Are we alone in the universe?

[Northern Light]

Well, since we are all just giving opinions and nothing more, my view is that the universe is filled with life. Not only that, it's filled with more kinds of life than we could possibly imagine, including what we might call extra-dimensional life. We inhabit a universe that is billions of light years (that we know of) across, plus 11 dimensions according to our current understanding of physics. Based on the diversity of carbon based life on earth, and our hydrocarbon building blocks now being found in space, the probability makes it highly absurd that we are alone. Our definition of life has changed drastically in the past 100 years and it will surely continue to do so.

I love sci-fi, so my hope is that maybe other sentient species are waiting for us to reach a certain point in our development before they openly start talking with everyone.

 

[fmw]

Well, since we are all just giving opinions and nothing more, my view is that the universe is filled with life. Not only that, it's filled with more kinds of life than we could possibly imagine, including what we might call extra-dimensional life. We inhabit a universe that is billions of light years (that we know of) across, plus 11 dimensions according to our current understanding of physics. Based on the diversity of carbon based life on earth, and our hydrocarbon building blocks now being found in space, the probability makes it highly absurd that we are alone. Our definition of life has changed drastically in the past 100 years and it will surely continue to do so.

I love sci-fi, so my hope is that maybe other sentient species are waiting for us to reach a certain point in our development before they openly start talking with everyone.

The reason we are alone is because of the immense distances involved. Even if there is life elsewhere in the universe, we can't get there to see it nor can it get here to see us.

 

[Mach]

The reason we are alone is because of the immense distances involved. Even if there is life elsewhere in the universe, we can't get there to see it nor can it get here to see us.

So depressingly true.

The reality IMO is that if we don't collapse our society, we will get to enjoy the sci-fi stuff, and a lot more, but it will be done virtually. A more direct brain simulation that is not just goggles and gloves or a Kinect of course. In that way you'll not only get to explore the stars and live a life of first contact, etc., you can live one with magic, or whatever your choice is. The idea of travelling light years to see some dumpy planet is outrageously absurd compared to just having teams of people who realistically and to a degree, randomly, create a believable world and scenarios that we get to fully engage in and enjoy.

I suspect that overall it would tremendously more accessible to everyone, far, far, far cheaper, less dangerous, etc., and overall a much better "solution" than "Hurling our Bodies into Space"

 

[Northern Light]

The reason we are alone is because of the immense distances involved. Even if there is life elsewhere in the universe, we can't get there to see it nor can it get here to see us.

That's assuming that distance and physicality are a factor for all species. If life inhabits other dimensions then it could be all around us right now, existing parallel.

 

[fmw]

That's assuming that distance and physicality are a factor for all species. If life inhabits other dimensions then it could be all around us right now, existing parallel.

Not likely that the laws of physics vary across the universe.

 

[Northern Light]

Not likely that the laws of physics vary across the universe.

*shrug* You can't assume that humans even understand the way interstellar space works. There are so many unknowns.

That's why this whole conversation is conjecture.

 

[Cardinal]

Are we alone in the universe?

If aliens find us first we'll wish we had been.

 

[fmw]

*shrug* You can't assume that humans even understand the way interstellar space works. There are so many unknowns.

That's why this whole conversation is conjecture.

Yes but it still unlikely that the laws of physics would vary across the universe. Even poorly understood phenomena like black holes are most likely the same everywhere.

 

[Northern Light]

Yes but it still unlikely that the laws of physics would vary across the universe. Even poorly understood phenomena like black holes are most likely the same everywhere.

If you say so.

 

[Surtr]

Opinions?

Yes, and there's evidence of it, but to those who want sensational news, they'll be sorely disappointed. If you mean whether there is complex sapient life out there, I'd be willing to place a sizable wager on yes, but I doubt I will see it in my lifetime.

 

[douglas]

I believe in theories like the drake equation; that it's statistically unlikely that we're completely alone. Just from how BIG the universe is, there has to be life out there someplace. But, if you mean little green men on earth? No, not really. I'm mildly interested in Ufology, but not to the point that I believe in a government conspiracy. How well have they kept any secrets? I mean Benghazi, IRS controversy, Snowden, etc. The government is fairly incompetent at keeping secrets, so I'd think we'd know if they were hiding aliens.

 

[Occam's Razor]

I believe in theories like the drake equation; that it's statistically unlikely that we're completely alone. Just from how BIG the universe is, there has to be life out there someplace. But, if you mean little green men on earth? No, not really. I'm mildly interested in Ufology, but not to the point that I believe in a government conspiracy. How well have they kept any secrets? I mean Benghazi, IRS controversy, Snowden, etc. The government is fairly incompetent at keeping secrets, so I'd think we'd know if they were hiding aliens.

Atom bomb, H-bomb, U-2 spy plane, SR-71... when it's a secret at those high levels.. we can keep a secret with the best. The tiny fraction of things that do get out, are merely the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Jango]

Either we are or we aren't.

I say we absolutely aren't. Not even on this planet we call ours.

 

[Morrigi]

"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
― Arthur C. Clarke

I don't think we're alone, but I doubt we'll find any real evidence until geologists and archeologists get firmly entrenched on Mars and start digging. And maybe not even then... Who knows?

There's gotta be something out there but there's really no telling where until we can go out and look.

 

[wolfman24]

Carl Sagan in his show Cosmos I believe the last episode did a calculation on what the probability was that there is intelligent life capable of space travel in the universe (how it got there I have no idea). If I remember correctly it was some thing like 14%. He also calculated that the probability of intelligent life out there was about 24% (memory). I have no idea but nature does not waste ordinarily and for us to be here alone is one BIG waste of space.

 

[Sherman123]

Given what we know about the formation of life and our increasing comfort with theories of abiogeneisis a universe without abundant life is extremely implausible, almost ludicrously so. In fact I'd go so far as to venture that if we could prove our solitary position in the universe it would immediately prompt a serious discussion as to whether we are in a computer simulation, or that God is real. That being said I believe life, and complex life at that, is abundant not just in the universe, but in our galaxy. We've spent a little more than half a century searching, if our civilization endures then I am confident one day the great discovery will be made.

 

[Artevelde]

Well, so far there is not a shred of evidence for any life outside this planet. And the fact that we haven't been able to observe any sign of any intelligent life anywhere else tells us something.

 

[Quag]

Well, so far there is not a shred of evidence for any life outside this planet. And the fact that we haven't been able to observe any sign of any intelligent life anywhere else tells us something.

Yes that there are vast distances involved

 

[spud_meister]

Well, so far there is not a shred of evidence for any life outside this planet. And the fact that we haven't been able to observe any sign of any intelligent life anywhere else tells us something.

That the universe is a big place?

 

[Artevelde]

Yes that there are vast distances involved

And within those vast distances we haven't been able to pick up any signs.

 

[Artevelde]

That the universe is a big place?

And pretty empty as far as life goes.

 

[Quag]

And within those vast distances we haven't been able to pick up any signs.

in all probability it is because of those vast distances we haven't been able to pick up any signs

 

[spud_meister]

And pretty empty as far as life goes.

We haven't even explored all the planets in our own solar system for signs of life, you can't possible support that statement.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

 

[Sherman123]

And within those vast distances we haven't been able to pick up any signs.

What signs? We barely know what to look for. Our ability to detect deep space objects smaller than stars is miniscule. It has only been in the past few years that we've been able to reliably identify planets and that's mostly via analysis of light shifts. On the radio spectrum we're not even sure an advanced species would use radio waves, we certainly didn't more than a century ago and who knows if we will a century hence.

There are plenty of circumstantial reasons and hypothetical experimentation (in Astrobiology primarily) to believe that extra-terrestrial life is abundant and this informs the continued scientific validity of investigating these possibilities.

 

[quantumechanic]

We haven't even explored all the planets in our own solar system for signs of life, you can't possible support that statement.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

I am so going to plagiarize this expression!