The inane comment of the interviewer made me want to punch him, but then I remembered he works for Radio 5 live so he can't help it.
Is this to blame for the Fermi paradox?
- Thread starter RAMA
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The basic assumption of SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) has been that radio signals would originate from biological beings comparable to humans.
However, it has been speculated that the dominant intelligence in the galaxy may be an artificial intelligence (AI). Super intelligent AI.
In which case, we may be too primitive to be of interest to such an AI.
Hopefully.
Because, what if such an AI viewed us as vermine?
However, it has been speculated that the dominant intelligence in the galaxy may be an artificial intelligence (AI). Super intelligent AI.
In which case, we may be too primitive to be of interest to such an AI.
Hopefully.
Because, what if such an AI viewed us as vermine?
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...or pets or collectibles or playthings or batteries (no, not that last one, that's silly). At least, we wouldn't be harvested for our organs, although we might be useful as organic, possibly quantum-computational (according to Penrose) processors for coming up with original ideas and creative works.
Re: super intelligent, alien AI
I have come across a related concept. A civilization will try to avoid contact with a formidable super civilization. Stay out of its way. Indeed, try to keep a low profile, avoid attracting attention....
I have come across a related concept. A civilization will try to avoid contact with a formidable super civilization. Stay out of its way. Indeed, try to keep a low profile, avoid attracting attention....
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Unfortunately, that didn't work for the Aztecs, the Inca, etc. We're merrily broadcasting our presence in all directions although modern communications technology has helped eliminate some of the leakage. Hiding your system inside a Dyson swarm doesn't help as the IR gives you away. I suppose there might conceivably be a way that type >1 civilisations use to shunt the excess heat away using exotic physics but we're not privy to that knowledge yet. Whether berserker robots are the Great Filter remains to be seen...
might interest some, massive alien structure found in an orbit of a star some 1500 light years away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guC86X_ybPc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guC86X_ybPc
Not exactly. We don't know what the 20% drop in light means. It is all guesswork at this point.
A longer set of time series sampled at different wavelengths is required. The two large, smooth profiled dips and lack of IR excess are suggestive of at least one large, occulting body rather than a cloud of cometary debris, but the current data is too limited to eliminate alternative explanations.
Discussion of AI 
http://io9.com/5619150/the-extrater...-looking-for-might-be-artificial-intelligence
So (as in Gregory Benford's novels) an AI might be attracted to the energy and material resources of the galactic core-a region hazardous to organic life.
http://io9.com/5619150/the-extrater...-looking-for-might-be-artificial-intelligence
So (as in Gregory Benford's novels) an AI might be attracted to the energy and material resources of the galactic core-a region hazardous to organic life.
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Who knows what the raison d'être and reasoning processes of an ultrabright AI might be. It's like trying to extrapolate from an ant's mind to a human mind. It might well want to convert all the mass-energy of the Universe for its use as computing power. As you say, start at the centre of the Galaxy and work outwards. Even limited by the speed of light, it wouldn't take that long using Von Neumann replicator/constructors. An AI wouldn't have any Senator Proxmires to worry about.
Of course, if two of the buggers met or if some replicator/constructors developed their own agenda, all hell might break loose.
Of course, if two of the buggers met or if some replicator/constructors developed their own agenda, all hell might break loose.
Yes, I can imagine two different super civilizations-each with its own agenda-coming into conflict.
Maybe it would be a machine civilization versus a cyborg civilization. Or maybe a conflict between two machine civilizations, one purely machine versus one of living machines.
Maybe it would be a machine civilization versus a cyborg civilization. Or maybe a conflict between two machine civilizations, one purely machine versus one of living machines.
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I got my calculation wrong -- gah. The volume is pi * ((10^5)/2)^2 * 2000 or about 1.5 * 10^13 cubic light years. If there are about 2 * 10^11 main sequence stars, that's about 1 star per 100 cubic light years or an average spacing of about 4.5 ly, which sounds about right given the distance to the Sun's neighbouring stars. One megastructure per 80,000 stars would mean an average separation between them of (8*10^4 * 100)^(1/3) or 200 ly, which would mean there might be a megastructure 100 ly away. Not so far, relatively speaking...
