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Is Humanity Ready for the Discovery of Alien Life?
Posted on 2/16/18 at 11:09 pm
Posted on 2/16/18 at 11:09 pm
Scientific American article.
What will be your response to:
1. Microbial ET life (on Mars, for example);
2. Complex multicellular life (in Europa's ocean, for example);
3. Contact with intelligent aliens (communication from space, for example);
4. Arrival of intelligent aliens on earth.
What will be your response to:
1. Microbial ET life (on Mars, for example);
2. Complex multicellular life (in Europa's ocean, for example);
3. Contact with intelligent aliens (communication from space, for example);
4. Arrival of intelligent aliens on earth.
quote:
Throughout history most strange new cosmic phenomena have made us wonder: Could this be it, the moment we first face alien life? The expectation isn’t necessarily outlandish—many scientists can and do make elaborate, evidence-based arguments that we will eventually discover life beyond the bounds of our planet. To true believers, what may be more uncertain is whether or not such news would cause global panic—which depends on how our minds, so greatly influenced by our Earthly environment and society, would perceive the potential threat of something utterly outside our familiar context.
quote:
“There’s this feeling amongst the public—a very large fraction of the public—that the discovery of intelligent life at least would be kept secret by the government because otherwise everybody would just go bonkers,” says Seth Shostak, an astronomer at the SETI Institute who was not involved with the study.
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Posted on 2/17/18 at 12:53 am to Kentucker
I think all the way until #3 we'd be okay, #4 would probably not end well for us. I think that's a sort of...poorly veiled excuse as to why our government hasn't said anything about it.
I'm not even sure at this point that we could connect with another civilization of our own level of strength/advancement without one or the other perishing from time.
But, I don't think there'd be pandemonium if we had made contact (as in a very, very long distant call), but if they showed up over our cities I'm pretty sure our built in ''ah frick we're gettin' invaded and gettin' made into sex toys for weird frickin' fishheaded aliens'' instincts would probably kick in -- even if they were friendly.
I'm not even sure at this point that we could connect with another civilization of our own level of strength/advancement without one or the other perishing from time.
But, I don't think there'd be pandemonium if we had made contact (as in a very, very long distant call), but if they showed up over our cities I'm pretty sure our built in ''ah frick we're gettin' invaded and gettin' made into sex toys for weird frickin' fishheaded aliens'' instincts would probably kick in -- even if they were friendly.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 5:49 am to StrawsDrawnAtRandom
The way humans have treated other species if aliens did come down here and smack us around and use us to further their own interests we’d deserve it.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 9:22 am to Kentucker
quote:
Is Humanity Ready for the Discovery of Alien Life?
When you say "Ready, what exactly do you mean? I'm thinking if any of these scenarios were to happen, it would be "Ready or not..."
I think most people believe their has to be some type of life elsewhere in the universe. I don't think they would bat an eye if scenario #1 occurred. We been expecting this for awhile.
If discovery #2 was made, I would sit up and take notice. But then again, we've been expecting this for awhile. I think most people would think, "That's cool!", and go about their lives.
Scenario #3 is where your every day Joe would turn on the TV, or take to the internet to get more information. It would have to be positive proof, not just some scientist saying, "We may have evidence that...."
Personally, this would have a profound impact. I would want to know everything about them: the geology of their planet, their political systems, if they have race issues, philosophies, religions, medicine, etc.
Scenario #4 would cause me to be very afraid. Aliens advanced enough to travel interstellar space would have us completely at their mercy. We would have to pray they were benevolent. They would have the technology to easily subdue and enslave us.
But if they were benevolent, they may possess technology to significantly improve and advance humanity. That would be a Godsend!
Posted on 2/17/18 at 9:28 am to Kentucker
I enjoy your threads and it's the reason the SEC OT is a good place. We are good people here, most days lol.
I'll say this though, I believe aliens/ETs/other beings are already living amongst us.
So many signs
I'll say this though, I believe aliens/ETs/other beings are already living amongst us.
So many signs
Posted on 2/17/18 at 9:32 am to StrawsDrawnAtRandom
at your last paragraph. 
Posted on 2/17/18 at 1:53 pm to Perfect Circle
quote:
Scenario #4 would cause me to be very afraid. Aliens advanced enough to travel interstellar space would have us completely at their mercy. We would have to pray they were benevolent. They would have the technology to easily subdue and enslave us.
But if they were benevolent, they may possess technology to significantly improve and advance humanity. That would be a Godsend!
There are two conflicting views on this. One is that any civilization advanced enough to travel to another star system would have evolved beyond being aggressive. The galaxy, after all, is loaded with everything that aliens seem fixated on taking from us in invasion movies. Unless its the sex toys for fish headed aliens... then we could have some issues. Some folks may have to take one for the team.
The other view is that any species that clawed its way to the top of their own planet's ecosystem is likely to be aggressive as hell. Just like us. Consider that stone age humanity wiped out most anything that could be a threat to our dominance with nothing more then sticks, stones, and fire.
If that is the case then an alien civilization could see us as a threat that either has to be completely subjugated... or wiped out. In which case we are utterly screwed. They don't have to come down here to fight us. They can simply drag and drop dinosaur killers from the asteroid belt and wipe us out without breaking a sweat.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 2:23 pm to Arksulli
There's always enslavement for military purposes to consider, also.
Sending humans to wipe out a "Salarian" species that hasn't discovered space travel yet would be a good way to eradicate the population without over-damaging resources. There would probably be a reward factor in it, as well.
Sending humans to wipe out a "Salarian" species that hasn't discovered space travel yet would be a good way to eradicate the population without over-damaging resources. There would probably be a reward factor in it, as well.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 2:28 pm to StrawsDrawnAtRandom
quote:
I think all the way until #3 we'd be okay, #4 would probably not end well for us.
What do you think the discovery of a second abiogenesis of life will have on societis, specifically religions.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 2:53 pm to Globetrotter747
quote:
The way humans have treated other species if aliens did come down here and smack us around and use us to further their own interests we’d deserve it.
If we use our own example, I would guess there's about a 50/50 chance we'd encounter a hostile species. Evolution is a take-all battle between species, at least amongst those preceding intelligence.
Our species became intelligent about 300,000 years ago. Using this supreme evolutionary advantage, we conquered all other species. The take-all battle didn't stop, however. We turned on each other, with no logical reason.
War seems to be self-destructive for a species. The destruction of one species by another is to be expected when they're competing for resources but why on earth would a species, especially an intelligent one, intentionally kill its own members?
So, can we expect hostility and war to be companions to intelligence everywhere it arises? Gauging from the visits of aliens in movies, we should be prepared to expect aggression from aliens and/or hostility from us towards them.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 3:03 pm to teamjackson
quote:
I'll say this though, I believe aliens/ETs/other beings are already living amongst us.
Well, there are certainly mysteries that persist but I think with time and research we'll discover that they're all natural and native to the earth. The degree of intelligence it would take for an alien species to just get here is so great as to make us seem seem very primitive by comparison.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 3:24 pm to Arksulli
quote:
One is that any civilization advanced enough to travel to another star system would have evolved beyond being aggressive.
I certainly can't see any evidence in our own evolutionary path that indicates we will ever be a non-aggressive species. "Religions of peace" pop up here and there but inevitably go to war with each other over issues of territory and control of a population, for example.
To me, the only species that could ever arise and be non-aggressive would be an artificial intelligence. We might even create one. I think there are enough humans who know that war, especially intra-species, is stupid and self-defeating. If scientists alone decide what a machine species will be like, there will be no desire for conquest of other species built into it.
quote:
The other view is that any species that clawed its way to the top of their own planet's ecosystem is likely to be aggressive as hell. Just like us. Consider that stone age humanity wiped out most anything that could be a threat to our dominance with nothing more then sticks, stones, and fire.
True. We've defeated every species that has challenged us. We're even conquering the bacterial and viral species. They are our last barrier to total domination of life on earth.
Well, "our" being relative to species and not group. War may represent a threat to our survival as a species for a much longer time.
quote:
If that is the case then an alien civilization could see us as a threat that either has to be completely subjugated... or wiped out. In which case we are utterly screwed. They don't have to come down here to fight us. They can simply drag and drop dinosaur killers from the asteroid belt and wipe us out without breaking a sweat.
Isn't it an awful thought that we might be judged by an alien civilization and wiped out because we haven't evolved into a peaceful species that takes care of its birthplace? That's the theme of the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still starring Keanu Reeves.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 3:28 pm to hogNsinceReagan
quote:
There's always enslavement for military purposes to consider, also.
Sending humans to wipe out a "Salarian" species that hasn't discovered space travel yet would be a good way to eradicate the population without over-damaging resources. There would probably be a reward factor in it, as well.
Yikes, that would be a great story for a sci-fi movie. I'm a great fan of sci-fi but I can't recall a theme like that. Maybe you should write the book.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 3:36 pm to Kentucker
quote:
Yikes, that would be a great story for a sci-fi movie. I'm a great fan of sci-fi but I can't recall a theme like that. Maybe you should write the book.
And have our PC hollywood tear it to shred's with it's messages and agenda? Thanks, but no thanks. My book would be genetically bred alpha males ripping inferior aliens to shreds and then being given everything their heart desires. I don't think the world is ready for a movie like that, lol.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 4:44 pm to Kentucker
This reminds me of two quotes from the movie Contact.
Panel member: If you were to meet these Vegans, and were permitted only one question to ask of them, what would it be?
Ellie Arroway: Well, I suppose it would be, how did you do it? How did you evolve, how did you survive this technological adolescence without destroying yourself?
And
Ellie Arroway: We pose no threat to them. It would be like us going out of our way to destroy some microbes on an ant hill in Africa.
David Drumlin: Interesting analogy. And how guilty would we feel if we destroyed a few microbes on an anthill in Africa?
Panel member: If you were to meet these Vegans, and were permitted only one question to ask of them, what would it be?
Ellie Arroway: Well, I suppose it would be, how did you do it? How did you evolve, how did you survive this technological adolescence without destroying yourself?
And
Ellie Arroway: We pose no threat to them. It would be like us going out of our way to destroy some microbes on an ant hill in Africa.
David Drumlin: Interesting analogy. And how guilty would we feel if we destroyed a few microbes on an anthill in Africa?
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 4:46 pm
Posted on 2/17/18 at 6:26 pm to Kentucker
quote:
That's the theme of the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still starring Keanu Reeves.
I'm about to lose all my cool points in this thread by admitting I much preferred the Futurama take on that... "The Day the Earth Stood Stupid."
I shall return with a slightly more coherent reply after dinner. Home made chicken and dumplings waits for no man... or alien invasion.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 6:44 pm to hogNsinceReagan
quote:
My book would be genetically bred alpha males ripping inferior aliens to shreds and then being given everything their heart desires. I don't think the world is ready for a movie like that, lol.
So Spartacus in space?
Posted on 2/17/18 at 7:00 pm to Kentucker
I think we are more ready today than our daddy's and granddaddy's were. In fact I am comfortable saying that most people in civilized society would be thrilled with biology on Europa or Titan. I think if we detected intelligence out there somewhere other than religous nutcases the people would be curious and a little frightened at the same time. Should aliens land down on our planet or orbit anywhere in the Sol system everybody including myself would lose their shite because we know that would most likely end badly for all of us.
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 7:01 pm
Posted on 2/17/18 at 7:14 pm to Kentucker
I wouldn't be surprised if #1 happens within the next decade. The main issue would be if was not caused by some sort of Earth based contamination. Meteorites from some foreign sort of titanic impact on Earth could have carried bacteria to Mars or even Europa.
This makes the possibility of life on Saturn's moon of Enceladus so intriguing. It is too far from the habitable zone for this sort of contamination to occur and all the precursors for life are seemingly there.
This makes the possibility of life on Saturn's moon of Enceladus so intriguing. It is too far from the habitable zone for this sort of contamination to occur and all the precursors for life are seemingly there.
Posted on 2/17/18 at 7:33 pm to Globetrotter747
quote:
This reminds me of two quotes from the movie Contact.
I thought Contact was a cool movie except for two characters, Matthew McConauhey's Palmer Joss and Tom Skerritt's David Drumlin. I sincerely hope that religion and machoism won't factor into our analysis of alien contact the way they did in that movie. Surely we've become more objective as a society and species.
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