Former Astronaut says we are not alone.

Falstaff · Apr 21, 2009, 04:55 AM

Former astronaut: Man not alone in universe - CNN.com

big stinking government coverup or worse yet, another conspiracy theory.
Are or are we not alone in the Universe...

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 06:14 AM

tons of astronauts have stated this over and over again and it's made news just now?

Neil Armstrong won't even talk to anyone about anything related to it..ever..... The other astronauts break down if the question is so much as raised to them.

CDsDontBurn · Apr 21, 2009, 10:34 AM

i don't believe we are alone.

and if we are, that's a lot of waste of space...

lepel · Apr 21, 2009, 12:35 PM

The chances that:
1) a planet exists where life would be possible and actually contains life
2) we exist at the same time as them (in comparison to the 13.7 bilion years that our universe exists, the time there has been life on earth is short)
3) we are in a same phase of evolution as them
4) they have the intelligence/resources to travel space like we have (preferably much better, because we only managed to travel to the moon which is nothing compared to the size of the universe)
4) we actually find eachother in this huge universe

... are so small that they're negligible.

That said, I believe there was/is/will be life out there.

Tyrsonswood · Apr 21, 2009, 12:44 PM

We are not alone.........

And there's nothing we can do about that...

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lepel

The chances that:
1) a planet exists where life would be possible and actually contains life
2) we exist at the same time as them (in comparison to the 13.7 bilion years that our universe exists, the time there has been life on earth is short)
3) we are in a same phase of evolution as them
4) they have the intelligence/resources to travel space like we have (preferably much better, because we only managed to travel to the moon which is nothing compared to the size of the universe)
4) we actually find eachother in this huge universe

... are so small that they're negligible.

That said, I believe there was/is/will be life out there.

Correction, "Negligible" isn't exactly the correct word, It sounds like your talking about a few hundred million planets.... where as we are dealing with just within our own galaxy alone, hundreds of billions of trillions of planets. Those chances are considerably higher, cause even if there is a 0.0001% chance that life could excist on any one of them, and using our own existance as a referrence, there is no freaking way we are the only ones in the universe, let alone in the galaxy.

lepel · Apr 21, 2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

....there is no freaking way we are the only ones in the universe, let alone in the galaxy.

universe > galaxy: there are billions of galaxys in the universe. In any case, there's too little knowledge to make accurate predictions. But I think chances are slim.

Falstaff · Apr 21, 2009, 05:59 PM

I have to agree, even from a philosophical standpoing, with myopic and narrow vision into the possibility, that somehow, a God, Gods, beings, or technology beyond our own exists outside our realm of understanding, watching us. I think it is plausible, but when Russians and Americans talk about it like a spiritual truth, then it simply cannot be ignored.
therefore I believe it to be so.

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lepel

universe > galaxy: there are billions of galaxys in the universe. In any case, there's too little knowledge to make accurate predictions. But I think chances are slim.

sorry got that reversed...

alot of scientists reffer to our galaxy's number of planets like trying to count all the individual grains of sand on the entire earth..... and then multiplying that again.

The figures are unfathomable....

BWX · Apr 21, 2009, 08:10 PM

For me it all comes down to "faster-than-light" travel, or even telepresence. So far we humans think it is impossible. If it were somehow possible, for us in the future or some other beings somewhere, that opens up an entirely new set of chances that we could actually see other intelligent life in our corner of the universe.

If someone sees something that looks like an alien or a classic "UFO" it is more likely a top secret military aircraft or more interestingly, the human race in the future has figured out how to travel, or look back into time. To me that is much more plausible than aliens from another solar system coming to visit (or observe).

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 08:15 PM

indeed that's all possible....

either way there is plenty of unexplained phenomina that can't be proven or disproven one way or another...

yet something has to be explained, most people would rather ignore it but it still raises valid questions how cultures thousands of years old knew about things we've only just discovered in the last 30 years or a little more

BWX · Apr 21, 2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

sorry got that reversed...

alot of scientists reffer to our galaxy's number of planets like trying to count all the individual grains of sand on the entire earth..... and then multiplying that again.

The figures are unfathomable....

I think they say our galaxy has around 4 billion stars (w/o cheating and looking it up), and that our OBSERVABLE universe has billions of galaxies, some bigger and some smaller than our own. I think they can calculate the number of stars, and then come up with a planet count, but they cannot come up with the # of habitable planets because we do not have a good reference point for that yet.

We also cannot see the entire universe. If we could then we would *once again have to declare ourselves as the center of the universe, because it is the same distance in all directions.

BWX · Apr 21, 2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

yet something has to be explained, most people would rather ignore it but it still raises valid questions how cultures thousands of years old knew about things we've only just discovered in the last 30 years or a little more

I think "lost knowledge" can explain some of that, but not all of it. I saw a documentary on "ancient aliens" or something like that... They found a machine that was X-Ray'd and for it's carbon dated time, it was thought by us to be impossible to be made at that time. I have to remember what that is and get a link. It had all kinds of complex metals and gears-- and was thousands of years old.

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 08:31 PM

there was a computer built that is quite old and made out of complex parts.... not entirely electronic like our mind you.

then again they had electricity thousands of years ago.. and flashlights... made out of natural things again.... so they suspect and were able to reproduce using what they figured they had back then...

we are not as advanced as we think we are

BWX · Apr 21, 2009, 08:32 PM

I finally found that thing.. I typed in "ancient calculation device xray" in google and found it.
It is called the "Antikythera Mechanism".. That is some weird wild sh!t.

Ancient computer X-ray.(computing)(research on Antikythera Mechanism) | Article from Mechanical Engineering-CIME | HighBeam Research

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 08:36 PM

ah yes i recall that interesting unit..

quite intriguing... isn't it?

BWX · Apr 21, 2009, 08:46 PM

Yeah it is freaking nuts.

antikythera mechanism - Google Image Search

dawgXdenta · Apr 21, 2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWX

For me it all comes down to "faster-than-light" travel, or even telepresence. So far we humans think it is impossible. If it were somehow possible, for us in the future or some other beings somewhere, that opens up an entirely new set of chances that we could actually see other intelligent life in our corner of the universe.

If someone sees something that looks like an alien or a classic "UFO" it is more likely a top secret military aircraft or more interestingly, the human race in the future has figured out how to travel, or look back into time. To me that is much more plausible than aliens from another solar system coming to visit (or observe).

WURD brother, too many crackpots into this whole alien worship cult stuff, big eyed cockroach related aliens with zilch evidence but 1000 fold belief.

a religion i tell ya, science is my religion let their imginings be their gods

but truthfully i do think aliens do exist, i dont think they ever came down here AT ALL, just like chewbacabra and palm reading and astrology are nonsense.

Statistically and mathematically it can ve proven that there is a high chance that there is life ask any math college prof, anyway that pic is interesting

Dude111 · May 4, 2009, 08:49 AM

I do not believe we are alone......

With the vastnest of space,etc......

BlueMak · May 4, 2009, 02:36 PM

I think it all depends on what we really are.
If things are more conventional (think of usual sci fi stories), then perhaps there are other life forms and even civilizations out there. Still, there is always the possibility, no matter how small, that we are indeed the only planet with life. That among the billions and billions of stars across the universe, we are alone. The chances are not nil.

I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me believes there are aliens out there. Part of me believes there is something beyond our dreams. I don't know what.

Perhaps the whole reality as we know it is nothing but an illusion. Perhaps we are all a single entity, too bored that decided to create us to stop feeling so bored.

As a kid and teenager I was eager for aliens to be real and visit our planet. The question I began to ask was. Should we wish for something like this? What if whatever is out there is hostile, on purpose or not. People say that for any civilization to arrive here, they must be peaceful. That they have solved their problems and that they would gain nothing by attacking/invading/destroying a single planet like Earth. I say, bollocks and that we shouldn't take any chances. The Spanish didn't have to attack the native americans. They could coexist, they could live happily together trading and what not. What makes you think that only humans are this way?
The problem is we are not ready. As a human society, we are unknown number of years till we reach some level of enlightenment. If there is contact we risk making things on Earth far worse than they are now. Not to mention the potential military threat that such a species might pose to humanity.

I am in favour of achieving peace on Earth, on all levels and types, first. Then try to make contact with aliens. In the mean time (even before the peace), we should be exploring and advancing technologicaly as fast as possible.

Judas · May 5, 2009, 05:23 AM

frankly reguardless of other forms of life being intentionally hostile or not, the world in which we live right now is an overly exhausted childs sand box. There is simply nothing really the intelligent race on this planet that is really doing much.. majority are for lack of a better reality, slaves.... 99% of which do nothing but robotically play out over 75% or more of their days over and over and over again and again until death nearly doing pretty much the same or similare thing. Very few are doing anything they really would like to do. The planet isn't as large (in the terms of easily unexplored) as it used to be.

It's starting to get to the point where the questions of "is life out there somewhere" is hitting everyones mind now, it's not considered weird or idiotic to think of such questions and then actually verbally mention them. And the search for life elsewhere is accelerating for everyone. It's a legitimate question, one in which hopefully we get a clear answer. The possibilities is quite great.

Personally the concept of being alone being a possibility is pretty much impossible.

Apr 21, 2009, 04:55 AM	#1
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Former Astronaut says we are not alone. Former astronaut: Man not alone in universe - CNN.com big stinking government coverup or worse yet, another conspiracy theory. Are or are we not alone in the Universe... __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Apr 21, 2009, 10:34 AM	#3
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,805 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. i don't believe we are alone. and if we are, that's a lot of waste of space... __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Apr 21, 2009, 12:35 PM	#4
lepel HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 552 Rep Power: 41 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. The chances that: 1) a planet exists where life would be possible and actually contains life 2) we exist at the same time as them (in comparison to the 13.7 bilion years that our universe exists, the time there has been life on earth is short) 3) we are in a same phase of evolution as them 4) they have the intelligence/resources to travel space like we have (preferably much better, because we only managed to travel to the moon which is nothing compared to the size of the universe) 4) we actually find eachother in this huge universe ... are so small that they're negligible. That said, I believe there was/is/will be life out there.

Apr 21, 2009, 05:59 PM	Thread Starter #8
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. I have to agree, even from a philosophical standpoing, with myopic and narrow vision into the possibility, that somehow, a God, Gods, beings, or technology beyond our own exists outside our realm of understanding, watching us. I think it is plausible, but when Russians and Americans talk about it like a spiritual truth, then it simply cannot be ignored. therefore I believe it to be so. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Apr 21, 2009, 08:10 PM	#10
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. For me it all comes down to "faster-than-light" travel, or even telepresence. So far we humans think it is impossible. If it were somehow possible, for us in the future or some other beings somewhere, that opens up an entirely new set of chances that we could actually see other intelligent life in our corner of the universe. If someone sees something that looks like an alien or a classic "UFO" it is more likely a top secret military aircraft or more interestingly, the human race in the future has figured out how to travel, or look back into time. To me that is much more plausible than aliens from another solar system coming to visit (or observe). __________________

Apr 21, 2009, 08:32 PM	#15
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. I finally found that thing.. I typed in "ancient calculation device xray" in google and found it. It is called the "Antikythera Mechanism".. That is some weird wild sh!t. Ancient computer X-ray.(computing)(research on Antikythera Mechanism) \| Article from Mechanical Engineering-CIME \| HighBeam Research __________________

Apr 21, 2009, 08:46 PM	#17
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. Yeah it is freaking nuts. antikythera mechanism - Google Image Search __________________

May 4, 2009, 08:49 AM	#19
Dude111 An Awesome Dude Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 425 Rep Power: 61	I do not believe we are alone...... With the vastnest of space,etc......

May 4, 2009, 02:36 PM	#20
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,483 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: Former Astronaut says we are not alone. I think it all depends on what we really are. If things are more conventional (think of usual sci fi stories), then perhaps there are other life forms and even civilizations out there. Still, there is always the possibility, no matter how small, that we are indeed the only planet with life. That among the billions and billions of stars across the universe, we are alone. The chances are not nil. I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me believes there are aliens out there. Part of me believes there is something beyond our dreams. I don't know what. Perhaps the whole reality as we know it is nothing but an illusion. Perhaps we are all a single entity, too bored that decided to create us to stop feeling so bored. As a kid and teenager I was eager for aliens to be real and visit our planet. The question I began to ask was. Should we wish for something like this? What if whatever is out there is hostile, on purpose or not. People say that for any civilization to arrive here, they must be peaceful. That they have solved their problems and that they would gain nothing by attacking/invading/destroying a single planet like Earth. I say, bollocks and that we shouldn't take any chances. The Spanish didn't have to attack the native americans. They could coexist, they could live happily together trading and what not. What makes you think that only humans are this way? The problem is we are not ready. As a human society, we are unknown number of years till we reach some level of enlightenment. If there is contact we risk making things on Earth far worse than they are now. Not to mention the potential military threat that such a species might pose to humanity. I am in favour of achieving peace on Earth, on all levels and types, first. Then try to make contact with aliens. In the mean time (even before the peace), we should be exploring and advancing technologicaly as fast as possible. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*