A Universe Of Life: Maybe Not

spacedaily ^ | 7 Jan 02 | Karl Hill

[Scully]

Be nice.

He is being nice :) , and he is in very good company. ;)

[RightWhale]

I'm amazed at all the rare-earthers that have sprung up. The last time I argued this on FR I was shouted down.

One factor is that Sagan is gone and silent. The pendulum has swung about as far as it is going to. It's still way over on the ET side, but more "we might be alone" voices are being heard recently.

[Dave Wright]

One of the scientific essays in the book "The Creation Hypothesis" examined the likelyhood of life developing in the universe based on random probability. Since the metabolic processes which define life can only function within a fairly limited range of environmental values the author identified 31 factors (gravity, average temperature, solar mass, etc) which would need to be within a particular range to have any chance of producing a "living" system. The analysis based on our current estimates of the number of stars and galaxies in the universe determined that less than one in 30 trillion planets could produce life by random processes alone. Since there are estimated to be about 3 trillion planets in the universe this means that it is virtually impossible for life to have developed anywhere. Which is another way of saying that the fact that life clearly exists here (not to mention intelligent life) can only be a miracle.

[11th Commandment]

Your logic is similar the book the Chariot of the Gods. The sure numbers overwhelm us to think there is abundant intelligent life in the Universe, but the statistics quickly dissolve the argument.

There are 100 billion trillion stars in the Universe. If every star has one planet that could sustain life, then we have 10 to the 25th power possible life planets. Problem is that the odds of life are estimated to be 10 to the 32nd power (some estimates has high as 128th). So your one planet is earth.

[UCANSEE2]

If we are alone in the universe, then think of this.

After multi billions of years, in the unimaginable vastness of space, WE are the only thing the universe has been able to produce.

A very scary, and very sad postulation, isn't it ?

[Dukie]

So call me a Medium-Rare Earther.

Suddenly you've recalled images of the the old Twilight Zone episode: "To Serve Man" featuring the guy who played Jaws in the James Bond films as the hungry alien. Happy new year VR !

[Scully]

Problem is that the odds of life are estimated to be 10 to the 32nd power (some estimates has high as 128th). So your one planet is earth.

Would you share your references, please?

[PatrickHenry]

Drake Formula.

[Dataman]

Well said, #43. Before the internet was widely available (about 1982) a U of Minnesota professor wrote a half page article in the Star-Trib about why it was impossible for other intelligent life to exist. Based on time alone, we should have already been contacted. Like Aquinasfan hinted, the anthropic principle reduces the odds of ET to less than statistical zero.

[RightWhale]

A very scary, and very sad postulation

Not really. On the aesthetic level this points out that since we appear to be it for intelligent life [people and dogs and ravens, etc.], we ought to feel a sense of importance.

Which is to say, if we don't go forth and multiply throughout the universe, we are not doing as we were instructed. We also need to stop fighting over this ball of dirt. Drop that RPG and get to work!

[VadeRetro]

Happy new year VR!

To you and yours also.

"To Serve Man"

Another double entendre to beware of (especially from Hannibal Lecter): "I'd like to have you over for dinner."

[Focault's Pendulum]

The pendulum has swung about as far as it is going to.

Wow!!! That sentenced pinged me! Spooky that it happened on this thread.

[RightWhale]

Every time I run the Drake equation it comes up zero. Goose eggs. Do we exist? Maybe the result is due to the RightWhale factor I have added. Purpose of life. X p

[RightWhale]

This is a spooky thread. One of my fav places on the semantics chart.

[Focault's Pendulum]

This is a spooky thread. One of my fav places on the semantics chart.

I really gotta stop fiddling around with the wires in the back...an image of you just flashed on my monitor...and I swear it looked like the Bug Blatterbeast of Thrall.

[RightWhale]

an image of you just flashed on my monitor

FR is really just tiny people living inside your computer.

[blam]

I think we should all ask JohnRob to restore the bookmark function. I really miss it.

[Focault's Pendulum]

FR is really just tiny people living inside your computer.

Thanks...all this time, I thought it was the voices in my head. Had me worried for a bit, as my speakers aen't working.

[adx]

A very scary, and very sad postulation, isn't it ?

Not really, since it means we won't have anybody else shooting at us when we want to grab some good real estate.

[KeepUSfree]

When the ebbing tide retreats, along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools, in a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet, A complete society
A simple kind of mirror, to reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures chasing out thier destinies
Living in the pools, they soon forget about the sea.

-Niel Peart
Rush/Permanent Waves