Would advanced alien tech surprise you?

[KJbushway]

Well we can guess what could be the reasons. But the truth is its one or more of many numerous possibilities.
It could be like Independence Day, The V's, District 9, Battlefield Los Angeles.
The only thing we can do, is just be prepared for either of those, but just be on peaceful terms if they do show up. BIG IF there.

 

[infinix]

And this is what we know about our OWN civilization, and we can only speculate about what we might do some time in the future. We might colonize all the planets and moons of our system, or we might continue to use manned space exploration as some kind of high-tech pork barrel program. Otherwise, the Fermi Paradox isn't that much of a paradox UNTIL we have seen ourselves reach out into the galaxy looking for other intelligent life and then wonder why nobody else is doing the same. Why expect other civilizations to accomplish what we haven't, can't, won't, and possibly never will?

I agree that we can't really speculate on another civilization composed of living organisms that we simply can't even imagine. Though convergent evolution suggests that these aliens will function in similar ways to us. (have arms, legs, perspire, reproduces, central nervous system, endoskeletal, etc.)

However, you bring up a very interesting point of motivation. The only reason we were truly motivated to go into space was for military purposes and for us to get a leg up during the Cold War. We have since lost any substantial incentive to expand into the rest of the Solar System. As long as there is no military threat to us, I think we will not be going back into space until either it is greatly profitable or when we achieve peace and prosperity for the majority of the planet.

 

[KJbushway]

I just hoped that curiosity would be enough. But I guess thats a true pipe dream.

 

[sojourner]

Well, at least Elon Musk is trying to get us into space for a good reason - survival. A 2 planet species significantly reduces the chances of an extinction level event.

 

[KJbushway]

True. But what is the chance we will have to Terra-form that planet instead of finding it naturally.

 

[sojourner]

^If you mean "what are the chances we will find a habitable planet (that we can reach) before terraforming Mars?". I would have to say pretty damn low. Mars is right next door on a planetary scale, and in the same room on an interstellar scale. Also, who said you had to terraform the entire planet before setting up a colony?

 

[Crazy Eddie]

You say we don't know the motivations yet you talk alot about what those motivations are. Sorry, can't have it both ways.

Sure I can. I don't know what kind of car you drive, but I can speculate in generalities what it probably looks like (I'm guessing it has four wheels, an engine, a windshield, a license plate with between 4 and 8 letters and numbers...).

My point about the Fermi Paradox, though, is that it basically follows from the question "If there are other people in town, how come they don't drive past my house?" The paradox ceases to be a paradox when you consider, in order of relevance, the possibilities that
1) They don't own cars
2) They don't have a reason to drive past your house
3) They DID drive past your house before you lived there

It's only a paradox if you assume that because someone owns a car is sufficient reason to drive by your house and visit you.

Either you know or you don't, but you can't tell me I don't then go on to say why these aliens are do things. (or not doing them)

Well, you clearly don't know why I haven't gotten in my car and gone and driven by your house, but I should think you'd be smart enough to think of the most obvious possibilities.

Well, at least Elon Musk is trying to get us into space for a good reason - survival

Elon Musk is trying to get us into space TO MAKE MONEY. Which is by far a more reasonable motivation since he has a fairly good chance of accomplishing this. The catch is, our survival as a species probably depends--in the long run--on his ability to continue making money in commercial space development. The primitive monkey-brain that runs the average voter/politician in America isn't likely to find anything more long-term than that all that meaningful.

 

[Shatnertage]

By definition, isn't everyone right and wrong at the same time when we speculate about this kind of stuff?

There's no way to "prove" any theory until we actually meet alien life, at which point we won't have to theorize anymore. It's like pondering how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

It's possible that there's just a few hyperintelligent shades of blue floating around out there, but on the other hand maybe the universe is filled with humanoids speaking Galactic Standard. With some wearing metal bikinis.

 

[KJbushway]

^If you mean "what are the chances we will find a habitable planet (that we can reach) before terraforming Mars?". I would have to say pretty damn low. Mars is right next door on a planetary scale, and in the same room on an interstellar scale. Also, who said you had to terraform the entire planet before setting up a colony?

Eventually that colony is going to grow, It would be far easier to terra-form a whole planet that build a protective shelter.
Sure that can also be what I mean. But what I actually meant was; there is a lot of planets in the habitable zone of their solar system, but that doesn't mean they went the way of earth, whats the chance we just say screw it, I'll take that planet instead of exploring further.

 

[sojourner]

Elon Musk is trying to get us into space TO MAKE MONEY.

Nope. Elon is on record with the motivation of getting to Mars. Money is just a means to that end.

 

[KJbushway]

Well we can all hope that someone out there just wants to advance humanity, without wanting to make a profit from it.

 

[sojourner]

^What's wrong with doing both?

 

[KJbushway]

I guess nothing. I would just like to see someone motivated by kindness not greed.
While the guy your talking about isn't about greed, others are. Congrats towards him for not being that way.

 

[John O.]

^What's wrong with doing both?

I could honestly care less - if my career as an aerospace engineer were all that were on the line when it comes to mankind's movement into space, that'd be one thing, but I think we can all agree that if we're glued to this rock for much longer than 2050, we're gonna start having some serious, serious issues. The crowding alone is going to become a problem. Ever try to live with your parents, your sister, her boyfriend, your girlfriend, and 4 pets - when everyone's a different age, religious affiliation and 2 different nationalities? Add nukes and chemical weapons to the mix and that's what we'll have in 30 years.

We gotta get off this rock and if someone's gotta get rich to make it happen, so be it.

 

[sojourner]

^Unfortunately population pressure won't be alleviated on earth by colonizing other planets. I read somewhere that it would take 440,000 people leaving the planet each day (or was it week? month? year? day sounds right) just to break even on population growth. Those of us that don't make it off planet are in for some rough times.

 

[KJbushway]

Sorry John O. I would have warned you not to mention anything population wise if I had seen it in time. I have already tried that line and got shutdown by the same person. Population on Earth while large isn't going to get much bigger by 2050.
Link.
http://www.npg.org/facts/world_pop_year.htm

If you look at the chart you'll see that not only does population growth slow down, but it doesn't go back up.

In 39 years it will only go up 3.billion. I could do the exact math, but the charts right there.

If I could come up with a new car engine(eletrical) that can be adapted for truck and car, I would give it an American company, only I would write up a contract that makes it were its built by America for Americans. Help put jobs back on the market.

If I could come up with a working fusion generator, I would do the same thing.
But that possibility is out of this world.

 

[sojourner]

"only go up 3 billion". Wooo, only 3. That's a relief.

 

[Angel4576]

I wouldn't be surprised by the aliens having advanced technology. After all, there's a 50/50 chance that any alien race is technologically ahead of us.

If they make it here I'd say there's a 100% chance that their technology's more advanced than our's......

What would surprise me? If they made it to the ground without us trying to shoot them down.

 

[KJbushway]

"only go up 3 billion". Wooo, only 3. That's a relief.

I said I wasn't going to do the exact math.
Its more like 2 billion. (2,392,873,241)

But by 2050 we are bound to have more green technology since its growing and becoming more profitable.

So well have more options for eletric cars, power stations.
And there is movement in the trash industry to adapt a process that takes away land fills. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/04/plasma_gasification/
Its really interesting, I think you would enjoy it Sojourner.

So we are on our way.

 

[sojourner]

Ah, well, 2 billion. That makes all the difference!