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Aliens:Are They Real?
- Thread starter Randy
- Start date
What do you mean by alien.
If you mean extra terrestrial life, such as microbes under the ice on Triton. Sure.
If you mean TV type aliens with bad haircuts and over the top costumes and death rays... well, sure, have you seen how big the Universe actually is, to say that we're it for all time and every place is the very height of conceit. But they're not hanging out at the coffee shop downtown.
Have they Ever been Here? Well... that would explain things like this:
The official explanation of what's going on from the textbook is hilarious.
If you mean extra terrestrial life, such as microbes under the ice on Triton. Sure.
If you mean TV type aliens with bad haircuts and over the top costumes and death rays... well, sure, have you seen how big the Universe actually is, to say that we're it for all time and every place is the very height of conceit. But they're not hanging out at the coffee shop downtown.
Have they Ever been Here? Well... that would explain things like this:
The official explanation of what's going on from the textbook is hilarious.
and... thanks for all the fish.
Oh yesDrLeftover said:
And this planet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Places_in_The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Han_Wavel
It's debatable whether the universe is infinite or not. The universe however is constantly expanding.
It is humanistic to say that we are the only sentient beings in the universe; but if you tell me aliens I say proof. Looking at it from a cosmic standpoint, life exists here only because the right conditions dictated so. The odds of a planet like Earth being able to form in the harsh, inhospitable vacuums of space are astronomical. Reverse your thinking, Earth's very existence could be only a freak accident and nothing more.
It is humanistic to say that we are the only sentient beings in the universe; but if you tell me aliens I say proof. Looking at it from a cosmic standpoint, life exists here only because the right conditions dictated so. The odds of a planet like Earth being able to form in the harsh, inhospitable vacuums of space are astronomical. Reverse your thinking, Earth's very existence could be only a freak accident and nothing more.
Evil Eye mentioned Douglas Adams. As Adams described it as 'puddle thinking.' A puddle waking up one day to think that the crack in the road that formed it was created perfectly and exclusively for it. So many have debated on and on this goldilocks dilemma whether life (as we know it) just happened to be. I'm just giving that argument.
Think of the very precise conditions that allows us and all life that we know on this Earth to exist - the rotation of our planet, the presence contains water, the density/composition of our atmosphere, planet's precise distance from the sun, and so on.. imagine other planets forming with these exact same conditions.There has been life seen in very extreme environments (Yellowstone), but in general there are very particular conditions needed for organic life to thrive. Unless there is proof that complex organic life can form without the right conditions it remains science fiction.
It is conceited to think that we are completely alone, but I think it is also somewhat conceited to hold other life to our status quo. I very much agree with what you say because I think there is definitely possibility of life out there. As you said the universe is always expanding. But I think if there is life out there (organic, sentient life), it is definitely not life as we know it.
Think of the very precise conditions that allows us and all life that we know on this Earth to exist - the rotation of our planet, the presence contains water, the density/composition of our atmosphere, planet's precise distance from the sun, and so on.. imagine other planets forming with these exact same conditions.There has been life seen in very extreme environments (Yellowstone), but in general there are very particular conditions needed for organic life to thrive. Unless there is proof that complex organic life can form without the right conditions it remains science fiction.
It is conceited to think that we are completely alone, but I think it is also somewhat conceited to hold other life to our status quo. I very much agree with what you say because I think there is definitely possibility of life out there. As you said the universe is always expanding. But I think if there is life out there (organic, sentient life), it is definitely not life as we know it.
What matters more is whether or not there is infinite energy=mass. If there isn't, you could have an empty infinite universe.Fatal Dawn said:
The anthropic principle at work.Fatal Dawn said:
We won't really find life that can't survive on Earth... simply because it'd be dead. To take that as a minimum requirement for life would be wrong, though. It is a setting that has been proven to work (just look at yourself) and it could be a setting required for life to form in a recognisable fashion, but it's hardly conclusive.
Crazy. I'm the only person who flat-out voted no. Life on Earth is too complex as it is, and for life you need such perfect circumstances, that I can in my own mind say I do not believe in Aliens whatsoever. Until I see DEFINITIVE proof with my own eyes (not a blurry Youtube video), I'm content saying no.
I think the thing is that most people don't feel that alien life is impossible but that it is just unconfirmed. I think deep down it's like the x-files: we want to believe.
As you said we still have some growing up to do. Our planet is young, the human race is young so it wouldn't be surprising if we never find evidence.
As you said we still have some growing up to do. Our planet is young, the human race is young so it wouldn't be surprising if we never find evidence.
You're not thinking outside of the box - or planet as the case may be.Skillet said:
We know the circumstances here on Earth support life. If life can only thrive on Earth-like planets, the potential for alien life is much diminished. However, the odds of life only being able to live on Earth-like planets are quite slim, especially when you take into account the multitude of bacteria capable of living in the most extreme environments.
The only reason we can have this discussion is because this planet allows our type of life to exist.
That is not to say that on another planet another type of life was able to develop to hold their version of this discussion.
However, what passes for life there may not recognize or even accept that we are alive. And vice versa.
Exactly what would truly alien life look like? Some tall skinny guy with a funny suit and bad hair, or no hair at all? There is an academic discussion as to whether or not retro-viruses and prions are actually 'alive'. If there were life Out There somewhere, and unless it was able to look at us and laugh at our present state, we might not even know they were alive.
That is not to say that on another planet another type of life was able to develop to hold their version of this discussion.
However, what passes for life there may not recognize or even accept that we are alive. And vice versa.
Exactly what would truly alien life look like? Some tall skinny guy with a funny suit and bad hair, or no hair at all? There is an academic discussion as to whether or not retro-viruses and prions are actually 'alive'. If there were life Out There somewhere, and unless it was able to look at us and laugh at our present state, we might not even know they were alive.
Is has life also developed elsewhere, beyond our planet? We haven't obtained enough information to make a good estimate on the number of detectable technical civilizations (via Drake equation), but considering the knowledge we do have about how solar systems form and life evolves, it would seem incredible to me if we were it.
Have we been visited? Perhaps, but there is as of yet no solid evidence to suggest it.
Therefore I don't know how I should vote in the poll.
Have we been visited? Perhaps, but there is as of yet no solid evidence to suggest it.
Therefore I don't know how I should vote in the poll.
+Mr. Jazzy said:
I need more than anecdotes though, which I realized after taking a course on psychology, are heavily biased simply by the nature of the way our brains handle information. This 'bias' I speak of has nothing to do with honesty or other personal traits either.
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