Aliens among us AKA: Fun with anal probes

[Autolykos]

Quote by: brien Why do we assume that another species must travel at 186,000 miles per second? Perhaps other species have their own mode of travel and it is measured in ways we don't even know yet. Perhaps they travel in ways we don't even understand yet. Earth is in its infancy according to the time scale of the Universe and Big Bang of 4.5 billion years ago. Why should we trust infants to instruct us on the mysteries of the Universe?

First off, I didn't necessarily mean travelling. They could send a radio signal back instead. That signal would travel at the speed of light.

Second, I was assuming that the aliens would be advanced enough to detect our radio signals (from the 1920s onward) and possibly be able to travel at relativistic speeds (i.e. fast enough for noticeable time dilation). Both abilities imply significant gains in technology beyond our current level.

Of course, if the aliens could somehow break or get around the "light barrier", they could already be here. It seems likely, though, that if they are here now, then they are so advanced as to escape detection by our technology.

Earth is hardly in its infancy. It is believed to have first formed 4.5 billion years ago. The Big Bang, on the other hand, is supposed to have occurred around 12 billion years ago. So one cannot really say that the Universe is in its infancy.

Quote by: brien Those who pretend to know that there is no chance for alien visitation remind me of those who insisted the world was flat.

I hope you're not talking about me here, because I don't think I'm like that.

- Rob

[brien]

Quote by: Autolykos First off, I didn't necessarily mean travelling. They could send a radio signal back instead. That signal would travel at the speed of light. Second, I was assuming that the aliens would be advanced enough to detect our radio signals (from the 1920s onward) and possibly be able to travel at relativistic speeds (i.e. fast enough for noticeable time dilation). Both abilities imply significant gains in technology beyond our current level. Of course, if the aliens could somehow break or get around the "light barrier", they could already be here. It seems likely, though, that if they are here now, then they are so advanced as to escape detection by our technology. Earth is hardly in its infancy. It is believed to have first formed 4.5 billion years ago. The Big Bang, on the other hand, is supposed to have occurred around 12 billion years ago. So one cannot really say that the Universe is in its infancy. I hope you're not talking about me here, because I don't think I'm like that. - Rob

No you are correct, the Earth is 4.5 billion years and the Universe is 12 billion years. My mistake there. Even so, my point falls on your illustration of my corrected figures. The earth is relatively young compared to the Universe and man is in his infancy, is more like what I meant.

And as for my last statement, it wasn't meant for you, personally. I think you know me better than to make a statement like that to you. Leastwise, I hope so. I meant it for those who really don't believe in the possibility of extra terrestrials.

My apologies for the mistatement and resulting miusunderstanding. Cheers.

[Autolykos]

Quote by: brien No you are correct, the Earth is 4.5 billion years and the Universe is 12 billion years. My mistake there. Even so, my point falls on your illustration of my corrected figures. The earth is relatively young compared to the Universe and man is in his infancy, is more like what I meant.

Yes, that is true. We've been around for less than a cosmic eyeblink.

Quote by: brien And as for my last statement, it wasn't meant for you, personally. I think you know me better than to make a statement like that to you. Leastwise, I hope so. I meant it for those who really don't believe in the possibility of extra terrestrials. My apologies for the mistatement and resulting miusunderstanding. Cheers.

No problem at all.

It seems like the Fermi Paradox might be unfounded. Look here for more information.

- Rob

[benjackman198]

Quote by: The Second Law That's fair, as any consideration at all of what happens past the speed of light is entirely speculation. But, uh, what does that have to do with this discussion? --Second

Well anything that happens past the speed of light is not conjecture - but a moot point. There can be no 'faster than the speed of light' - so there can be no 'consideration'. It's like asking someone what their personality will be when they're dead.

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: benjackman198 Well anything that happens past the speed of light is not conjecture - but a moot point. There can be no 'faster than the speed of light' - so there can be no 'consideration'. It's like asking someone what their personality will be when they're dead.

This is not correct.

There can be no superluminal signal transfer through local space. There are multiple possible (highly conjectural) methods by which one might bypass local space. Wormholes (not that anyone has ever seen one) are not forbidden by the various physics theories that explain the light-speed limit.