Are we alone?

S

Steve Bowles

Guest
I mean are we alone in the universe. Do you believe there is life on other planets...or are we the only intelligent (yes, I know that's debatable) living creatures in the universe? Personally, I believe there must be other forms of life elsewhere. Just the numbers of planets in all the galaxies out there there must be a few with other forms of life. What say you? Are we alone?
Read up on the Fermi Paradox.
 
S

Steve Bowles

Guest
I take great interest in the topic of space and Universe, always have.

It is interesting that our system won’t be wiped out by the explosion (supernova) of the Sun, but rather by another star, Betelgeuse in the Orion constelation. However that wont happen for another million years or so. This star is very large, old and already on the decline.



.... that is, unless we’re hit by something else in the meantime.


Life in the visible Universe has not been found, but we can say with high probability that there is life out there. Why is that?

“There are about 10 billion galaxies in the observable universe! The number of stars in a galaxy varies, but assuming an average of 100 billion stars per galaxy means that there are about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (that's 1 billion trillion) stars in the observable universe!”

Now, for every star we can see, we can also see the planets around them, that’s what the scientists say. All it takes for life to form on a planet, is for it to be positioned in that “golden belt”, not too close to the star so it’s too hot (Venus), and not too far from it, so it’s too cold (Mars). Can we really, honestly believe that in 1 billion trillion stars (times who knows how many planets around them on average), there is not another one - or even 100 - positioned so nicely, as our Earth? I think there is a high probability one or two are!

Still, we haven’t been able to find any yet, and let’s face it, they would be all too far from our human reach. But what about robots? Scientists currently believe that our best chance of “moving” to another system, is to send robots who are able to... multiply, or rather create copies of themselves. :) Further dwelling into that particular subject leads to the discussion about technology and artificial intelligence, and that opens all kinds of doors, both good and... less good, let’s say. We are still very far from this ourselves, but what the science believes is that today, if we did encounter a member of an alien race, it would likely be a robot! Kinda brings Transformers to mind... Personally, I feel there could be much more advanced forms of life in the Universe than our own, those evolved beyond our current understanding of time and space. But I digress.... and risk being proclaimed a lunatic.

What we do know is that there is a liquid ocean below the frozen surface of one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus, in our own Solar system. Scientists are exploring options of sending submarines up there, to check for potential forms of microbial, primitive forms of life. This is something we can probably expect in the next few decades. We also know (for a few years now) that water interminently flows on Mars.
Fermi Paradox.
 
S

Steve Bowles

Guest
Why do we believe that Aliens who can travel millions of miles across Galaxies, arrive at Earth then crash?
And what alien civilization would commit that kind of huge resource (they all would have economies, right?) if there wasn't an economic imperative. You don't spend that kind of dosh just to put on antennae and waive them at Yorkshiremen who's family's trees don't fork. :dance:
 
S

Steve Bowles

Guest
We are it. If we don't survive to colonize the universe, no one will.
 

efsk

Forum GOD!
It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in.
I kow you qoute Douglas Adams, but. First of all, the universe is not infinite. Second, the size of a mansion tells us just about nothing about the number of inhabitants so the size of the universe is not necessarily indicative of the number of worlds/planets. This is exemplified by the fact that most of the space we can see is empty.
 

Wayne

Forum Sod
I suppose on the other hand we have seen how the British empire colonised its various lands. Of which we now have very few and little wealth or respect to show from our endevaours.
Every Empire collapses eventually. It’s what happens. What did the Romans ever do for us?
 

Boru62

Shaving Boar
I kow you qoute Douglas Adams, but. First of all, the universe is not infinite. Second, the size of a mansion tells us just about nothing about the number of inhabitants so the size of the universe is not necessarily indicative of the number of worlds/planets. This is exemplified by the fact that most of the space we can see is empty.
I don't really get the point you're making.
Yes the universe is finite but it's expanding into possibly infinite space.
In the Milky Way alone there are possibly 11 billion planets in the "life zone" orbiting stars similar to our sun.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_potentially_habitable_exoplanets
 
Top