Phil Hands for November 08, 2013

Simple statistics said it had ot be probable, but those “uncomfortable” with either science, or believing the myth of our “total uniqueness in the universe”, will probably start putting down these facts of the universes as well…

“So what if our planet is actually a quarantine zone?”

Or perhaps a petri dish growing hate and discontent…..

MIght want to review the Drake equation on that….

Of course assuming “intelligent life” HAS sent us a message, and that life form’s technology is the same age as ours, there IS the fact that even at the speed of light, we might have several thousand more years of waiting to “get the message”. If we DO get a message, that society will likely be MORE advanced, by now, than our own. But to be “advanced”, it wouldn’t take much.

Noooooo! God made us special!

Michael is OK…it’s his Sunday school teacher following/spreading the dogma.

Then science is wrong / misguided and the religions are correct…we were placed here ~5000 years ago by an alien cop?

I’d be interested to know which ideas science claims to be absolutely and positively true. Can you give an example?

We don’t always say it because we take it for granted. But maybe those who aren’t in the business don’t realize that it’s always implied. Here I’m speaking partly as an ancient historian — our evidence is always fragmentary, and a new piece of papyrus from the sands of Egypt could change a lot. Still, there are some things that are unlikely to change much — we’re pretty sure that Julius Caesar was killed in 44 BC, and it would take a lot to convince us otherwise. But the details of the battle of Actium are totally up for grabs.

But back to the cartoon, I’ve got to say that these recent astronomical/cosmological discoveries are totally blowing my mind. This is great science, as great as any science ever. We are living in truly remarkable times with these discoveries. We are tiny grains of sand on a truly enormous beach, enormous beyond our comprehension. Billions and Billions!!!

Yes, I’m aware of the Fermi Paradox. Personally, I suspect that the speed-of-light problem may be unsolvable, and that would probably explain why no one has visited. (Even within the solar system travel isn’t very practical; moreover, we were built to live in a gravity well, and we don’t do well outside of it.) Communication I think could happen, and I think we will find it, but we really haven’t been looking and listening all that long. Maybe we haven’t yet figured out what to look for. Maybe there are messages all around us, but we haven’t noticed.

You may well be right, but I doubt that I’ll be around to see it. Unless science someday can bring me back…..

That’s a great MARKLAR. I hope that the MARKLAR will be able to MARKLAR so they could MARKLAR to the MARKLAR. All tax deductible, or course.

I’m sorry, there is no intelligent life on other planets. There’s no mention of it in the Bible. Just like there’s no mention of computers, airplanes, tips to the Moon, slavery being forbidden, eating shellfish being allowed, etc.