Extraterrestrial Discussion Thread

[Neon Lunar Eclipse]

So do you or do you not believe in extraterrestrials? If yes, what are your thoughts on them?

I think that given the fact that there are around 100 billion planetary systems (solar systems) in the Milky Way galaxy alone, along with the fact that there are billions of galaxies in the universe, I think it is practically guaranteed that there are other planets out there which have the necessary amount of water, proper composition, and atmospheric conditions to support the development of hydrocarbon-based life forms. Therefore, I believe that extraterrestrial life exists. But that is not to say that I believe in UFO's and aliens visiting earth.

I believe that most of the extraterrestrial life on other planets is likely limited to single celled organisms and plant life on most inhabited planets. The few cases of life sustaining planets that have more complex life forms will also mostly be just limited to non-sentient primitive animals. Of course, given the vastness of the universe, I do believe that it is likely that there are a very few planets in which intelligent sentient life exists, however, said life may not necessarily be advanced. Some may only have primitive technology with only a few having a technology level comparable or greater than our own.

[Eahland]

Given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's highly unlikely that Earth is the only place that life, even life that we would recognize as such, has arisen. If it can happen once, it can and will have happened billions of times.

But also, given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's unlikely that any of it is close enough for us to reasonably contact.

[San Lumen]

There is absolutely intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. There is zero possibility in my mind this is the only planet in the entire universe to have life other than single celled organisms or plants.

I do believe we have been visited in the past and extraterrestrials choose not to reveal themselves as they don't feel we are ready.

[Stellar Colonies]

Generally suspect that very simple life is common, but complexity enough for intelligence is very rare. Then on top of that you've got body plans which don't allow for space travel at all, ones that destroy themselves, the vast majority of that small amount originating very far in space and time, so I doubt anything is close enough in either sense to be aware of us, much less send signals or visit.

[Luziyca]

I believe that extraterrestrial life exists in some shape or form. Did they visit Earth? I don't think they have. Yet, at least. If any future extraterrestrials come here, then I'll definitely welcome them.

[The Orwell Society]

There is absolutely intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. There is zero possibility in my mind this is the open planet in the entire universe to have life other than single celled organisms or plants.

I do believe we have been visited in the past and extraterrestrials choose not to reveal themselves as they don't feel we are ready.

Based. Exactly my view, word by word.

[The Cocon Reservation]

There is absolutely intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. There is zero possibility in my mind this is the open planet in the entire universe to have life other than single celled organisms or plants.

I do believe we have been visited in the past and extraterrestrials choose not to reveal themselves as they don't feel we are ready.

We’re too uptight.

[San Lumen]

Generally suspect that very simple life is common, but complexity enough for intelligence is very rare. Than on top of that you've got body plans which don't allow for space travel at all, ones that destroy themselves, the vast majority of that small amount originating very far in space and time, so I doubt anything is close enough in either sense to be aware of us, much less send signals or visit.

Or maybe they are aware and chose not to reveal themselves.

[Neon Lunar Eclipse]

I believe that extraterrestrial life exists in some shape or form. Did they visit Earth? I don't think they have. Yet, at least. If any future extraterrestrials come here, then I'll definitely welcome them.

What if they don't come in peace?

[San Lumen]

I believe that extraterrestrial life exists in some shape or form. Did they visit Earth? I don't think they have. Yet, at least. If any future extraterrestrials come here, then I'll definitely welcome them.

What if they don't come in peace?

Then we are likely doomed. Any extraterrestrial race that has the means to come here is going to be extremely advanced technologically. Maybe we could pull off a counter offense like in Independence Day if we could put aside our differences and unite as one.

[The United Penguin Commonwealth]

there could've been hundreds of thousands of advanced alien civilizations in this galaxy alone and they may have never interacted with each other. heck, there could be hundreds right now. space is a big place, and alien civilizations have had billions of years to rise and fall.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Life undeniably exists elsewhere in the universe, potentially even in our galaxy, but I do not believe interstellar civilizations exist nor have they visited earth.

[San Lumen]

Life undeniably exists elsewhere in the universe, potentially even in our galaxy, but I do not believe interstellar civilizations exist nor have they visited earth.

what makes you think there is no interstellar civilizations? Maybe they exist but they are on the other side of the galaxy.

[Stellar Colonies]

Generally suspect that very simple life is common, but complexity enough for intelligence is very rare. Than on top of that you've got body plans which don't allow for space travel at all, ones that destroy themselves, the vast majority of that small amount originating very far in space and time, so I doubt anything is close enough in either sense to be aware of us, much less send signals or visit.

Or maybe they are aware and chose not to reveal themselves.

Always possible.

What if they don't come in peace?

Then we are likely doomed. Any extraterrestrial race that has the means to come here is going to be extremely advanced technologically. Maybe we could pull off a counter offense like in Independence Day if we could put aside our differences and unite as one.

We'd have pretty much zero chance to resist presently.

If they arrive in relativistic ships, they could obliterate us with garbage thrown out ahead before they started decelerating. Deflecting planet-killer asteroids onto collision courses would also be easier than that.

[The United Penguin Commonwealth]

Life undeniably exists elsewhere in the universe, potentially even in our galaxy, but I do not believe interstellar civilizations exist nor have they visited earth.

what makes you think there is no interstellar civilizations? Maybe they exist but they are on the other side of the galaxy.

I think it’s a fair assessment. there are two kinds of interstellar travel right now:
- the kind that takes forever to get anywhere (we’re talking centuries to get to the closest systems)
- the kind that is theoretical and unproven (sometimes it requires types of matter that haven’t been proven to exist, for a significant bonus to their infeasibility)

[Washington Resistance Army]

Life undeniably exists elsewhere in the universe, potentially even in our galaxy, but I do not believe interstellar civilizations exist nor have they visited earth.

what makes you think there is no interstellar civilizations? Maybe they exist but they are on the other side of the galaxy.

The sheer lack of evidence of them, in addition to the fact that faster than light travel is impossible. Such a civilization, if it existed, would be more like a vast number of different civilizations that sometimes interact with each other. Even at 0.2c it'd take decades to move from one solar system to another.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Great Filter as an answer to the Fermi Paradox. Each step along the path to interstellar colonization is unlikely in itself and few, if any, species have likely ever achieved it.

[San Lumen]

what makes you think there is no interstellar civilizations? Maybe they exist but they are on the other side of the galaxy.

The sheer lack of evidence of them, in addition to the fact that faster than light travel is impossible. Such a civilization, if it existed, would be more like a vast number of different civilizations that sometimes interact with each other. Even at 0.2c it'd take decades to move from one solar system to another.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Great Filter as an answer to the Fermi Paradox. Each step along the path to interstellar colonization is unlikely in itself and few, if any, species have likely ever achieved it.

Maybe with our understanding of physics. What’s to say an extraterrestrial civilization isn’t thousands of years ahead of us technologically and thus have discovered how to do it?

[Cannot think of a name]

Given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's highly unlikely that Earth is the only place that life, even life that we would recognize as such, has arisen. If it can happen once, it can and will have happened billions of times.

But also, given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's unlikely that any of it is close enough for us to reasonably contact.

Apparently there's a name for the formula that calculates the odds of a planet being capable of producing life, of that planet actually producing life, of that life evolving to the point that the life on that planet develops the science for extraterrestrial communication much less leaving their own atmosphere, and then that society lasting long enough to crack the Relativity barrier that keeps us all below light speed as far as we currently understand it, then that interstellar society finding us, and for that rise and probably inevitable fall all to happen within the same time frame as our existence when you consider we've only been around for a couple hundred thousand years and the planet itself is millions of years old and the first dominant species was wiped out before they got around to tool use 65 million years ago so all of those other things have to happen without the galaxy going "fuck your dreams" and hitting their planet with something that either throws them back developmentally or makes the planet unlivable or just kills them, or they don't kill themselves as we've walked up to the line a few times.

Like, it's not just that life has to happen, it has to happen with all this other narrow probability shit AND line up with our development timewise I think you end up with "there's a lot of life in the universe and so little chance of it finding each other."

I am, however, amused by what I'm going to call the Star Trek Effect.

People seem to have this idea that we're going to be the only species with a fucked up messy history and carrying over some shitty beliefs and attitudes because of it. Like solving faster than light somehow requires philosophical purity and turns these space fairing species into moralizing assholes. Like they're not going to have their own shit they're dealing with while a portion of them fuck off into space to see if they can meet other species. Like there's no dial, it's either 'wipe us out like bugs because given our history of colonialism and exploitation that's what we'd do" or "cluck their tongues at our backward society." Like any alien society has to have either 'solved war' or mastered it. No in between, total monoculture (a la Star Trek where Vulcans are logical and all follow one religion/belief system, Klingons are war-like and follow one religion/belief system (all only accounting for variations on the theme comparable to Lutherans and Episcopalians), Romulans are devious and follow one religion/belief system, and humans are the only mixed bag in the galaxy where we could be any of those things and have a panoply of beliefs and philosophies.)

It's a weirdly arrogant way of calling out humanities arrogance to believe that we're the only species in space who has issues. I imagine contact would probably be "Oh man, you guys have environmetal issues, too? Yeah, total samsies. Honestly, just building and fueling this motherfucker made a whole continent uninhabitable. And we more or less knew that would happen but the people there didn't have a lot so we kinda didn't care. It's really messed up. Also, I don't know if you can tell the difference but you see that crew member over there with the droopy anntanae and the yellow eyes? Selecting them for this mission caused a literal riot, there are a bunch of folks on our planet that think folks like him are pure evil and want to destroy 'our' society. And between you and me, if they weren't the only one we could find that could not only operate that part of the ship but repair and upgrade on the fly we could find, we never would have let them on just to avoid the hassle. It's messed up but you know, we gotta get through the day when it comes down to it. Do you have shit like that? You call it 'racism'? Yeah. Totally sounds familiar. How about your youth, they hate your traditions, criticize you for not undoing generations of neglect overnight, and listen to music you can't understand? Oh man, we have so much in common. How's your politics revolving around reproduction? I wonder if they're as messed up as ours."

[Washington Resistance Army]

The sheer lack of evidence of them, in addition to the fact that faster than light travel is impossible. Such a civilization, if it existed, would be more like a vast number of different civilizations that sometimes interact with each other. Even at 0.2c it'd take decades to move from one solar system to another.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Great Filter as an answer to the Fermi Paradox. Each step along the path to interstellar colonization is unlikely in itself and few, if any, species have likely ever achieved it.

Maybe with our understanding of physics. What’s to say an extraterrestrial civilization isn’t thousands of years ahead of us technologically and thus have discovered how to do it?

The lack of evidence. Where are the interstellar colonies and megastructures if there are FTL capable civilizations?

[San Lumen]

Maybe with our understanding of physics. What’s to say an extraterrestrial civilization isn’t thousands of years ahead of us technologically and thus have discovered how to do it?

The lack of evidence. Where are the interstellar colonies and megastructures if there are FTL capable civilizations?

Perhaps they aren’t nearby?

How would we know a civilization had faster than light travel?

[Nevertopia]

Given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's highly unlikely that Earth is the only place that life, even life that we would recognize as such, has arisen. If it can happen once, it can and will have happened billions of times.

But also, given the sheer mind-boggling scope of the universe, it's unlikely that any of it is close enough for us to reasonably contact.

this exactly, ive always suspected the answer to the fermi paradox was that space was just too damn big for any of us to leave our solar system. And thats not even getting into the relativistic nature of time that might be involved in deep space travel. For all we know, an hour in one solar system could be a year in another based on the gravity of the host star. And dont even get me started on how deep space is inherently deadly to us. Imagine a pebble hitting your ship going near the speed of light, or if we dont have near light speed capabilities, then the exposure to radiation. Its all so very harrowing.

[Nevertopia]

The lack of evidence. Where are the interstellar colonies and megastructures if there are FTL capable civilizations?

Perhaps they aren’t nearby?

How would we know a civilization had faster than light travel?

what if ftl is literally impossible and thats why nobody can reach out to each other?

[San Lumen]

Perhaps they aren’t nearby?

How would we know a civilization had faster than light travel?

what if ftl is literally impossible and thats why nobody can reach out to each other?

Or maybe it isn’t because we haven’t discovered it yet. Many inventions and discoveries where thought to be impossible until they weren’t.

[Nevertopia]

what if ftl is literally impossible and thats why nobody can reach out to each other?

Or maybe it isn’t because we haven’t discovered it yet. Many inventions and discoveries where thought to be impossible until they weren’t.

yes because they were proven possible. Saying that it might be possible in the future isn't a true argument, it MIGHT rain cats and dogs tomorrow but until you can prove it will thats not adding much to the discussion. I get what you mean that some breakthrough in the future might make it possible but the practical answer is when using our understanding of the hard sciences, you dont travel faster than the speed of light. And that just might be why the universe is so empty. Nobody makes it pass their front yard.

[San Lumen]

Or maybe it isn’t because we haven’t discovered it yet. Many inventions and discoveries where thought to be impossible until they weren’t.

yes because they were proven possible. Saying that it might be possible in the future isn't a true argument, it MIGHT rain cats and dogs tomorrow but until you can prove it will thats not adding much to the discussion. I get what you mean that some breakthrough in the future might make it possible but the practical answer is when using our understanding of the hard sciences, you dont travel faster than the speed of light. And that just might be why the universe is so empty. Nobody makes it pass their front yard.

Based on our current understanding of physics.