Happy Atheist Forum

http://www.slate.com/id/2269244/

Yeah, it's far away.  But I'm still excited.
What are your thoughts on the possibility of intelligent life in our galaxy?
I think the probability of life on other planets is near 100%, just by math alone.  By far, most would be mere microbes of course.

If you take into consideration that there are two earth type planets within 20 light years of each other...coincidence? Or have we overestimated how special our home is?

The latter.  Our current civilization (6,000 years old and running) is founded on the belief that we're special.  Special Earth, special humans, special God, special church, special denominations, etc. and everything else is beneath us or wrong.

As for the prospect of alien life, the math says it's out there but doesn't say how close.

That the one which always faces the sun with the same side..? In that case, it's not actually Earth-like. It could. however, in theory support life.

There are lots of planets that could support life that we discard over silly things like "water" and "carbon".  Any solvent will do and any chemical that can act as the basis for complex compounds will do, so long as both are present together.  I think it would be hilarious to see the look on scientists faces if the first extraterrestrial life they found were silicon based and drank some kind of oil.

Quote from: "PoopShoot"There are lots of planets that could support life that we discard over silly things like "water" and "carbon".  Any solvent will do and any chemical that can act as the basis for complex compounds will do, so long as both are present together.  I think it would be hilarious to see the look on scientists faces if the first extraterrestrial life they found were silicon based and drank some kind of oil.

I think those would be faces of thoroughly fascinated people.

Scientists do not claim that extraterrestrial life has to be C-12-based, or at least the more serious ones do not. However, as we have a higher chance of recognising something completely new if it reminds us of something we already know of, it makes sense to look for things we know to support life in our search for it.

If in our search for familiar kind of life, we find something else, I thing the scientific community will be very pleased no matter the base chemicals of the finding.

I would think it would make more sense to hold off on the search for extra terrestrial life until the physicists have come up with a way to make the search even feasible.  Doing it right now is like a cartographer heading into the Pacific on a dinghy in search of obscure islands.

Quote from: "PoopShoot"I would think it would make more sense to hold off on the search for extra terrestrial life until the physicists have come up with a way to make the search even feasible.  Doing it right now is like a cartographer heading into the Pacific on a dinghy in search of obscure islands.

Except the way we do it is safer.

Maybe the search is futile, but we can still have our fun with the telescopes.

Quote from: "PoopShoot"I would think it would make more sense to hold off on the search for extra terrestrial life until the physicists have come up with a way to make the search even feasible.  Doing it right now is like a cartographer heading into the Pacific on a dinghy in search of obscure islands.

I think we should figure out how to sustain our civilization before worrying about finding other ones.  Maybe dump some funding and a few more scientists at the fusion power issue.  And by a few, I mean thousands.  Right now the McDonald's down the street has more employees than the fusion power research projects around the world.

Quote from: "DropLogic"I think we should figure out how to sustain our civilization before worrying about finding other ones.

That too, though I consider it a step in the aforementioned direction.  I suppose it's not inherently a step, so you are correct.

Quote from: "DropLogic"I think we should figure out how to sustain our civilization

Why..? As it is, why is it worth sustaining?

Quote from: "Asmodean"

Quote from: "DropLogic"I think we should figure out how to sustain our civilization

Why..? As it is, why is it worth sustaining?

A depressing reality, for sure.  Education is the key though, and I think we are headed for another enlightenment.  New types of educational institutions are sprouting up, and people are paying more attention.  As default resistance to change, religious zealots are organizing with more fervor as well.
It is worth sustaining because of our rate of advancement.  Just think about how long we humans have walked this planet....~4 million years in something close to our current form.  Yet, in just the last 250 or so years...EVERYTHING has changed.  I see only good times for humanity in the future, and I can't wait to see it.



Unless we blow ourselves to shit, or run out of resources, or medicate ourselves to death (meaning creation of super virii that are immune to every form of treatment short of microwaves).  Yeah, that kinda sucks.

Quote from: "DropLogic"Unless we blow ourselves to shit, or run out of resources, or medicate ourselves to death (meaning creation of super virii that are immune to every form of treatment short of microwaves).  Yeah, that kinda sucks.

That fine print right there was sort of my point... People, they are not all that nice and things they do, those are often even less nice than the people who do them. We are parasites when it comes to resources and are ultimately a destructive force to this planet AND we do love our drugs...

Quote from: "Asmodean"

Quote from: "DropLogic"Unless we blow ourselves to shit, or run out of resources, or medicate ourselves to death (meaning creation of super virii that are immune to every form of treatment short of microwaves).  Yeah, that kinda sucks.

That fine print right there was sort of my point... People, they are not all that nice and things they do, those are often even less nice than the people who do them. We are parasites when it comes to resources and are ultimately a destructive force to this planet AND we do love our drugs...

I propose that the first mission to Mars carry a big ass cannabis plant.  It will stop the astronauts from killing each other.

"...saw this posted again last week, still amazing, humbling, and is there life out there then, well if there is it is probably more Vogon than Vulcan, some poetry then while you stare at the screen with your mouth open, dribbling a little..."

    "Oh freddled gruntbuggly/thy micturations are to me/As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.
    Groop I implore thee, my foonting turlingdromes. And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,
    Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon, see if I don't!"

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg834.imageshack.us%2Fimg834%2F2492%2Fthesizeofplanets.gif&hash=173260f80e6bb73a0159c6166212f0e6321d61d0)

Quote from: "DropLogic"I propose that the first mission to Mars carry a big ass cannabis plant.  It will stop the astronauts from killing each other.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. What would stop them from killing each other, is being isolated from each other which is a problematic proposition at best.

I heard that this discovery also suggest the chances of life on other planets are greater than we had earlier predicted because of the type of star this planet is near.

Quote from: "Sophus"I heard that this discovery also suggest the chances of life on other planets are greater than we had earlier predicted because of the type of star this planet is near.

I hate to play devil's advocate but....So what?  Communication, if we sent it this second would take 20 years to get there.  If anyone is listening over there, they might not make anything of it.  Anyone who thinks life doesn't exist elsewhere in the galaxy thinks too highly of the life on this planet.

Quote from: "DropLogic"

Quote from: "Sophus"I heard that this discovery also suggest the chances of life on other planets are greater than we had earlier predicted because of the type of star this planet is near.

I hate to play devil's advocate but....So what?  Communication, if we sent it this second would take 20 years to get there.  If anyone is listening over there, they might not make anything of it.  Anyone who thinks life doesn't exist elsewhere in the galaxy thinks too highly of the life on this planet.

So what? It would mean there's more life in the universe than we originally thought possible. Didn't say anything about needing to find it. Just changes the way we look at the universe.  

Quote from: "Sophus"

Quote from: "DropLogic"

Quote from: "Sophus"I heard that this discovery also suggest the chances of life on other planets are greater than we had earlier predicted because of the type of star this planet is near.

I hate to play devil's advocate but....So what?  Communication, if we sent it this second would take 20 years to get there.  If anyone is listening over there, they might not make anything of it.  Anyone who thinks life doesn't exist elsewhere in the galaxy thinks too highly of the life on this planet.

So what? It would mean there's more life in the universe than we originally thought possible. Didn't say anything about needing to find it. Just changes the way we look at the universe.  

Only a small percentage of people would care honestly.  The general public would need to see them with their own eyes to believe it fully. Which seems counter-intuitive to the religious phenomenon, where they believe anything they are told without a shred of proof.

They might ultimately not care, but I would still be pleased to know.  

Quote from: "Asmodean"They might ultimately not care, but I would still be pleased to know.  

Indeed.