Should Humanity Try to Contact Alien Civilisations?

[Suzy]

For more than half a century, scientists have been scanning the heavens for signals generated by intelligent alien life. They haven't found anything conclusive yet, so some researchers are advocating adding an element called "active SETI" (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) — not just listening, but also beaming out transmissions of our own designed to catch aliens' eyes.

http://www.space.com/28632-active-se...pr=17610706465

Make sure to watch the two short videos please, they are really good.

So what do guys think?

Stephen Hawking is against and it and so am I.
I think I'm one of the few people who couldn't give two hoots if we are the only civilisation in the entire universe .

What's to say they aren't going to turn on us and take over our planet .
We can never be sure of their intentions so why advertise where we are.

It also annoyed me no end that a chart of where Earth is, is inscribed on the golden record onboard the Voyager spacecraft en-route to existing our solar system. Maybe I'm being ignorant and perhaps after reading some comments I might even have a more open mind .

I realise this can be a highly debatable topic so I ask that you please comment respectfully without personally attacking other peoples opinions so we can have a nice healthy discussion. I'd really appreciate that, so thank you in advance .

Wow, it's been such a long time since I've posted anything in General Chat! Hello to everyone here .

[Neutronstar (T)]

Its an interesting topic and I have given it passing thought in the past.
There is a list of Pros and Cons on both sides of course. One Pro is that we hope an alien civilization may teach us some of their technology. In Stargate the TV series, the Asguard assisted us but they had ulterior motives with a common enemy. Can we even assume that another sentient life form will have morals as part of their makeup? No.

Seems to me the only information we have right now is, how would life on this planet treat us (humans) given the chance, intelligence and will?
Some of what is on this planet now will want to eat or conquer us, so it reasonable to assume something external to the planet will be the same. Many life forms here will be ambivalent. Perhaps our "visitors" will also.

Dophins are the only creature that I can think of that have exhibited help to people.
Maybe Dogs? But I think they fall into the ulterior motive group. Food!
Not many friendly animals considering the variety we have here.

So I am in the tread carefully camp.

I do wonder if the vast distances of space exist to keep us separated ?

[Eden (Brett)]

Hi Suzy,

The Voyager Golden Record and Active SETI aside, we've already been transmitting television and radio signals for the better part of 100 years.

Whether we choose to actively pursue efforts to make contact or not, if there is anyone or anything out there listening it will only be a matter of time before our presence is detected. Given the relatively small number of stars within 100 light years of the Earth, we've barely made a whisper. It comes as no surprise to me at all that attempts to detect transmissions from other civilizations have been for naught so far. I would also be very surprised if anyone ever encountered Voyager and it's golden record either, for that matter.

People like Hawking and Sagan have raised some very significant points on the matter and I would have to say that I agree with both of them. Even a very conservative iteration of the Drake Equation suggests that there are civilizations out there and if they are considerably more advanced than we are, it may not be in our best interest to bring ourselves to their attention.

[sheeny (Al)]

I don't think there's a great need to be too careful at all.

Firstly, we already know that intelligent and technological life is extremely rare. I am careful to make that distinction. There is lots of intelligent life on this planet, but only one intelligent, technological culture. We are no more intelligent than any other humans in the past, but we've only had the technology to detect or signal extra terrestrials for considerably less than 100 years.

Secondly, based on our own experience, the particular type of insanity that leads to a technological culture depletes resources. Why would any "intelligent" life form want to invade a depleted planet? It make very little sense to me.

Thirdly, a lot of the concern about being invaded is the result of conditioning from early, and perhaps most sci-fi stories. "War of the Worlds" was probably the first, was it?

Finally, unless they are really advanced and have learned some really neat physics tricks that are beyond our understanding, we are not going to encounter them, cause space is big... really, really big...



Al.

[Starlite (John)]

Suzy, have you seen the movie Battleship starring Liam Neeson and Rihanna.The only thing that will save us from visitors is more space junk around the earth.

[glend (Glen)]

I can't believe anyone would sight that movie as any sort of reference. Gather up all the rubbish movies and transmit them into space that will keep any aliens far away.

[Starlite (John)]

Originally Posted by glend

I can't believe anyone would sight that movie as any sort of reference. Gather up all the rubbish movies and transmit them into space that will keep any aliens far away.

Yeh, The movie is rubbish but the space junk is real. MKR and THE BLOCK should keep us safe.

[astroron (Ron)]

I am in the camp of send all the messages you like, they will get you no where.
Even if our signals have reached an hypothetical intelligent species on a planet say within 100 light years and they could understand it, any return signal would take another 100 years.
Unless they have some form of transport that can travel faster than light, we wont be getting visitors any time soon.
I still reckon SETI is a waste of money,but if they want to keep looking, good luck to them.
Cheers

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

We might just be getting some return signals from early radio.
Don't forget that the shorter the wavelength, the less will escape earth's atmosphere.
Only the early signals in analogue will be received by et.
can you imagine all the awful reruns of Abbott and Costello being seen by alien intelligence? ??
Broadcasts of Hitler?
They're gonna just send a big nuke.
Like a Mortein bomb

[Julian]

I would definitely advise against it, certain parts of silent groups within our government not only know that beings from other worlds are coming here, but not with the best intentions in mind

[sn1987a (Barry)]

You're bored aren't you?.

Originally Posted by Julian

I would definitely advise against it, certain parts of silent groups within our government not only know that beings from other worlds are coming here, but not with the best intentions in mind

[creeksky (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Suzy

http://www.space.com/28632-active-se...pr=17610706465

Make sure to watch the two short videos please, they are really good.

So what do guys think?

Stephen Hawking is against and it and so am I.
I think I'm one of the few people who couldn't give two hoots if we are the only civilisation in the entire universe .

What's to say they aren't going to turn on us and take over our planet .
We can never be sure of their intentions so why advertise where we are.

It also annoyed me no end that a chart of where Earth is, is inscribed on the golden record onboard the Voyager spacecraft en-route to existing our solar system. .

I read it will take something near 40,000 years for Voyager to even pass near a star!
We will either be so advanced by then to retrieve it ourselves or no one will be left here.
I believe an Alien race advanced enough to travel the stars, must come from a civilization of astronomers,everyone here seems helpful and friendly eager to advance those with lessor knowledge,
So I have hopes an advanced race would be eager to help us learn.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Meh! by the time any signals from here reach an alien civilization humanity will have wiped itself out anyway.

And if our technology has advanced enough and we go interstellar on our great migration then we will be the threat to other civilizations !

'A doomed civilization searching for a new home amongst the stars'

I can just see a reality show based on that one ..

Wait .... I think that'.s been done ..

Warning Will Robinson, Warning !!

Our signals are already out there, whatever happens, happens although if it ever does I don't think we'll be around to worry about it.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

I can just imagine some grey midget sitting at a lab bench somewhere out there.
"Hey Grock, I've just got some signals come in on my 'panwave' receiver. Sounds like long and short beeps"
"Probably a glitch, Freb. Retune it."
"It's stopped now."
So was heard Marconi's signal across the Atlantic.....

[Baddad (Marty)]

I have thought on and off about this subject from childhood.
It has become a favourite of mine. Its a good subject Suzy.

An alien civilization being advanced enough to travel at warp speeds would view us as we view ants. Let sleeping dogs lie. Disturb an ant nest and its trouble. The ants are not a problem if they are left alone and because of the distance.

To advanced aliens we are not important. Insignificant. They would not even mention our existence in conversation. Its like when you leave the room and believe the others are going to talk about you. They don't

To attack us for a food source? That is primitive thinking. Give that some thought.

To study us? When studying any colony its best to do it with minimum disruption. If at all possible; No disruption to the lifestyle of the colony.

For sport? To kill off a colony? Think again. Humans are growing more towards encouraging the survival of other life species. Killing as a sport is becoming undesirable and frowned upon. I can not see advanced civilizations condoning such practice.

The possibility of detecting intelligent aliens will always remain. However highly improbable for a long time to come. So to keep your paranoia in check simply remind yourself that you or we are not important to "Them" LOL

On rare occasions when I worried about some issue, my daughter used to say, "Build a bridge Dad". (Build a bridge?) What did she mean by that. "Get over it"
Ahh, the penny dropped.

Intelligent invading aliens? Its not gonna' happen. Build a bridge

Cheers

[Pinwheel (Doug)]

What I find interesting whenever this topic comes up, is it is assumed that alien beings have the same sensory system we have & that they communicate the same way. The odds of that is astronomical, I mean they could hear colours, smell sound or see in radio wavelengths. They simply may not have the sensory organs to know we are even here.

So communication is highly unlikely IMO.

[Baddad (Marty)]

A cartoon depicted just how aliens would see us.

The scene was two aliens in a spaceship. One alien as he is viewing the Earth;

"I see this species as different colonies fighting each other to prove which one is the more peaceful."

Oh so true it hurts LOL

Cheers

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hey Doug, that's a good and valid point.
How about consisting of dark matter?

Getting too much. I think I'll do something else. Anything else. Trying to discuss something we know nothing about or whether it even exists to discuss makes my brain hurt. LOL

However I do like some of the input to Suzy's thread.

Cheers

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

They're already here .... some of them are on this Site

Flash .....

[gregbradley]

Good one Flash.

I think its a great idea as long as the guys sending it out put their name and address in the transmission that way they are the first to go to the slave pits

Greg