Do you agree with Stephen Hawking?

[JD2439975 (Justin)]

Should we be cautious of alien life?...HELL YEAH!!

OK we have no definitive proof that alien life exists but the chances are pretty good that it's out there.
So lets start with life we do know of, here on Earth...

Rule one...life feeds on life, only the crudest of organisms can survive without the byproducts or whole beings of other organisms.
That alone spells caution to me.

Size is irrelevant...microbes can do hideous things to creatures a million times their mass. (approximately, don't bother to correct me)

Intelligence is irrelevant...we, the most intelligent species known continue to devise more & more efficient ways of killing each other or killing & enslaving the one and only living planet that we know to exist...very smart.
Technological level goes hand in hand with intellect but has the added horror of being 'passed down'.
Monkeys can be taught to drive cars, half the morons on the road have similar IQs & they don't even know how a automobile works let alone how to build one.

We can speculate on possible outcomes 'till the cows go home', I think our only real option at the moment is wait & see.
The Universe is a dangerous place...but my, isn't it beautiful.

Justin

[sheeny (Al)]

Any encounter with alien life is dangerous. As mentioned before as Europeans explored the world the effects on indigenous populations has been devastating. That's not from shooting and conflict, but from disease.

If you're worried about aggressive aliens of superior intelligence, well it's possible, but the odds are against it. "That's just paranoia - everyone in the universe has that!" (Sorry I couldn't resist) The bigger threat is from a micro-organism of a type that hasn't evolved here on earth. We might find such things in our solar system, but I doubt it given the ability of the planets to swap bits of rock!

Al.

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

Being an alien who lives on Earth I am surprised that our time as ambassador's on Earth has not improved relations. And still we have the majority not wanting to contact us don't forget we have seen your history maybe we have stayed away waiting for Earth people to evolve socially to a state where we feel safe to show ourselves. Me thinks that the ones who reckon they shouldn't contact us have been watching V to much

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi All,
Wow! I am surprised at Mr. Hawking's statement. I would have expected much better of him.

I consider his "warning" to be more emotionally initiated than logically generated.

My reasoning is that: An alien race evolving to the point of such advanced technology will have to have overcome a number of issues.
These include; killing off themselves, solving the requirement of material and energy resources through recycling or other means.

Aliens, capable of inter galactic travel would not want to deal with Earthlings. When I was a child I used to stomp on an ants nest. Maturing psychologically, I avoid ant nests. They have no interest for me apart from observing them. That is done by not disturbing the little bities.

Why would aliens want to raid Earth for resources? They would have the capability to harness energy from stars (suns) and turn silicon to lead and lead into gold.

Mr. Hawkings has made his statement without much consideration.
Advanced aliens would not be so emotionally immature to attack us for the fun of it. I know I can decimate that ant nest now but what for?
Ohh! Mr. Hawkings needs to rethink a little and review his statement.

Ants' nest in my backyard I deal with, but we are not in an alien's backyard. We are no threat. Aliens don't want to know we exist. We are not important to them.

The human thinking centers around "life consumes life". Aliens would be above that. They may obtain sustenace in another form. Pollution, 100% recycling abilities, no longer an issue for them. Ability to control their world or environment is why.

We are not at all important to them. However we could learn much from them. Turn a lump of coal into a 40 carat diamond. A ton of lead into gold. (Destroy the economy as we know it). Imaging scopes that outdo Hubble..... (Hmm That may be fantasising a little). Regrow severed limbs. The list goes on.

Images of the Eagle nebula from the "other side"

We are insignificant. We are safe!

Cheers Marty

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

No - because we are alone in the universe

[Ric]

Bring it on I say, invite them all.

Cheers

[multiweb (Marc)]

Provided they have the technology to intergalactic travel then it wouldn't matter. They can find us anyway and do whatever they decide to do with us as we wouldn't have much say in the matter. So as Ric said, bring it on. Maybe we are all an experiment in a controlled environment and they're watching right now laughing their a** off.

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

I am sure life existed or will exist at some point somewhere else in the Universe - Regardless of ability I doubt we will ever see visitors due to the sheer size of the place. We as a species will be here for such a short time so the probability reduces further.
Even if they came, in peace, we would be more likey to kill them than be eaten or stripped of resources!

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Hi,

I think there might be a quarantine effect in the universe.

Although we know that there is a lot we don't know yet about travelling over vast distances, it appears at least possible that there is no point to even trying - for any civilisation.

At our present stage of knowledge it is hugely difficult to even imagine getting to the nearest star in a meaningful fashion.

I'd like to see our top thinkers considering this as a more integrated subject - so there is a probability of life elsewhere, then, what is the consequent (Bayesian) probability of it travelling to our region? Or anywhere?

We are so ignorant really that it is all moot, for now.

Cheers

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Provided they have the technology to intergalactic travel then it wouldn't matter. They can find us anyway and do whatever they decide to do with us as we wouldn't have much say in the matter. So as Ric said, bring it on. Maybe we are all an experiment in a controlled environment and they're watching right now laughing their a** off.

Yes, I think I saw Rincewind wandering around the other day

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Hi,


I'd like to see our top thinkers considering this as a more integrated subject


Cheers

Cool Linux space travel hope it is OPEN SOURCE I think some will understand what I mean others definately won't

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by michaellxv

Yes, I think I saw Rincewind wandering around the other day

I don't think Stephen Hawking is worried about Rincewind or Twoflower... I think he's concerned about the luggage!

Al.

[bojan]

I am not too concerned about the contact.. The Fermi paradox is still not resolved.
However, the crucial question related to this was already put forward earlier (I think): what could possibly we have that they would want so badly?
It is not resources (ANY un-inhabitable planet or comet or asteroid anywhere in the universe have them)... also I do not think there is any danger of disease or infection (species barrier is not easy to jump over even between organisms evolved here on Earth... the probability of alien organisms that could feed on us is really minuscule, I would say nil. Most likely we would be poisonous to them and vice versa)

The only real danger I can imagine could be their eventual exclusive religious views and motives, if they exist in some form or another and if they are not favourable to other species. This, combined with (possibly) superior technology (if they are visiting us here, they would be superior then) could be fatal.

But, lets resolve the Fermi paradox first

EDIT:
And, yes, "Mote in the God's eye" by Pournelle & Niven is very insightful description of such hypothetical situation.. Read it :-)

[JimmyH155]

answer is 42

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Maybe we are all an experiment in a controlled environment and they're watching right now laughing their a** off.

We're actually stuck in the Matrix

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by Ric

Bring it on I say, invite them all.

Yes, but process them off-shore. Queue jumpers need to be sent back. We can't risk having our way of life altered…

Cheers
Steffen.

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by bojan

also I do not think there is any danger of disease or infection (species barrier is not easy to jump over even between organisms evolved here on Earth... the probability of alien organisms that could feed on us is really minuscule, I would say nil. Most likely we would be poisonous to them and vice versa)

Yes, you are right from the point of view of disease... I overlooked that. Disease has been devastating because we are the same species.

But given the "success" of introduced species such as the cane toad etc, I think there is a risk of an alien life form (however basic and simple) taking a liking to our environment and thriving without effective predators.

Al.

[bojan]

Originally Posted by sheeny

But given the "success" of introduced species such as the cane toad etc, I think there is a risk of an alien life form (however basic and simple) taking a liking to our environment and thriving without effective predators.

Al.

Yes, all depends on how similar the chemistry of those life forms are to ours (carbon based, DNA or RNA, or something else? etc) and if there is food for them here - if they are plants, then they are dependent only on sunlight and minerals, and possibly water (again, if they use water as a solvent/electrolyte)... and that could be dangerous in terms of using our space if procreation rate is sufficiently high... But then again, this will depend on environment temperature, and this being around 20°, procreation simply can not be much faster than that of earthlings..
So, most likely, there is no danger of chaotic infestation.
Cane toads are still "us", however alien they may look like ..

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

Yes, but process them off-shore. Queue jumpers need to be sent back. We can't risk having our way of life altered…

Cheers
Steffen.

Very good Steffen

[gregbradley]

Slavery was only recently historically stopped in bulk in our world and is still practised in some areas. The Romans used it as well. Who's to say someone advanced wouldn't think - cool , a new source of "primitive" slaves!

Greg.