Love this. Right there with you. It's the height of simple-minded egotism to think we're all there is (much like assuming the earth is the center of the universe). Evidence of one is evidence of many.
Exceptionally well-written and thoughtful article Krista. I enjoyed this so much - expecially since I've been to the NRAO, which is less than an hour from my home in WV.
I agree with Paul Davies comment. It seems unlikely to me that radio waves would be an advanced aliens preferred communication method versus say quantum entanglement. I also think raiding for resources is a funny motivation for aliens to invade Earth. They almost certainly would live in a post-scarcity world where any material thing could be mined in countless bodies in a solar system.
If you haven’t heard of it, look into the Fermi Paradox. Fits right into this article. Made famous by Enrico Fermi and taken seriously because of his stature. My opinion. Aliens can police their own brass :) and we live in Orion arm like 50,000 light years from the galaxy center.
Yes! I actually meant to keep quoting the WP article in their Fermi section but lost steam and/or more for exploring later, but here's the section: "One day circa 1950, the physicist Enrico Fermi was talking with fellow scientists about flying saucers and whether it might be possible, in theory, for an advanced alien species to cross the vast expanses of the galaxy by traveling faster than the speed of light.
Suddenly Fermi erupted: “But where is everybody?”
Thus was born “the Fermi Paradox.” The universe is big and old, and it is highly plausible that alien civilizations have evolved, based purely on statistical probabilities. Fermi posed his question in an era of technological revolutions, including computers and rocketry. It seemed possible humans would master space travel and explore the cosmos. So why, he asked, is there no compelling scientific evidence that extraterrestrials have visited Earth?
Italian nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi, seen in November 1946 at the University of Chicago in Illinois, famously speculated about interstellar spaceflight and extraterrestrial civilizations. Perhaps the simplest explanation for the Fermi Paradox is that there’s no paradox at all: They’re here!"
The Drake equation is fun to think about, but it's not super duper helpful in calculating odds. That's because FOUR of the terms are completely unknown to us. We can only speculate, meaning we have zero idea about them.
From the equation: N = R* × fp × ne × fl × fi × fc × L
The four things we don't know are:
fl = The fraction of planets that actually develop life
fi = The fraction of planets with life that develop intelligent life
fc = The fraction of intelligent civilizations that develop technology to communicate across interstellar distances
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space
We've got a sample size of one four all four of these things—our own planet. One example isn't data; it's an anecdote. So, until we've got more info, we're just guessing.
My 2 cents! I agree with the line in Contact from Dr Arroway (Jodie Foster's character), "it would be an awful waste of space" if we were alone... but that doesn't mean we're not.
These comments are richer than the articles themselves sometimes! Thanks for the Drake equation to further the topic. You mean Contact movie, I agree too.
"Welcome the stranger. And wait." This feels like a line (advice?) from which you could spin out 100 different narratives. Lovely writing as usual.
Good idea, maybe I will!
Yeah, beautiful portentous ending line.
Love this. Right there with you. It's the height of simple-minded egotism to think we're all there is (much like assuming the earth is the center of the universe). Evidence of one is evidence of many.
May we make contact in our lifetimes! I’m dying of curiosity
Exceptionally well-written and thoughtful article Krista. I enjoyed this so much - expecially since I've been to the NRAO, which is less than an hour from my home in WV.
I'm passing this one on :)
And so cool that you've been to the NRAO!
Dave and I went on a very interesting tour there at least 15 years ago. The largest dish is visible from the road ;)
Thank you, I could write many more tangents from this. So much fun!
I agree with Paul Davies comment. It seems unlikely to me that radio waves would be an advanced aliens preferred communication method versus say quantum entanglement. I also think raiding for resources is a funny motivation for aliens to invade Earth. They almost certainly would live in a post-scarcity world where any material thing could be mined in countless bodies in a solar system.
If you haven’t heard of it, look into the Fermi Paradox. Fits right into this article. Made famous by Enrico Fermi and taken seriously because of his stature. My opinion. Aliens can police their own brass :) and we live in Orion arm like 50,000 light years from the galaxy center.
Yes! I actually meant to keep quoting the WP article in their Fermi section but lost steam and/or more for exploring later, but here's the section: "One day circa 1950, the physicist Enrico Fermi was talking with fellow scientists about flying saucers and whether it might be possible, in theory, for an advanced alien species to cross the vast expanses of the galaxy by traveling faster than the speed of light.
Suddenly Fermi erupted: “But where is everybody?”
Thus was born “the Fermi Paradox.” The universe is big and old, and it is highly plausible that alien civilizations have evolved, based purely on statistical probabilities. Fermi posed his question in an era of technological revolutions, including computers and rocketry. It seemed possible humans would master space travel and explore the cosmos. So why, he asked, is there no compelling scientific evidence that extraterrestrials have visited Earth?
Italian nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi, seen in November 1946 at the University of Chicago in Illinois, famously speculated about interstellar spaceflight and extraterrestrial civilizations. Perhaps the simplest explanation for the Fermi Paradox is that there’s no paradox at all: They’re here!"
I want to get an online certificates in alien-human mediation!
right! So easy and practical ;)
The Drake equation is fun to think about, but it's not super duper helpful in calculating odds. That's because FOUR of the terms are completely unknown to us. We can only speculate, meaning we have zero idea about them.
From the equation: N = R* × fp × ne × fl × fi × fc × L
The four things we don't know are:
fl = The fraction of planets that actually develop life
fi = The fraction of planets with life that develop intelligent life
fc = The fraction of intelligent civilizations that develop technology to communicate across interstellar distances
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space
We've got a sample size of one four all four of these things—our own planet. One example isn't data; it's an anecdote. So, until we've got more info, we're just guessing.
My 2 cents! I agree with the line in Contact from Dr Arroway (Jodie Foster's character), "it would be an awful waste of space" if we were alone... but that doesn't mean we're not.
These comments are richer than the articles themselves sometimes! Thanks for the Drake equation to further the topic. You mean Contact movie, I agree too.
Crap, you're right about Contact! I had to go back and fix it.
I feel the same way about my comments section. I think we're doing this right.