chefranden Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 My guess is that we give technology building intelligence too much press. Most species have gotten on quite well without it, at least until our technology eliminated their niches and put them out of business. There is no reason to suppose that evolution must produce this sort of intelligence, or the culture of Empire. On the other hand perhaps other evolved intelligence was intelligent enough to recognize technology as a probable dead end. The story goes like this: Sometime in the 1940s, Enrico Fermi was talking about the possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence with some other physicists. They were impressed that life had evolved quickly and progressively on Earth. They figured our galaxy holds about 100 billion stars, and that an intelligent, exponentially-reproducing species could colonize the galaxy in just a few million years. They reasoned that extra-terrestrial intelligence should be common by now. Fermi listened patiently, then asked, simply, "So, where is everybody?" That is, if extra-terrestrial intelligence is common, why haven't we met any bright aliens yet? This conundrum became known as Fermi's Paradox. Since then, the paradox has become ever more baffling. Paleontology has shown that organic life evolved quickly after the Earth's surface cooled and became life-hospitable. Given simple life forms, evolution shows progressive trends toward larger bodies, brains and social complexity. Evolutionary psychology has revealed several credible paths from simpler social minds to human-level creative intelligence. So evolving intelligence seems likely, given a propitious habitat—and astronomers think such habitats are common. Moreover, at least 150 extrasolar planets have been identified in the last few years, suggesting that life-hospitable planets orbit most stars. Yet 40 years of intensive searching for extra-terrestrial intelligence have yielded nothing: no radio signals, no credible spacecraft sightings, no close encounters of any kind... Read the rest of it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Well, if I were an Alien, and I was picking up transmissions depicting our current events, what passes for public distribution of information, and so much as a single episode of "Baywatch"; I would steer clear of this planet too! And probably drop a buoy of some kind to warn away others! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Maybe because there's problems to develop interstellar travel. If at the current point in time, right now, exists other intelligent creatures on the same level as us, they might not have figured out how to get around the star systems either. The day when we do, we maybe will encounter extraterrestials. Or maybe the aliens exists, and intentionally started the process on this planet, and now is just watching us like rats in a cage. (Just to figure out the question to 42) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnceConvinced Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I think if there were aliens flying around, there would be some real proof made public by now. It wouldn't be just apparent government cover ups and rednecks claiming to have been abducted. I like how Douglas Adams puts it in his book "Hitch Hiker's guide to the galaxy". There are an infinite number of planets in the universe, populated by a finite number of beings. So if you calculate the average number of beings per planet, (finite number/infinite number), which is near enough to 0, it means that there is no life on any planet. So we're all figments of a deranged imagination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHEMtron Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Another reason could be, quite simply, theyre too intelligent. They understand the consequences of communicating with other beings who are not on the same level as them yet. It's like us trying to get gorillas to understand us. We can communicate with them, but they dont comprehend us. Kinda reminds me of Star Trek and theyre rules of First Contact. Or heck, even that Jodie Foster movie Contact. They let civilizations progress naturally until they are ready for first contact. It also reminds me of what happened in our earth's history when more advanced cilivzations came into contact with more primitive civilizations. They just ruined progression of their natural culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Gods Fail Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I myself am pretty sure there is intelligent life out there, but I'm not convinced it's been here yet. I think the main problem is one of distances - unless an alien intelligence figured out a way to 'cheat' (i.e. wormholes or quantum drives or whatever), they're stuck with the speed of light as the fastest way to travel. And over a universe as vast as ours, that could take millions or billions of years. Maybe our radio signals are still billions of light-years way from the nearest intelligent alien life (or vice versa). If so, it could be a long time before we ever hear of each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Very true what you guys are saying. It could be that they have a form of Prime Directive, "only look, no touching." I really doubt that the UFO thingys are aliens. (Actually I'm 150% certain it's all bull. ) 'Cause, why the heck does a superintelligent species that can travel between star systems need needles and probes to poke and test humans? They easily take a drop of DNA, regenerate whatever they want, or run a simulation in their quantum computer, or just to a remote scan of every particle in anyones body. I mean, it's so frigging stupid to think that they need a drill to insert small pieces in peoples brain, when we (low tech, low intelligent humans) can do better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KT45 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 It's all the MIB's fault. We have seen aliens, they just keep erasing our memories with the flashy thingy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHEMtron Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 It's all the MIB's fault. We have seen aliens, they just keep erasing our memories with the flashy thingy. good one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Checkmate Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Well, if I were an Alien, and I was picking up transmissions depicting our current events, what passes for public distribution of information, and so much as a single episode of "Baywatch"; I would steer clear of this planet too! And probably drop a buoy of some kind to warn away others! Dang it! There you go AGAIN, writing what I'm thinking! I don't care, though. I'm going to add my sarcastic two cents... The surest sign of intelligent life in outer space is that NO ONE has attempted to contact US! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Oh my god!!!! Turn on the news!! Go look outside!!! They're here!!! Right now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 If I were an alien, and I knew what kind of a backwater planet Earth was, I wouldn't go there except to maybe play a prank or two on the locals. Watching the SciFi channel again, Fwee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Watching the SciFi channel again, Fwee? Not at all. They were there just a second ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyFeline Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 ...Or, you know, the simplest answer could be the easiest one. If there are aliens out there who have interstellar travel down pat... it's a big fuckin' galaxy, folks. And an even bigger fuckin' universe. It'd be really, really, REALLY easy to overlook one dinky little planet in the inner shell of a dinky little solar system, orbiting a dinky little yellow dwarf that's floating aimlessly out in the fucking boondocks of the Milky Way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 ...Or, you know, the simplest answer could be the easiest one. If there are aliens out there who have interstellar travel down pat... it's a big fuckin' galaxy, folks. And an even bigger fuckin' universe. It'd be really, really, REALLY easy to overlook one dinky little planet in the inner shell of a dinky little solar system, orbiting a dinky little yellow dwarf that's floating aimlessly out in the fucking boondocks of the Milky Way. This is bullshit. Everyone knows that if there is any space travelling civilization anywhere in the Universe that the Holy Spirit would guide them directly to us so that they can hear about Jesus and all that he has done for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wideawake42 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Time and space are deeply connected. If there were intelligent societies in distant galaxies, they might have developed 20 million years ago, and then blown themselves up or wasted their resources (as we are bound to eventually do). If they sent out any sort of communication signals, by the time they reached Earth, they'd be so old that the civilization that sent them might not actually exist anymore. Or, we could be one of the first planets to evolve intelligent life. There might be intelligent life in more complex galaxies which develop 20 million years from now. Either way....it seems we're all living out of each others' timeframes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyFeline Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 What if you have an entirely spacefaring race, though, wideawake? If they're advanced enough to have mastered interstellar space travel, why not cryogenic preservation or even the construction of worldships? For all we know, there could be entire races whose homeworlds are little more than myth and legend at this point in time. It's a really big universe. There isn't too much that's "too out there" to suggest, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wideawake42 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 What if you have an entirely spacefaring race, though, wideawake? If they're advanced enough to have mastered interstellar space travel, why not cryogenic preservation or even the construction of worldships? For all we know, there could be entire races whose homeworlds are little more than myth and legend at this point in time. It's a really big universe. There isn't too much that's "too out there" to suggest, really. Oh, sure, totally. I'm not throwing anything out. I'm pretty much an agnostic about everything we don't have scientifically verifiable evidence on. Hehe. There may be aliens - then again perhaps not. There may be aliens that we may never be able to contact. There may be aliens that have already contacted us, but killed the person they came in contact with in order to remain in secrecy after they decided we were all a bunch of rednecks. You never can tell with bees! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 What if you have an entirely spacefaring race, though, wideawake? What if there's one that's completely asleep? Now that would be freaky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyFeline Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 What if you have an entirely spacefaring race, though, wideawake? What if there's one that's completely asleep? Now that would be freaky... *threatens the mouse with a rectal probe* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 What if you have an entirely spacefaring race, though, wideawake? What if there's one that's completely asleep? Now that would be freaky... *threatens the mouse with a rectal probe* *and instead of running, he shows interest* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 I know Aliens exist. I was a legal one until a month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skankboy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 If there are aliens out there who have interstellar travel down pat... it's a big fuckin' galaxy, folks. And an even bigger fuckin' universe. It'd be really, really, REALLY easy to overlook one dinky little planet in the inner shell of a dinky little solar system, orbiting a dinky little yellow dwarf that's floating aimlessly out in the fucking boondocks of the Milky Way. Precisely my feelings. Another civilization could exist on the other side of our galaxy and there's every chance we would never meet (100,000 light years on average). While there are thousands and thousands of other galaxies, they are even further away than the other side of our own galaxy. Without some kind of faster-than-light or extra-dimensional transport, it's a pretty slim chance we'll ever meet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 It's true. Even with a interstellar travel, there would still be quite a handful of limitations to how many solar systems a alien species could visit. That's why I think Jesus was an ET. He was the first visitor from Quarxlurg. Having some fun, and spinning of a new religion just for the heck of it. Now they just sit and watch in a distance and laugh their asses off because we kill each other over this prank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skankboy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 That's why I think Jesus was an ET. He was the first visitor from Quarxlurg. Having some fun, and spinning of a new religion just for the heck of it. Now they just sit and watch in a distance and laugh their asses off because we kill each other over this prank. No, no! It was the second coming of Lord Xenu, come to help release us from our thetan bondage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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