How Small we are!

[DFragn]

Look how really small we are...

Hubble Deep Field: The Most Imp. Image Ever Taken (Redux)	powered by Aeva

[alph]

you CAN'T tell me there's no other life out there!!  i don't believe in aliens (unless they're mexican !  ) but there's GOT to be other life out there!!

[DFragn]

I agree universally. It would be ridicules to think otherwise.
There is life [intelligent] out there somewhere - I believe it anyway.

[ibsrp]

Of course there is life out there. His name is God !!!!!!

[alph]

here's anothe "fun" video!!

http://www.wimp.com/starsize/

[The Anvil]

It's not "almost" absurd to think there isn't other intelligent life out there, it IS absurd. It's even possible that there's primitive extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.

As far as aliens visiting earth, well I'm undecided on that. I have no personal reason to think they have but there's some very interesting historical evidence to suggest they may have. It's also impossible (at least right now) to know what kind of technology other civilizations might posses. Some are potentially much older than ours and could be far more advanced. You're not traveling intergalactic (or even interstellar) distances by what we consider conventional means but there's still much we can't conceive of. If you can create enough energy you can create enough gravity to bend space and time. If you can bend enough space and time just about anything is possible.

The best argument AGAINST earth having been visited by alien life is that just to pick our needle out of a haystack would require an extremely lucky shot. That's why I tend to think it's highly unlikely. But I won't say it can't or hasn't happened.

[Wetrudgeon]

We feel fairly certain that extra terrestrials are out there and that they have visited the earth in the past and mated with humans. 

How else can one account for some "people" in our midst ??

We trudge on.

[Willow]

It's not "almost" absurd to think there isn't other intelligent life out there, it IS absurd. It's even possible that there's primitive extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.

... Some are potentially much older than ours and could be far more advanced.

If you just close your eyes tightly enough and make up your mind thoroughly enough then any notion contrary to what you've factually decided will be absurd.  We could even go from the possibility that some unknown sufficiently advanced life form may exist to what is the probability of the possible life form's being more advanced than our own.  How about guessing at how many "civilizations" have come and gone in our galaxy before the birth of our own or how many will rise and fade away long after ours has left the galactic stage?  I wonder what are the odds that many life forms developed and disappeared no two ever being coexistent?  I wonder what are the chances of conditions necessary to sustain human life as on Earth existing elsewhere in the galaxy?  And then I wonder how meaningful is it to apply the term, absurd, to odds exceeding a billion to one?   

Speculation is interesting and, in fact, can be intellectually stimulating, but speculation and absurd really shouldn't be folded together.   

[The Anvil]

It's not "almost" absurd to think there isn't other intelligent life out there, it IS absurd. It's even possible that there's primitive extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.

... Some are potentially much older than ours and could be far more advanced.

If you just close your eyes tightly enough and make up your mind thoroughly enough then any notion contrary to what you've factually decided will be absurd.  We could even go from the possibility that some unknown sufficiently advanced life form may exist to what is the probability of the possible life form's being more advanced than our own.  How about guessing at how many "civilizations" have come and gone in our galaxy before the birth of our own or how many will rise and fade away long after ours has left the galactic stage?  I wonder what are the odds that many life forms developed and disappeared no two ever being coexistent?  I wonder what are the chances of conditions necessary to sustain human life as on Earth existing elsewhere in the galaxy?  And then I wonder how meaningful is it to apply the term, absurd, to odds exceeding a billion to one?   

Speculation is interesting and, in fact, can be intellectually stimulating, but speculation and absurd really shouldn't be folded together.   

If you accept mathematics as being the one constant throughout the universe (2+2 = 4 everywhere) it says that intelligent life HAS to exist or have existed or will exist elsewhere, just based on the law of averages. There's that extremely small possibility that humanity is an anomaly, a freak occurence on a universal scale but it's so minute as to be unmentionable. It's about as likely as a day on earth where no human dies. 

HOW intelligent? Well that's another argument altogether.

[Willow]

If you accept mathematics as being the one constant throughout the universe (2+2 = 4 everywhere) it says that intelligent life HAS to exist or have existed or will exist elsewhere, just based on the law of averages. There's that extremely small possibility that humanity is an anomaly, a freak occurence on a universal scale but it's so minute as to be unmentionable. It's about as likely as a day on earth where no human dies.  

HOW intelligent? Well that's another argument altogether.

Mathematics says intelligent life HAS to exist?  That sounds simple until you actually do the math.

Nonetheless, my point was not whether intelligent life does or does not exist, but that whichever side you stand on that issue, dismissing the other as absurd based on speculation is absurd.

So we're clear, I'm perfectly okay with intelligent life either existing or not existing outside the Earth.  I'm even okay with intelligent life existing or not existing on the Earth.  There's plenty of fodder for an argument in either direction.  I'm just not okay with declaring any position other than my own as absurd.    

Incidentally, there was for certain and will be for sure a day on Earth when no human dies, or lives for that matter.  There's something to think about.

[Quicksilver]

They do exist. They do visit earth. They do have superior technology. But I don't care unless they are willing to share that technology. There are 2 problems that they must have solved, 1) is control of gravity, apparently scientists are searching for a particle in everything that makes things attract to the earth, 2) is control of time, I'm not saying forward or back, just that you don't want to spend all day getting from here to the moon . Does all light travel at the same speed or are some colors or wavelengths  faster. They say nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, is there no wave length beyond visible light that can travel faster? Time for a cup of tea!

[KW]

Anvil being abducted by aliens and repeatedly probed would explain a great deal.  The fact they were a group of illegal Mexican farm workers shouldn’t matter, at least not from a mathematic point of view.

[CajunRider]

They say nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, is there no wave length beyond visible light that can travel faster?

Wavelength doesn't make light travel faster... it only changes the frequency of the light you see.  All light travels at the same speed (except for minute differences due to atmospheres).  A longer wavelength makes for a lower frequency as it enters your eyes.  

However, there are theoretical particles/energy that travels faster than light (I forget the name).  Therefore, it may just be possible to travel faster than light.  Then, of course there's warp drive (actually bending space-time) or worm holes.  All are only theoretical at the moment.  

As for the chances of other life out there... then statistically, the possibility of there NOT being life is VERY VERY small... but still not Zero.  Of course... we all know how statistics work...    

If we're going to discuss the merits of life on purely mathmatics... well... there are several math/physics theories out there that state we have more than 3 dimensions here on Earth.  If this is true... then what's in those other dimensions???? Aliens?? Ghosts?? God??

I could go on about this sort of stuff for hours...    

[bigdog99]

there is a video out named "Indescribable" that appears to show more than the video. it actually looks backwards toward earth at times to give you a size of the earth from that far away. then we know, we are small. if you get a chance check it out.  

[Big Rig]

That is cool.

[BamaDrifter64]

You know, the older I get, the less I believe there are intelligent lifeforms on THIS planet....

Dave

[Big IV]

You get used to it. Invisibility is our special power.

[Serk]

[The Anvil]

I'm compelled to steal your bike, wash it really, really well and then give it back. 

[The Anvil]

The fact they were a group of illegal Mexican farm workers shouldn’t matter, at least not from a mathematic point of view.

It would matter to ME and my spider button. I hear space aliens are not gentle.

Willow, some university supercomputer ran models taking into account the amount of known solar systems with planets that could potentially support life and extrapolated that on a universal scale. The result was a virtual mathematical certainty that intelligent life beyond earth not only exists, but will have appeared in abundance. The simulation was run several times with a few different variables thrown in. For instance in some simulations carbon was the only included building block. In others silicon was included as well. The results were different numbers but roughly the same conclusion. I remember there was some conjecture over what the qualifications for "intelligence" were though. It was an interesting read.

[musclehead]

It's not "almost" absurd to think there isn't other intelligent life out there, it IS absurd. It's even possible that there's primitive extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.

As far as aliens visiting earth, well I'm undecided on that. I have no personal reason to think they have but there's some very interesting historical evidence to suggest they may have. It's also impossible (at least right now) to know what kind of technology other civilizations might posses. Some are potentially much older than ours and could be far more advanced. You're not traveling intergalactic (or even interstellar) distances by what we consider conventional means but there's still much we can't conceive of. If you can create enough energy you can create enough gravity to bend space and time. If you can bend enough space and time just about anything is possible.

The best argument AGAINST earth having been visited by alien life is that just to pick our needle out of a haystack would require an extremely lucky shot. That's why I tend to think it's highly unlikely. But I won't say it can't or hasn't happened.

I'm not going to say what I have personally seen, but I'm in the 'we are not alone' camp

[Valkahuna]

Now that is funny KW!

Anvil being abducted by aliens and repeatedly probed would explain a great deal.  The fact they were a group of illegal Mexican farm workers shouldn’t matter, at least not from a mathematic point of view.

[RoadKill]

Anvil,Tell'em 'bout that time you got abuducted and probed....an dont leave out the part how the spaceship looked lot like weird cousin Dave's pick up truck!     

Just kiddin... we know they wuz Mexicans like you said. 

[The Anvil]

Just kiddin... we know they wuz Mexicans like you said. 

Well I thought it was a safe assumption. I doubt aliens speak Spanish, play Tejano music at full blast and have wiry mustaches. Or DO they???  ???

[ComradBlack]

The Fermi Paradox is a tough one to get around.

Intelligent extraterrestrials got to the "riding Valkyrie's" stage of technological devolpment

and figured ... it dont gets any better.

[boppa]

If you get the chance, go to Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta. At the natural science exhibit they have an Imax theater playing an Hubble movie. Went with my middle son and his girlfriend last week. First time I have ever seem an Imax movie and I was completely blown away by by it.

[musclehead]

The fact they were a group of illegal Mexican farm workers shouldn’t matter, at least not from a mathematic point of view.

It would matter to ME and my spider button. I hear space aliens are not gentle.

Willow, some university supercomputer ran models taking into account the amount of known solar systems with planets that could potentially support life and extrapolated that on a universal scale. The result was a virtual mathematical certainty that intelligent life beyond earth not only exists, but will have appeared in abundance. The simulation was run several times with a few different variables thrown in. For instance in some simulations carbon was the only included building block. In others silicon was included as well. The results were different numbers but roughly the same conclusion. I remember there was some conjecture over what the qualifications for "intelligence" were though. It was an interesting read.

they have discovered over 300 planets orbiting other stars, it was a question posed decades ago 'why does barnard's star wobble' through observation and computer models they may have discovered the "goldilocks planet" one thats not too far from the star and not too close either.

of course all these planets are huge, say around jupiters size. gravity on them would suck 
I always wanted to go to the moon where I could bench press 2430 lbs (well back in the day)

[Rocketman]

I'm just not okay with declaring ant position other than my own as absurd.    

That leaves the obvious conclusion:  You are perfectly fine with declaring your own position as absurd.
(:

[hotglue #43]

A few years back.. I worked a couple months in Roswell,NM.....UFO central....

They say the number of UFO's ya see are directly related to the number of Cold Beers ya drink while sitting in the desert at night......

I think I saw some!

[POPS 57]

I think i have seen them also.  We are just a small small dot in this system. And as much as we think we know it's next to nothing. What that means is we really have no clue or understanding.

[sugerbear]

we were in Roswell 2 weeks before the 50 anniversary. saw lots of aliens then.

[Willow]

I'm just not okay with declaring ant position other than my own as absurd.    

That leaves the obvious conclusion:  You are perfectly fine with declaring your own position as absurd. (:

A common flaw in logic is to assume that the exclusion of one case implies the inclusion of the obverse case.  (I see that any is misspelled.)

I have no real problem with assuming and absurd position.  I have a problem with my position being declared absurd in conjunction with the implication that an opposing position is obviously true.

I think i have seen them also.  We are just a small small dot in this system. And as much as we think we know it's next to nothing. What that means is we really have no clue or understanding.

I agree wholeheartedly that with all of humanity's accumulated knowledge we know almost nothing.  Isn't it interesting, though, how often we acknowledge how little we know and then attempt to use our lack of knowledge as supporting evidence of an absolute fact? 

 

[DarkMeister]

I didn't believe in aliens either. Last night I saw a documentary film called PAUL and it made believer out of me. 

[Scott in Ok]

I'm compelled to steal your bike, wash it really, really well and then give it back. 

If you feel compelled, feel free to steal mine, wash it really, really well and then bring it back.   

For that matter, if ANYONE feels compelled....my bike needs a good washing. 

-Scott

[bigguy]

You'd better believe they're out there.
That's why I stay prepared with this.

Trunk Monkey Fights Aliens	powered by Aeva

[lucky_1_chris]

It's not "almost" absurd to think there isn't other intelligent life out there, it IS absurd. It's even possible that there's primitive extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.

... Some are potentially much older than ours and could be far more advanced.

If you just close your eyes tightly enough and make up your mind thoroughly enough then any notion contrary to what you've factually decided will be absurd.  We could even go from the possibility that some unknown sufficiently advanced life form may exist to what is the probability of the possible life form's being more advanced than our own.  How about guessing at how many "civilizations" have come and gone in our galaxy before the birth of our own or how many will rise and fade away long after ours has left the galactic stage?  I wonder what are the odds that many life forms developed and disappeared no two ever being coexistent?  I wonder what are the chances of conditions necessary to sustain human life as on Earth existing elsewhere in the galaxy?  And then I wonder how meaningful is it to apply the term, absurd, to odds exceeding a billion to one?  




Speculation is interesting and, in fact, can be intellectually stimulating, but speculation and absurd really shouldn't be folded together.    

Billion to one? How are you coming up with that number?

[Willow]

...  And then I wonder how meaningful is it to apply the term, absurd, to odds exceeding a billion to one?  

Speculation is interesting and, in fact, can be intellectually stimulating, but speculation and absurd really shouldn't be folded together.    

Billion to one? How are you coming up with that number?

"Exceeding".  I picked billions to be ultra conservative.  I thought the term multiple trillions might seem absurd to the simple mind.    

[czuch]

I can see my house from there!

[musclehead]

we were in Roswell 2 weeks before the 50 anniversary. saw lots of aliens then.

the first time I was in Roswell it had just rained HARD, water in the streets all over. i was driving north on 54 in the left hand lane throwing a wake 4' high over the J barrier. there was a woman heading the other way in the left turn lane, not paying attention with her window down. 

I didn't get to see the expression on her face, but I did get to see the WALL of water going through her open window. several gallons at least    you should be paying attention at all times.

[musclehead]

You'd better believe they're out there.
That's why I stay prepared with this.

Trunk Monkey Fights Aliens

I hadn't seen that one, I laughed so hard I think I broke a rib