Yes, in space that is, not in Ireland. So here's the deal. You can get involved in various projects that are seeking to find some signs of intelligent lifeforms out there, some sort of galactic signal indicating we are not alone.

One such as SETI SETI@home So, and this is not an original thought I read about it the other day, there are pros and cons to such an event occurring.

Apart from the infamous 'wow!' moment which has never been repeated, we are gradually getting to point of being able to identify plants orbiting other solar systems. No doubt in the next decade or two we will be able to identify planets of the right size and distance that *may* indicate the possibility of other lifeforms.

The chances about us doing something about it, barring some wonderful new technological advance in propulsion or physics are pretty much zero. In fact if you are looking for any advance into space these days you are more likely to find it from the Indians or the Chinese.

Back to the matter at heart, the difficulty proposed is that there is a difference in passively looking for ET activity than broadcasting your location for all and sundry to find. Voyager 1 & 2 for example, have a handy map showing exactly where we are. Mind you, seeing as they are just exiting the solar system it's not like that's going to be a big help.

But most of you will have seen various SF films where the earth is destroyed to make way for hyperspace bypasses, invaded for various reasons, or God forbid, even saved from our own devices.

Speculation on ET life is that they know about us but won't interfere until we reach maturity, that they know about us and just like having a laugh by buzzing us with UFO's, or that they know about us but consider us to be of material worth.

It's not as if, on the face of things, that we actually have any merit now do we? I mean, we think we're really clever when we come up with an Apple iPad when millions of people are starving to death in other parts of the world.

But anyway, the point I'm rambling about is why take the risk? What if life as we know is exceptionally rare and the only reason we are alone is because of that rarity and the vast interstellar distances between us. Do we really therefore, want to alert our presence ET vampires looking for a new planet of warm blooded primitives to despoil?

I'm really worried about this. I think we should write a strong letter to Brian Cowen and see what he recommends.

Oh, and just for a laugh, have a look at this, 10 ways to destroy the earth and it doesn't even mention NAMA

Top 10 Ways to Destroy Earth | LiveScience

PS. Yes I'm bored....

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Hopefully they do find life on other planets so that people here can realise that religion is a huge pile of man made nonsence.

Well Malbekh, me auld flower, you are about 70 years too late.
Ever since the first television broadcasts from the BBC we have been waving an interstellar flag and saying ; "Yohoo, I'm here!
These signals, traveling at the speed of light are, as we speak, whizzing past Barnard's Star and out into the cosmos. The best we can hope for is that the recipients are either benevolent or lazy.
If they are like Klingons or Romulens our goose is cooked.

wow

What if ET comes and he's some kind of 'free market' loony, babbling on about the 'new paradigm' and 'the hidden hand of the market' and 'self correcting mechanisms'?

Then he sets up a secret underground lab and resurrects the pustulent corpse of the PDs! I'm scared too guys..........

Well, well past Bernards Star. Bernards star is only 6 light years away; we've been pumping out signals for 70 odd years, so we're essentially in the centre of a 140 light year diameter of space that knows we're here (if there's anyone out there to listen, of course.) To put that in perspective, it's estimated (by me, just now, with Math's on the back of a napkin) that our TV signals have passed 5,400 stars. Only about 10% of those are G-class (such as our sun) or brighter, so that's just 540 stars with any real chance of holding an Earthlike world. As we have no idea how likely life is (on Earthlike worlds, it occurs in 100% of observable cases, but our sample size is admittedly low!), there's no way to really tell what our odds are of anything listening to us living withing this sphere. The chance is much smaller than if the entire Galaxy was capable of picking up our signals, in case that calms the OP's fears

As for the Viking probe (the fastest ever human built spacecraft) at it's current speed it won't reach Alpha Centauri for 50,000 years. So we should be okay on that front!

st333ve, while I'd like to be hopeful and think you're right, discovering an alien civilisation would only cause more religions to appear, I fear. (All hail the great God Zorg!) I certainly don't think anything in the observable universe would be capable of shaking the faith of some of the more religious people I've met!

it would be very arrogant of us to think we are the only life in the universe, but if we all evolved at the same rate the chances of them being able to contact us is remote ,or they might be like this

and we really don't want to meet them

But not only do I believe in GOd ,but have always known there must be other life forms.
Showing your ignorance of Religion.
The last pope endorsed evolution in general, Jesus said 'In my Fathers house there are MANY Masions which I took to be 'other worlds.
The religion of ancient India taught of other worlds,and the LAWS of God.
Do your self a favour Steve ,and get a real education.
But the serious thing is that Religion is ahead of you in this way.
As you climb the mountain you need to look at all the details on the way
because you see only what is in front of you .
If you look around too much you might fall,and you certainly cannot see over the mountain.
When you get to the top you have a whole panorama ,and many things that you imagined, take on a different perspective,and become quite small,and somethings seen as a whole are not at all what you thought they were.
All you can see now is a whole PANORAMA, not a little crevice ,or plant,
or a grey wall ,but all of it.
The halfway is the veiw of the average Atheist.
On the other hand the more aware Believer sees the whole picture ,and forgets the details ,because they are NOT important.
You are part way up the mountain at the stage where most blindness
occurs [you are facing a wall] .
When if ever you get to the top ,let me know.
If you are not going to go to the top,the view is better at the bottom,where many 'religious' are.

Most people are not at the top ,so it is very difficult to talk to them about the view.

Religion doesn't 'know' about other races, it speculates, just like everyone else. The Panorama you think you're seeing is just in your head; you made it up, or listened to someone else who made it up for you. That's fine; I love fiction too. But if you're really interested in seeing the big picture, hold off on deluding yourself first. After all, yout speculation might turn out to be true. But try to keep the eyes open till we get there ;-)

Charley, yeah, it would really suck to run into those guys. I think the predators might be worse though; murderous and advanced!

...............so little green men in UFOs you have no problem with. But let's not stretch you too much by asking you to believe in God.

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