NASA to Host News Conference on Discovery Beyond Our Solar System | Wed. Feb 22 1PM

[chicagoskycam]

Well, how are you defining intelligent life? Humans were around for a very long time before they were generating radio signals.

I guess I'm talking about in a way we could measure it because otherwise we can't.

 

[njdevsfn95]

They are coming!

I once had a dream I was abdcuted by aliens

I was on a surgery table surrounded by grey aliens watching me; that I was in another room with a big screen showing me terrible stuff (humans destroying each other)

I'm not into ufology/aliens stuff and I didn't watch or read anything related to the topic before going to bed that night

So yeah that was weird

"Fire in the Sky" meets "The Fifth Element."

 

[Led Zappa]

I guess I'm talking about in a way we could measure it because otherwise we can't.

I was listening to a scientist on KGO who said we should, in the next 10 to 20 years, be able to detect if these planets have substances that only intelligent life could have created, so we may find out if they have intelligent life long before we can detect actual communications of any kind.

 

[Bjorn Le]

It's much more likely we find basic or early form of life rather than any intelligent ones so I don't see the risk involved in telling the world about it. It's just the natural progression of discoveries.

I do believe we will find life outside sooner than later. All we need is one planet with micro-organisms on it, I don't think it's unlikely we find such thing in our lifetime.

Basic life first? Absolutely. Plenty of scientists think we'll find it in our own solar system. There is no problem telling people about that. It's intelligent life that's the policy problem. I'll echo earlier posts about this, even if I disagree about the prospects of intelligent life that would be hostile towards us, it's definitely a debate within relevant epistemic communities and it's not like withholding the knowledge harms the greater public. Stephen Hawking holds the view that intelligent alien life could be hostile. There are plenty of major secrets which remain secrets. I won't venture into conspiracy theories, but there's also a chance the gov. already has proof intelligent life exists. Not saying they do, but it's not impossible.

 

[PanthersHockey1]

I don't understand why people need concrete proof of extraterrestrial life in order to get excited about Science/Astronomy.

I am 100% confident it exists. We are living proof that it does and Earth is no special snowflake when there are billions of stars with billions of their own planets in our own galaxy alone.

 

[RandV]

Basic life first? Absolutely. Plenty of scientists think we'll find it in our own solar system. There is no problem telling people about that. It's intelligent life that's the policy problem. I'll echo earlier posts about this, even if I disagree about the prospects of intelligent life that would be hostile towards us, it's definitely a debate within relevant epistemic communities and it's not like withholding the knowledge harms the greater public. Stephen Hawking holds the view that intelligent alien life could be hostile. There are plenty of major secrets which remain secrets. I won't venture into conspiracy theories, but there's also a chance the gov. already has proof intelligent life exists. Not saying they do, but it's not impossible.

Yeah the one thing UFO conspiracy theorists don't seem to consider is that if such things actually existed the big bad government could literally be protecting us. All things considered, while neither are likely the Men in Black scenario is probably far plausible than the X-Files one.

 

[Cloned]

I don't understand why people need concrete proof of extraterrestrial life in order to get excited about Science/Astronomy.

I am 100% confident it exists. We are living proof that it does and Earth is no special snowflake when there are billions of stars with billions of their own planets in our own galaxy alone.

This is not necessarily true.

Scientists always say Earth is a typical planet around a typical star in a typical arm of a typical galaxy in a typical galactic cluster, etc.

And while that may be true, everything in the universe is unique. Life (specifically intelligent, sentient life) requires a specific set of conditions to evolve, and while there may be different possible sets of conditions (e.g. not necessarily carbon-based, maybe non-corporeal), it isn't a prerequisite that those sets of conditions have been present for a sufficient amount of time at any other place in the universe except Earth.

I know that may seem mind boggling, but it's no more mind boggling than trying to grasp the size of the universe.

 

[Diamondillium]

This is not necessarily true.

Scientists always say Earth is a typical planet around a typical star in a typical arm of a typical galaxy in a typical galactic cluster, etc.

And while that may be true, everything in the universe is unique. Life (specifically intelligent, sentient life) requires a specific set of conditions to evolve, and while there may be different possible sets of conditions (e.g. not necessarily carbon-based, maybe non-corporeal), it isn't a prerequisite that those sets of conditions have been present for a sufficient amount of time at any other place in the universe except Earth.

I know that may seem mind boggling, but it's no more mind boggling than trying to grasp the size of the universe.

Yeah, it's entirely possible earth is incredibly special just as it is entirely possible that earth is not special at all. We don't know enough yet about these other earth-like planets nor do we know enough about the specific origins of life itself to be able to pinpoint exactly what is required for it to form.

For all we know we're the only one that has had the uniquely specific circumstances, just like we could be one of billions.

Both the possibilities that we are and aren't alone are equally fascinating and terrifying in their own right.

 

[LT]

Yeah, it's entirely possible earth is incredibly special just as it is entirely possible that earth is not special at all. We don't know enough yet about these other earth-like planets nor do we know enough about the specific origins of life itself to be able to pinpoint exactly what is required for it to form.

For all we know we're the only one that has had the uniquely specific circumstances, just like we could be one of billions.

Both the possibilities that we are and aren't alone are equally fascinating and terrifying in their own right.

And you could certainly argue that we'll never really know if we're the only life in the universe or not. Its just too large and there are too many possibilities to be able to explore all of them.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I don't understand why people need concrete proof of extraterrestrial life in order to get excited about Science/Astronomy.

I am 100% confident it exists. We are living proof that it does and Earth is no special snowflake when there are billions of stars with billions of their own planets in our own galaxy alone.

Who said we need proof to enjoy science, the gripe was we probably won't be able to answer that important question in our lifetimes. It's just about the most important thing anyone invested in Science thinks about.

I would like to know and not just that exists. What it evolved like, what's different and what is the same.

And you could certainly argue that we'll never really know if we're the only life in the universe or not. Its just too large and there are too many possibilities to be able to explore all of them.

I think in a couple generations barring natural disasters and war, we will progress enough to overcome some obstacles to us learning more.

 

[LT]

I think in a couple generations barring natural disasters and war, we will progress enough to overcome some obstacles to us learning more.

I was referring more to us not even knowing the full extent of the universe, considering its expansion. I'm sure there's also a limit at which we simply won't be able to detect any kind of signals, visible or whatsoever, meaning we won't be able to even know of the existence of other worlds. As technology improves, that current limit increases, though.

 

[Power Man]

"Fire in the Sky" meets "The Fifth Element."

I want to watch that now

 

[Rick74*]

Nasa seems to have a history of underwhelming press conference news.

 

[Power Man]

Nasa seems to have a history of underwhelming press conference news.

yup, I got abducted by Aliens and they are still looking for stars lol