Probability Alien Life Watching Us Cannot be Determined

Discussion in 'Science' started by FlamingLib, Sep 29, 2018.

  1. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Now that's what I call real tangible science, not effing speculative and pointless 'chewing gum for the mind' science about what might or might not be at the outer reaches of the universe.
     
  2. Mamasaid

    Mamasaid Banned

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    No,it isn't. There is nothing there even resembling science.
     
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  3. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Well then, neither is speculating as to what might or might not be out there a science. It's exactly what I just said - pointless speculation?
     
  4. Mamasaid

    Mamasaid Banned

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    Nobody said it was... But it most certainly is theory...
     
  5. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Well speculation is only theory by another name? I'm not sure where you're coming from actually.
     
  6. Mamasaid

    Mamasaid Banned

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    Wrong. Theoretical evidence is more than a hypothesis. It is theoretical support for a hypothesis. Einstein's "speculation" (hypothesis) was a constant speed of light. Theoretical evidence made this seem all but unavoidable. This gave scientists a focus on which to test for empirical evidence of it's falsity.
     
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  7. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    theory
    (ˈθɪərɪ)
    n, pl -ries
    1.
    a system of rules, procedures, and assumptions used to produce a result
    2. abstract knowledge or reasoning
    3. a speculative or conjectural view or idea: I have a theory about that.
    4. an ideal or hypothetical situation (esp in the phrase in theory)
    5. a set of hypotheses related by logical or mathematical arguments to explain and predict a wide variety of connected phenomena in general terms: the theory of relativity.
    6. a nontechnical name for hypothesis

    Seems like they're one and the same animal to me. [​IMG] Unless you want to play word games.

    https://www.thefreedictionary.com/theory
     
  8. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

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    Look up theory vs scientific theory.
     
  9. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Apparently there are a great many things that "seem" something to YOU that the rest of humanity cannot see.
    A scientific theory is a specific type of theory used in the scientific method. The term "theory" can mean something different, depending on who you ask.



    "The way that scientists use the word 'theory' is a little different than how it is commonly used in the lay public," said Jaime Tanner, a professor of biology at Marlboro College. "Most people use the word 'theory' to mean an idea or hunch that someone has, but in science the word 'theory' refers to the way that we interpret facts."
     
  10. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

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    I would say that the probability that alien life exists is very high. They aren't watching us, however, because the distances are too great.
     
  11. Mamasaid

    Mamasaid Banned

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    With you? No, word games is your hobby, not mine.
     
  12. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I'm not sure he is playing word games....it seems he simply does not understand them.
     
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  13. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    It wouldn't be that hard to accelerate a probe to 20% C. We already have good ideas on how to do it, and we'll probably be doing so in a few decades.
     
  14. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

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    But how would it find alien life? You don't know the direction in which to launch it. You couldn't stop it from being captured by some alien mass. The wait for results could take millions of years.
     
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  15. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    First, you catalog all the nearby planets that are suitable for life. Then you send probes out. If "nearby" means a sphere with a radius of 100 LY's from your location, you won't have to wait long to get information back. Less than a thousand years.
     
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  16. Mamasaid

    Mamasaid Banned

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    20%? So a trip to a star 1000 light years would take only 5000 years, while the return signal would still take 1000 years.
     
  17. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    First, you would concentrate on nearby stars, as we are concentrating on. If your civilization is long-lived, and you've scanned everything in the local neighborhood, 6,000 years might only be a blink of an eye. In cosmic terms, it certainly is.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2018
  18. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    6000 years is 6000 years regardless of how long lived something is and by the time a signal is received no one is likely to remember or understand the language. No onw one Earth even speaks Sumerian or understands what was written/Carved.
     
  19. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    Your realize the Chinese language is thousands of years old, right?
     
  20. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes I do, I also realize it probably wont be around in another few thousand. I also find it extremely unlikely we will know what is used as technology today or be able to read a CD.
     
  21. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    It might not, but records of it certainly will be. People will be able to understand it, just as we understand Egyptian heiroglyphics.

    Of course we will be able to read CD's, just as we can make fire by rubbing sticks together. We don't do it that way because it's inefficient, but if you want to, you can certainly figure out how.
     
  22. 4Runner

    4Runner Banned

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    Even if the aliens live within 6,000 light years and have the technology of "holes through space" (fundamental physics allows) .....
    -They fly instantly to Earth
    - Speak 1 hour and instantly fly away
    For astronauts,aliens will take 1 hour, but on their planet will be 12000 years. (This is also a fundamental physics). None of their bosses will send them with a one-way ticket.
     
  23. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    Why would they send astronauts? Probes are cheap, durable, and expendable.
     
  24. 4Runner

    4Runner Banned

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    What's the difference? It will take as much time. The probes will return to their planet when hundreds of generations change there or they simply die out.
     
  25. FlamingLib

    FlamingLib Well-Known Member

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    You don't know what you're talking about.
     

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