10 Alien Civilization Scenarios

[oberth]

But, if a race is crossing interstellar distances, they likely have the robotics and AI tech that make slavery a non-starter. No need to feed and cloth their workforce.

they'd probably liquify the place (including them hairless apes on top), extract whatever they need in form of nice pellets and leave the rest to cool down until it's a rock again

... wait - maybe that's what happened to mercury

What about the idea of automated probes being a form of first contact due to the unimaginable distances involved? Maybe for aliens that is the only way to cross interstellar space or study other worlds.

... and be extinct for millenia when the mailman comes back with an answer

Debating in the dark. Because we simply don’t know whether or not another race has figured its way around the FTL limitation.

we need to get into area 51

edit: (3rd paragraph)

 

[BillJ]

we need to get into area 51

There’s nothing there. If there was ever anything there, it was moved long ago.

 

[oberth]

There’s nothing there. If there was ever anything there, it was moved long ago.

do i need an emoji to make myself clear?

 

[BillJ]

do i need an emoji to make myself clear?

There are an insane amount of people out there who take things like Ancient Aliens as gospel. So, sometimes, a bit more clarification is welcome.

 

[XCV330]

I will hold out that Oumuamua might be a derelict artifact of some alien interstellar probe. It's not beyond impossibility, and it's not lunatic fringe.

That's coming from me, someone that thinks we're among the very early civilizations to make it to space. We almost certainly can't be the first, and so we should expect to see relics. We have our own junk out there. Voyager 1 will fly by Gliese 905 in 30k years, Sounds of Earth record probably still intact.

Curiosity must be considered a universal constant for any civilization/species that gets to the point of trying to visit other stars, even if it's "just" local stars and they are trying to find suitable places to settle, nearby. In face curiosity and some degree of logic are probably all we can be certain of when imagining a civilization capable of achieving it.

This does not mean that all members of that species will have those qualities. It could be a hive-mind, or its thinking patterns could change over phases or seasons, or it could be a very stratified series of civilizations like Earth.

 

[oberth]

There are an insane amount of people out there who take things like Ancient Aliens as gospel. So, sometimes, a bit more clarification is welcome.

i'll try - having had to sit through an interview with erich von däniken i can only say that stuff is prime bullshit

 

[BillJ]

I will hold out that Oumuamua might be a derelict artifact of some alien interstellar probe. It's not beyond impossibility, and it's not lunatic fringe.

That's coming from me, someone that thinks we're among the very early civilizations to make it to space. We almost certainly can't be the first, and so we should expect to see relics. We have our own junk out there. Voyager 1 will fly by Gliese 905 in 30k years, Sounds of Earth record probably still intact.

I would wonder what the odds would be to encounter something like Oumuamua or one of the Galileo's are?

 

[YellowSubmarine]

I would wonder what the odds would be to encounter something like Oumuamua or one of the Galileo's are?

I'd go with:
Encounter, as in flew through the Solar System when there were humans here, 100%.
Encounter, as in pick out one of the interstellar rocks and it happens to not be a rock, 0%.

I'll consider raising the latter if we start launching more probes that will make it to extrasolar systems, independently of any knowledge if there are aliens. Encountering the Voyagers will be a one-time blink and miss it event, for whichever extinct civilization it passed by.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I will hold out that Oumuamua might be a derelict artifact of some alien interstellar probe. It's not beyond impossibility, and it's not lunatic fringe.

That's coming from me, someone that thinks we're among the very early civilizations to make it to space. We almost certainly can't be the first, and so we should expect to see relics. We have our own junk out there. Voyager 1 will fly by Gliese 905 in 30k years, Sounds of Earth record probably still intact.

Curiosity must be considered a universal constant for any civilization/species that gets to the point of trying to visit other stars, even if it's "just" local stars and they are trying to find suitable places to settle, nearby. In face curiosity and some degree of logic are probably all we can be certain of when imagining a civilization capable of achieving it.

This does not mean that all members of that species will have those qualities. It could be a hive-mind, or its thinking patterns could change over phases or seasons, or it could be a very stratified series of civilizations like Earth.

May I ask why Oumuamua makes you think that?

 

[XCV330]

acceleration. had it been simple outgassing I suspect it would have broken up and been gone long ago. Short of Project LYra getting funding and actually working, no one is going to know what it really was, but I think it could have been a solar sail or even some kind of solar sail with magsail fillaments (we would not have seen) to utilize interstellar current. It might necessarily have been defunct either.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

acceleration. had it been simple outgassing I suspect it would have broken up and been gone long ago. Short of Project LYra getting funding and actually working, no one is going to know what it really was, but I think it could have been a solar sail or even some kind of solar sail with magsail fillaments (we would not have seen) to utilize interstellar current. It might necessarily have been defunct either.

That is interesting. Where is it now, or has it departed our system?

 

[oberth]

That is interesting. Where is it now, or has it departed our system?

there are plans to get a probe to it

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

there are plans to get a probe to it

That should prove most fascinating

 

[oberth]

That should prove most fascinating

don't get too exited about it

https://interestingengineering.com/...send-a-probe-to-catch-up-with-oumumua-by-2054

One of the worst scenarios for denting our arrogance could be the "Roadside Picnic" scenario, in the novel by the Strugatsky brothers aliens visit Earth but don't interact with us, but they leave advanced tech behind after they leave. The title of the book comes from the idea that maybe the aliens stopped for a rest, didn't notice us at all, and all the stuff they left behind is effectively their litter; the equivalent of empty food wrappers and tin cans!

thanks, i shall get their books

 

[XCV330]

don't get too exited about it

unfortunately, but I wish the attempt would be made. Whatever it is, it's worth studying and there's no telling if we'll see another thing like it in our lifetimes.

 

[XCV330]

That is interesting. Where is it now, or has it departed our system?

LMGTFY

https://theskylive.com/where-is-oumuamua

 

[oberth]

unfortunately, but I wish the attempt would be made. Whatever it is, it's worth studying and there's no telling if we'll see another thing like it in our lifetimes.

i ment that on the time schedule - i'd be 91 if they manage 2054 - i do believe it's just a strange rock (interesting in itsself of course) but if ...

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/interstellar-comet-borisov-reveals-its-chemistry-and-possible-origins

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I too think Oumuamua is just a rock. I think people are being a bit wishful hoping it's more then just a rock.

 

[BillJ]

I too think Oumuamua is just a rock. I think people are being a bit wishful hoping it's more then just a rock.

No real evidence one way or the other. Won’t be unless we can catch up to it.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

No real evidence one way or the other. Won’t be unless we can catch up to it.

Weeeeeeeeeeell It might not be a rock if it speeds up the moment a probe gets near it.