LIFE ELSEWHERE

LIFE ELSEWHERE

Based on a statistical analysis of all the Kepler observations, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Hawaii, Manoa, astronomers now estimate that one in five stars like the sun have planets about the size of Earth and a surface temperature conducive to life.

Given that about 20 percent of stars are sun-like, the researchers say, that amounts to several tens of billions of potentially habitable, Earth-size planets in the Milky Way Galaxy.


I wonder how many of them have organized religion?

rock and roll?

sushi?

De Tomaso Pantera?

What we may find can be astonishing or absolutely horrifying. Imagine an alien world where the spark of life ventured down a completely different evolutionary pathway than on our world.
Anything is possible.

I think we are a bit over-estimating our tiny planet and petty race if we think we are the only such (as in "thinking") life form in the whole universe. Its just a matter of time before we find something. If that something wants to be found. And when we do, there will probably be a big "Now what?". Do we engage in trade? Ask them "Hey, we have no idea how we came to be, can you tell us?" :lol:

Besides, what works on Earth doesn't necessarily work on other planets. I'm always highly amused at how humanoid all the aliens in sci-fi flicks are. As if the human body is the epitome of physical appearance and optimisation. Sure, we have the brains to compensate (at least I hope) but in general our bodies pretty much suck - physically in terms of speed/strenght/durability - compared to other species.

gonzo said:

rock and roll?

Click to expand...

I'm sure they discovered that one way or another. :twisted:

light years later, this is what it has come down to:

That is one of the funniest things I have ever seen :lol:

I have read a lot of SciFi regarding first contact. Quite a few different angles. I agree that the aliens are heavily anthromorphized in most accounts, but I also think that when we finally meet another species, it will be so thoroughly framed by our own experience that we will anthromorphize them even in the face of incontrovertible evidence that they are not like us. So in the end it won't be all that different from our imagined encounters.

Oh, and unless one is clearly superior, we will start a war by the first afternoon.

"Brain Bugs"? Seriously?

Hell, most people don't even understand that animals don't share our thought and emotions.
I blame Disney.

1973 Pantera....
0-60 in 4 seconds.
Awesome car....my father had one for a while....

Yeah, life is one fast ride, Godspeed, ask anyone who's died, they'll tell ya!