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Old 19-05-2019, 02:01 PM
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pmrid (Peter)
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3 questions to ask an alien

I’ve been rereading Carl Sagan’s “The Demon-Haunted World - Science as a candle in the dark.”. It’s a good read. He debunks the UFO appeals to the credulous rather well. At one point he comments what a stimulating exercise it would be to think of questions to which no human today knows the answer that might be put to alien intelligences so that a correct answer would be immediately recognisable as such - in response, he says, to people who claim to be in contact with aliens. The proof of Fermats last theorem or the Goldbach Conjecture (expressed in mathematical terms of course.

So what questions would you ask - if the opportunity presented itself - that would defy the UFO sceptics?

Peter
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Old 19-05-2019, 02:08 PM
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multiweb (Marc)
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Originally Posted by pmrid View Post
I’ve been rereading Carl Sagan’s “The Demon-Haunted World - Science as a candle in the dark.”. It’s a good read. He debunks the UFO appeals to the credulous rather well. At one point he comments what a stimulating exercise it would be to think of questions to which no human today knows the answer that might be put to alien intelligences so that a correct answer would be immediately recognisable as such - in response, he says, to people who claim to be in contact with aliens. The proof of Fermats last theorem or the Goldbach Conjecture (expressed in mathematical terms of course.

So what questions would you ask - if the opportunity presented itself - that would defy the UFO sceptics?

Peter
What took you so long?

Are there any others?

How big is the universe?
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Old 19-05-2019, 02:50 PM
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I am hoping they actually know the answers and will provide answers that reflect reality.

Question one.

Is the universe eternal?

Question two?
How does gravity actually work?

Question three.
Can I get you something to eat or drink?
Alex
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Old 19-05-2019, 03:21 PM
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I cant ask any questions as they don't exist, and that can also be expressed in mathematical terms.

Leon
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Old 19-05-2019, 03:27 PM
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Hi Leon
I dont understand what you mean.
Do you suggest aliens cant visit us or that there can be no life elsewhere that could be smarter than us...and perhaps show the application of the maths you are thinking about which leaves me guessing as to your meaning.
Al
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Old 19-05-2019, 04:27 PM
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Obvious: Take me to your leader !

Last edited by Wavytone; 19-05-2019 at 04:39 PM.
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Old 19-05-2019, 05:12 PM
N1 (Mirko)
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Question two?
How does gravity actually work
If the answer was "by suction", could you handle it?
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Old 19-05-2019, 05:18 PM
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Well Alex lets just do a short journey, to one of our closest Stars, that we know has no Planets orbiting.

However if there was a live smart Alien population on a Planet there they would have to travel at the speed of light for over four years. to reach us

It just dose not seen possible to me unless Scotty and the Enterprise were close at hand.

Beam me up Scotty

I just don't believe in that stuff

Leon
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Old 19-05-2019, 05:18 PM
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If the answer was "by suction", could you handle it?
I would know they were imposters
Alex
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Old 19-05-2019, 05:36 PM
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I wouldn't ask a question, I would simply say that going on many Hollywood movies their being here won't end well for them.

https://youtu.be/2pbqOOLzk10
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Old 19-05-2019, 05:48 PM
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Not a question , a request:

Nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
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Old 19-05-2019, 06:39 PM
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I would know they were imposters
Alex
Even if their craft was plunger-shaped?
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Old 19-05-2019, 06:57 PM
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Or from Peter Jackson’s first film: “what are you dirty hooas doing on my planet?”
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Old 19-05-2019, 07:00 PM
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Asking right question is very important.
Here is something to get you prepared for such occasion

There are two tribes:
The TRUTH tribe, they always tell truth!
The LYING tribe, they always tell lies!

You want to get to TRUTH tribe. There is a road to get there but you rich the point where that road splits in two, right there is a man standing, he belongs to either TRUTH or LYING tribe.
You are allowed to ask him just one question to get to TRUTH tribe!
What is that question?
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Old 19-05-2019, 07:01 PM
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Any ET life is only likely to exist far in the future or far in the past and be microbial. There is no question that could be asked of a being with knowledge far in advance of ours to which the answer would be intelligible. The questions themselves , to be interesting , would be highly contentious and of no value as proof.

Many do not believe ordinary intelligence or basic science and regard it as a kind of trick , or a result of cramming or memory.

A demonstration , such as a walking talking artificial intelligence , would be so frightening that no one that capable would reveal such a thing.

It would be interesting to find out where any life came from but it would not take a visit.
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Old 19-05-2019, 08:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leon View Post
Well Alex lets just do a short journey, to one of our closest Stars, that we know has no Planets orbiting.

However if there was a live smart Alien population on a Planet there they would have to travel at the speed of light for over four years. to reach us

It just dose not seen possible to me unless Scotty and the Enterprise were close at hand.

Beam me up Scotty

I just don't believe in that stuff

Leon
I understand now what you mean Leon.

Alex
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Old 19-05-2019, 08:33 PM
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We think of intelligent life having to come from a planet on a round trip basis... however it is conceivable that an intelligent species may have to leave their planet via an artificial "planet" or a giant mother ship capable of supporting them much like our planet supports us..they would have to be keen recuclers no doubt but could harvest some stuff from space or planets they happen to run across..in other words they may have lived for so long on their "new" home that their journey may cover hundreds of light years seeing many generations of their kind come and go...in fact that what we should do☺
Alex
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Old 19-05-2019, 08:38 PM
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Even if their craft was plunger-shaped?
Mmm I guess the only test if they know what they are talking about is if they agree with me☺
Alex
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Old 19-05-2019, 09:08 PM
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If we exist, then the chances of other life forms existing is just as good. They could be that far advanced that we may not even notice their presence within the cosmos.
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Old 20-05-2019, 06:44 AM
N1 (Mirko)
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If we exist, then the chances of other life forms existing is just as good. They could be that far advanced that we may not even notice their presence within the cosmos.

There is no evidence (yet) to suggest that our presence is being noticed either.
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