Posted on 02/28/2015 4:34:21 PM PST by NRx
...So began SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a form of astronomical inquiry that has captured the imaginations of people around the planet but has so far failed to detect a single “hello.” Pick your explanation: They’re not there; they’re too far away; they’re insular and aloof; they’re zoned out on computer games; they’re watching us in mild bemusement and wondering when we’ll grow up.
Now some SETI researchers are pushing a more aggressive agenda: Instead of just listening, we would transmit messages, targeting newly discovered planets orbiting distant stars. Through “active SETI,” we’d boldly announce our presence and try to get the conversation started.
Naturally this is controversial, because of . . . well, the Klingons. The bad aliens.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
On a serious note, this is actually a legitimate concern. Let's assume for the sake of argument that we are not the only intelligent species in the universe. This seems pretty likely when you think about it. And let's further assume ad argumentum that one or more species have unlocked the secret to interstellar space travel. This proposition is much more problematic since it would require that most everything we think we know about the laws of physics is wrong. But again for the sake of discussion...
Anyone who is capable of hopping from one solar system to another is going to be so far beyond us in technological development, that we might as well still be living in caves. Add to this the extremely unlikely proposition that we are the only intelligent and predatorially aggressive species around and well... you get the picture.
At the very least I think this deserves some discussion at higher levels and some consensus before we start posting interstellar coming out announcements. What these people are doing is rather akin to sending out an invitation to everyone on the block to a party at your place, except you're not the only one who lives there, AND you don't know any of the neighbors. These "scientists" seem to be assuming that we are living in a high quality neighborhood, maybe the Upper East Side of the Milkyway. When in fact we might be living in the galactic projects of Spanish Harlem.
In short, I'd like to know a little more about the neighbors before we invite them over for dinner. If for no other reason than to be sure that we aren't likely to end up as the main course.
if they have received our broadcast TV signals from the fifties yet....they are NEVER going to try to make contact with humans
ahahahaha THANK YOU!
Um, no. The only "Borg" anyone needs to be legitimately concerned about is called the U.S. Federal Government.
Oh, and welcome to FR.
Dr. Hans Zarkov: We are only interested in friendship. Why do you attack us?
The Emperor Ming: Why not? Pathetic earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe, anything at all, you would’ve hidden from it in terror.
“if they have received our broadcast TV signals from the fifties yet....they are NEVER going to try to make contact with humans”
You assume they’re benevolent, very probably incorrectly.
Stephen Hawking has said this is a very bad idea...
I was just going to say that. I’ll back you up on that!
Considering that living things try to interact with strange and new creatures by seeing if they are good to eat or not, I’m thinking better safe than sorry!
LOL
Be careful what you wish for. Consider our own human history. What does history tell us when primitive and advanced civilizations clash. Think Cortez, the American slave trade, the jewel in the crown, etc.
I for one would not want aliens capable of traveling at light-speed to visit. Ak, Ak, Ak, Ak!!!
Soylent green.
It’s a cookbook.
View the evidence here.... : )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTHWji3BIeo
Best X-Files episode.
By far.
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