How far away would other intelligent life be?

General physics and astronomy discussions not directly related to Celestia

If intelligent life exists elsewhere in the Universe, how far away do you think it would be?

Poll ended at 30.06.2003, 04:34

Within 10 light-years
2
11%
Within 100 light-years
1
5%
Within 1,000 light-years
7
37%
Within 10,000 light-years
2
11%
Within 50,000 light-years
3
16%
In a nearby galaxy
2
11%
In a distant galaxy
2
11%
 
Total votes: 19

Topic author
Paul
Posts: 152
Joined: 13.02.2002
With us: 22 years 9 months
Location: Melbourne, Australia

How far away would other intelligent life be?

Post #1by Paul » 23.06.2003, 04:34

Note that this is really just how you feel. We're not really able to put strict constraints on the distance, given that we can't yet rule out the existence of Earth-like planets around even neighbouring stars.

Cheers,
Paul

marc
Posts: 426
Joined: 13.03.2002
With us: 22 years 8 months
Location: Outback Australia

Post #2by marc » 23.06.2003, 08:38

Europa!

ElPelado
Posts: 862
Joined: 07.04.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: Born in Argentina
Contact:

Post #3by ElPelado » 23.06.2003, 08:52

Europa, maybe,
But what about Mars?.......
---------X---------
EL XENTENARIO
1905-2005

My page:
http://www.urielpelado.com.ar
My Gallery:
http://www.celestiaproject.net/gallery/view_al ... y-Universe

jamarsa
Posts: 326
Joined: 31.03.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: San Sebastian (Spain)

Post #4by jamarsa » 23.06.2003, 09:02

marc wrote:Europa!


Europa... but not Australia??? :wink:

Just another joke... :P

Paolo
Posts: 502
Joined: 23.09.2002
With us: 22 years 1 month
Location: Pordenone/Italy

Post #5by Paolo » 23.06.2003, 10:04

Probably the right question is "how far in space and in time?".

The time window that could allow to human race to be be able to interact consciously with extraterrestrial life is opening right now.

So perhaps Mars had intelligent life some billion Years ago, Europa probably will have intellignet life within some billion years in the future when the sun will start the giant phase.

I think that within the nearby stars is only a random question.

Bye - Paolo

Avatar
t00fri
Developer
Posts: 8772
Joined: 29.03.2002
Age: 22
With us: 22 years 7 months
Location: Hamburg, Germany

Post #6by t00fri » 23.06.2003, 23:10

I think my neighbour's dog is /very/ intelligent...

He can easily do a prime factor decomposition of

2^200-1 = (3) (5) (11) (17) (31) (41) (101) (251) (401) (601) (3173389601) (61681) (268501) (2787601) (340801) (8101) (4051) (1801)

Bye Fridger

abburdlen
Posts: 7
Joined: 30.04.2003
With us: 21 years 6 months
Location: Wilmington, NC

Post #7by abburdlen » 24.06.2003, 02:37

Paolo wrote:... Europa probably will have intellignet life within some billion years in the future when the sun will start the giant phase.
Bye - Paolo


Why do you think that? In the 4 billion year history of life on Earth, intelligent life (and by intelligent I mean developing technology to listen to the stars) has come about once.
I think the chance of discovering extra-terrestrial life in the next 200 years is quite high but I doubt we will ever find other intelligent civilizations out there :(

Of course it might be our descends on Europa a billion years from now.

guest

Post #8by guest » 24.06.2003, 15:57

How about sulfer or silicon based life? When we learn how to
search for them we might find intelligent life as close as Mars
What do you think?

jamarsa
Posts: 326
Joined: 31.03.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: San Sebastian (Spain)

Post #9by jamarsa » 24.06.2003, 16:42

We have been searching for so little time... Also, how much time would be an intelligent civilization waste power spreading radiowaves throughout the galaxy? Moreover they would be wiser if they don't announce themselves until they know what kind of people are out there...
So it's unlikely we discover anything until we go there. But at least we must listen and watch too. It's better to know in advance than to receive a unexpected surprise.
Last edited by jamarsa on 24.06.2003, 19:02, edited 1 time in total.

Rassilon
Posts: 1887
Joined: 29.01.2002
With us: 22 years 9 months
Location: Altair

Post #10by Rassilon » 24.06.2003, 17:48

Intellegent life is pretty rare occurance in the universe...I would suppose that if we were to come across another race of semi-technilogically advanced species they would roughly be 1000 ly distant from us maybe more...
I'm trying to teach the cavemen how to play scrabble, its uphill work. The only word they know is Uhh and they dont know how to spell it!

jamarsa
Posts: 326
Joined: 31.03.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: San Sebastian (Spain)

Post #11by jamarsa » 24.06.2003, 17:55

Rassilon? Rassilon? Rassilon!!! My favourite Celestia designer!! (mourned long time)

I'm glad to see you again !!

Welcome!! :D :D :D

Rassilon
Posts: 1887
Joined: 29.01.2002
With us: 22 years 9 months
Location: Altair

Post #12by Rassilon » 24.06.2003, 18:04

:mrgreen:
I'm trying to teach the cavemen how to play scrabble, its uphill work. The only word they know is Uhh and they dont know how to spell it!

ElPelado
Posts: 862
Joined: 07.04.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: Born in Argentina
Contact:

Post #13by ElPelado » 24.06.2003, 18:10

jamarsa wrote:
Welcome!!


but it should be

WELCOME BACK!!! :D :D :D
---------X---------

EL XENTENARIO

1905-2005



My page:

http://www.urielpelado.com.ar

My Gallery:

http://www.celestiaproject.net/gallery/view_al ... y-Universe

jamarsa
Posts: 326
Joined: 31.03.2003
With us: 21 years 7 months
Location: San Sebastian (Spain)

Post #14by jamarsa » 24.06.2003, 18:25

. . :D . . :D .
:) . . :) . . :) (happiness bounce...) .

And now my paradise is almost here again...

To ElPelado: sorry, I had a knot in my throat... :cry:
Last edited by jamarsa on 24.06.2003, 20:11, edited 1 time in total.

Avatar
t00fri
Developer
Posts: 8772
Joined: 29.03.2002
Age: 22
With us: 22 years 7 months
Location: Hamburg, Germany

Post #15by t00fri » 24.06.2003, 19:42

Rassilon wrote::mrgreen:


After his long philosophical trip through the universe, I wonder whether Ras is still this slick type sitting in his black designer clothes in front of the screen;-) Latest short hair cut fashion of course, purple stockings, what else...?

Welcome back!!

Bye Fridger

Borg Collective
Posts: 243
Joined: 24.11.2002
With us: 21 years 11 months
Location: Delta Quadrant

Post #16by Borg Collective » 24.06.2003, 20:04

Rassilon wrote:Intellegent life is pretty rare occurance in the universe...I would suppose that if we were to come across another race of semi-technilogically advanced species they would roughly be 1000 ly distant from us maybe more...


To individual designated as "Rassilion":

The term of "Intelligent life" is relative... Just as the Earth's greatest scientist of all times said once:

Everything is Relative.
What am I doing? Ah, nothing much. Just laying on my bed, watching the stars, and sky, and keep asking myself: 'Where the Hell is my Roof?'.

Borg Collective
Posts: 243
Joined: 24.11.2002
With us: 21 years 11 months
Location: Delta Quadrant

Post #17by Borg Collective » 24.06.2003, 20:09

To individual designated as "Paul":

Additional information aquired.
You should modify your poll:

1. Within 10 light-years
2. 10-100 light-years radius
3. 100-1,000 light-years radius
4. 1,000-10,000 light-years radius
5. 10,000-50,000 light-years radius
6. In a nearby galaxy
7. In a distant galaxy

Why? "Within 50,000 light-years" includes all options before it.
What am I doing? Ah, nothing much. Just laying on my bed, watching the stars, and sky, and keep asking myself: 'Where the Hell is my Roof?'.

Rassilon
Posts: 1887
Joined: 29.01.2002
With us: 22 years 9 months
Location: Altair

Post #18by Rassilon » 24.06.2003, 20:18

t00fri wrote:
Rassilon wrote::mrgreen:

After his long philosophical trip through the universe, I wonder whether Ras is still this slick type sitting in his black designer clothes in front of the screen;-) Latest short hair cut fashion of course, purple stockings, what else...?

Welcome back!!

Bye Fridger


Still the brown trenchcoat scarf and hat...

And the sands of Altair are blue and purple...Quite a sight lain before a pink ocean...And the sunset is more brilliant than the eye could imagine. A swollen blue sun brilliant like ours at midday...
I'm trying to teach the cavemen how to play scrabble, its uphill work. The only word they know is Uhh and they dont know how to spell it!

Avatar
John Van Vliet
Posts: 2944
Joined: 28.08.2002
With us: 22 years 2 months

re

Post #19by John Van Vliet » 24.06.2003, 23:22

Whell we have been broadcasting tv signals sence 1932 Olimpic games , and flooding the airwaves with radar . So a sphear about 60 Light years in radius is lite up like a beacone .
So if there was a advanced race with in 30 lightyears we should have heard from them by now

My personal beleaf is that E.T. is watching our daytime and prime time T.V.
and has decided that they want nothing ,whatever, to do with us !!!

billybob884
Posts: 986
Joined: 16.08.2002
With us: 22 years 3 months
Location: USA, East Coast

Post #20by billybob884 » 25.06.2003, 00:44

i'm afraid i must agree with johns statement. if you really think about all of the things we watch on tv, et's must think were pretty violent
Mike M.

TacoTopia!


Return to “Physics and Astronomy”