Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

[B. de Corbin]

There is a vague but slight chance that citizen astronomers have found evidence is a far away alien super-civilization. Chances are not extremely high, but appear to be worth investigating:

The Most Mysterious Star in Our Galaxy

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Cool! It'd be great to find out what's going on there, whether it's caused by a life form or not.

[Munin-Hugin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

We can't even seem to find an advanced, intelligent civilization on this planet ...

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

We can't even seem to find an advanced, intelligent civilization on this planet ...

Only because they are too clever to get caught. They have developed an entire race of organic robots to do everything for them - I speak, of course, of Felis domesticus.

[anunitu]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

How dare you point your finger at our precious cats...why the very idea that the kettihs could harbor evil is just....hmmm now that I think on it...you may have a valid point...hmmmmmm

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

How dare you point your finger at our precious cats...why the very idea that the kettihs could harbor evil is just....hmmm now that I think on it...you may have a valid point...hmmmmmm

There is no evil in it. They have programmed their quasi-intelligent robots to love them, and find fulfillment in servicing their needs.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Felis domesticus, while certainly of alien origin, is far too bloodthirsty to plan an efficient takeover. Psittacus erithacus, on the other hand, is so cunning and brilliant that individuals must be kept caged and reasonably separate from one another to prevent a coup. There's a good reason the smartest of sci-fi aliens are depicted as "greys".



"Come, I'll take you to your new leader. But first, give me a sunflower seed."

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Felis domesticus, while certainly of alien origin, is far too bloodthirsty to plan an efficient takeover. Psittacus erithacus, on the other hand, is so cunning and brilliant that individuals must be kept caged and reasonably separate from one another to prevent a coup. There's a good reason the smartest of sci-fi aliens are depicted as "greys".

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"Come, I'll take you to your new leader. But first, give me a sunflower seed."

Now it makes sense. That also explains the bitter rivalry between Felis domesticus and avians.

(I know that avians are still a bit angry about that evolution-thing that turned T-Rex into chickens)

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

T-Rex isn't smart enough to lead. Raptors, however, are another story! LOL

Seriously, I do wish we'd find solid evidence of life somewhere else. It'd be so cool. Not saying we have to have contact with them, but just proof of them.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Stephen Hawking says we should continue to look for alien life, but not contact them. He believes that a civilization that can travel between stars is most likely to be aggressive because evolutionary pressure would tend to create competitors.

[thalassa]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Stephen Hawking says we should continue to look for alien life, but not contact them. He believes that a civilization that can travel between stars is most likely to be aggressive because evolutionary pressure would tend to create competitors.

He might be a great physicist...but he's not know to be so great of a biologist. If anything technological advancment on this planet has been demonstrated to destroy competition.


Problem is, we don't know how evolution or life might look on other planets. I took the Astrobiology freebie course on coursera from the University of Edinburgh last year (maybe the year before), and was really interesting. If its free and you have a few weeks, I recommend it. But the gist is that while we might use Earth as the example that we know to make predictions about what other life may or may not look like, there is a limit to what those predictions might be. With a sample size of one, we basically have no clue what the trend might be.

I'd find it just as likely that technological advancment to that degree comes as a result of an ecological destruction that requires the restructuring of society than not--potentially leading to a society based upon cooperation and consensus and whose ethics are based on the preservation of biodiversity. Of course, in that case, maybe Hawking is right...humanity would be a great target for their ire.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

I'd find it just as likely that technological advancment to that degree comes as a result of an ecological destruction that requires the restructuring of society than not--potentially leading to a society based upon cooperation and consensus and whose ethics are based on the preservation of biodiversity. Of course, in that case, maybe Hawking is right...humanity would be a great target for their ire.

I think you saw the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still

Personally, I like to imagine that they would go all that way just to find out how other minds think. That's my personal bias, of course. It's what I'd do...

For fun: http://www.livescience.com/33997-7-h...ns-aliens.html

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Stephen Hawking says we should continue to look for alien life, but not contact them. He believes that a civilization that can travel between stars is most likely to be aggressive because evolutionary pressure would tend to create competitors.

We're destroying Earth and now we want to send people to Mars, and we have a history of "conquering", so he's probably right.

[anunitu]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

Hmmm,maybe there is a reason no one wants to be our neighbor...Oh Mr. Grey,is there a reason you guys stay hidden????(not 50 shades,just grey aliens)

[MaskedOne]

Re: Have we found an advanced alien civilization?

I tend to oppose opening comms with an interstellar society before we are one. Sure such a society might not be aggressive but if they are aggressive while humanity is largely dependent on one small, fragile blue marble then Earth could have issues.