35 replies to this topic

[Chip]

BUT for a certain window which will probably remain the case for ourselves for many years to come, the wasteful non targeted leakage of our communications has been going on and is going on and we can suspect that would be the case for other life systems also. I wouldn't be surprised that if we do eventually change to more efficient and targeted communication technologies we might opt to continue some nonfocused radio broadcasts solely for the other civilizations out there that are also seeking to bootstrap their way into the galactic consortium. Science is science anywhere. If we can tap into those signals we might just learn how to get relative immortality for ourselves a lot sooner than just depending on our own science development alone.

[1arcturus]

Chip,

The trouble might be that civilizations primitive enough to be using radio might not have much to tell us, and civilizations far advanced of that might not condescend, or might not have enough in common with us to assist us (or might not wish to).

Another possibility, of kind of skipping over R&D so to speak, might be to invest in time machines. Not so far-fetched as it might seem, since Ronald Mallett at U of Connecticut has a simple proposal in that regard. If it worked, and if MWT is correct, causality would not be violated. We could borrow info from our future. (Of course, at least one universe would have had to do the R&D - but why should it have to be us?)

[antilithium]

"greening of the galaxy"

Would someone please tell me what this means?

[John Schloendorn]

Being overgrown with life

[Chip]

1arcturus: "The trouble might be that civilizations primitive enough to be using radio might not have much to tell us, and civilizations far advanced of that might not condescend, or might not have enough in common with us to assist us (or might not wish to)."

Three mights don't make a certainty but I hear ya. MIGHT be a dead end venture but so might time travel. I think we have enough resources to explore relative maybes especially if we can get off the war profiteering gig.

Will have to go do some searching for the references you made concerning time travel. Sounds interesting.

Found a description of that time travel concept at http://www.walterzei...timetravel.html

Edited by Chip, 04 July 2005 - 03:01 PM.

[1arcturus]

Chip,
I'm all in favor of passively looking for alien signals - it certainly would be a better use of money than funding wars. Just the discovery, beyond doubt, of extraterrestrial life might make humans put their affairs in order, realizing that they need to get ready for Contact (benevolent or otherwise, as in the "War of the Worlds" scenario).
Mallett's papers are on his department Web site.
Some have argued that investigating time travel is dangerous - that we have no idea what might come through a portal. I guess that's true, but if our future(s) is (are) that fearful, it kind of obviates the concern for safeguarding the present.