How Lonely is Our Planet?

Tech Central Station ^ | 11/12/2003 | Kenneth Silber

[theDentist]

Maybe they were already on the way, picked up our Television broadcasts, and turned around when yet another Lucy sitcom premiered.

[Moonman62]

Life yes. Tool making life? Not sure if you could tell that way. Will have to think about that. :-)

That depends on how rare planets with any type of life are. We are probably within a decade or two of having a pretty good answer for that. If there is an advanced civilization in our galaxy, they've probably been studying our planet for quite some time. I don't think it would consume too much of their economic output to keep a light on for us, even if it is for millions of years.

[Allegra]

and Kenny's a poor piece of crap.

I thought he looked just fabulous with his queer makeover a couple of weeks ago. :)

[beezdotcom]

But that's my point. There is more than one Marklar of Marklar in the Marklar, so maybe the reason no Marklars have Marklared here is they fear that our Marklars aren't Marklar enough to handle the Marklar.

And Kenny *IS* a Marklar peice of Marklar.

[truthandjustice1]

"And in any case, there are always more interesting and important adventures and discoveries to be found at the next level downward."

Sounds like my career.

[KantianBurke]

[KevinDavis]

I don't buy this argument that we are alone cause we don't see the aliens yet.. The universe is pretty big. Here are some reason why they may have not visited Earth yet.

1. Advanced civilizations may not want to visit us. They may think we are boring or a waste of time. Heck they may be coming here to conquer us.
2. There are civilizations that is at our level or space technology. Basically no means of FTL (Yes it is possible).
3. There are civilizations that is at the beginning of development.

God created Earth and the Stars. I doubt it he created the planet Earth as the only planet that has life. The universe is big real big.


Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[Brett66]

Tool making life at an early 1900's level of development should leave a spectroscopic signature of pollution, right? If they build similar industrial machines as we, that is. The long odds are greatly against us if such a civilization exists, because such a level of development would last for a short time before they discovered better methods of power.

Searching for ET is tough! :)

[Moonman62]

Tool making life at an early 1900's level of development should leave a spectroscopic signature of pollution, right?

Ice cores have shown significant amounts of lead from Greek and Roman smelting operations going back 2000 years. Link

[KevinDavis]

Searching for ET is going to be tough and dauting task.

[MikeD]

He holds positions at the Southwest Research Institute

Cool. I don't think I met him during my one and only trip to the Boulder office, but I could be wrong. Most of the people up at SwRI Boulder are pretty cool, even if Boulder is locked in a fight to the death with Ann Arbor for "Ultimate College Town."

MD, from SwRI San Antonio

[bonesmccoy]

Kevin,

I do not believe that intelligent life exists anywhere but here on Earth at this time.

There is an interesting probability equation known as the Drake Equation... suggested as a calculation of the probability of life elsewhere in the universe.

http://www.activemind.com/Mysterious/Topics/SETI/drake_equation.html

[P.O.E.]

Maybe a ruthless galactic exterminator wipes out budding civilizations and is right now on the way here

Not if this guy can help it......