoke at my club meeting once showing pictures of the breadboard setup and tests and a government flick on it. That place is still in mothballs waiting for refunding. Most of those on that project are gone now, it has been a long time. There is much ado of sending nuclear reactors up safely using rockets. The Cassini Saturn spacecraft was in legal limbo for a while before it was launched. MSL is the hope here. There is a reactor aboard "Curiosity" , but nobody did challenge that launch.
Curiosity will have an interesting landing on Mars this August. It is called a skycrane method. Something that's never been tried before.
Joelene
I was there when we packaged Curiosity up for the trip. the power core was pre-certified by all the necessary watchdogs before final assembly began. Curiosity is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator), like Viking 1 and Viking 2. Cassini's power core was an older design, and contained 72 pounds of
238Pu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-238), versus just 10.6 pounds to power Curiosity. The skycrane delivery method was previously used to deliver the Viking probes in the 70s.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/296540_10150283502528797_321579573796_7903839_5544114_n.jpg)(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/319320_10150283502328797_321579573796_7903836_7543513_n.jpg)
Viking 1&2 was a simple drop from the top part of the aeroshell after the heat shield dropped away. The 18 nozzle retro rockets on the bottom of both landers ignited and the landers were released from the top part about a mile from the surface. Similar for the Phoenix lander not too long ago.
This Mini Cooper of a rover is going to be lowered onto the surface by the tethers from the retro pack above the rover after they are dropped from the top part of the capsule and is hovering above the surface. This lowering is like what you'll see at a shipyard loading dock. When the lowered rover touches down, the tethers will release and the upper retro pack will fly off away from the landing site. This is a very unusal landing indeed.
Joelene
JPL page with the trailer video of the flight and landing: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videoarchive/?n=2011 (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videoarchive/?n=2011)
Scroll down to where it says "Curiosity Rover Trailer - August 10, 2011"