LIFE ELSEWHERE

Based on a statistical analysis of all the Kepler observations, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Hawaii, Manoa, astronomers now estimate that one in five stars like the sun have planets about the size of Earth and a surface temperature conducive to life.
Given that about 20 percent of stars are sun-like, the researchers say, that amounts to several tens of billions of potentially habitable, Earth-size planets in the Milky Way Galaxy.

no, it takes 'surface temperature' as well
 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131104152720.htm

Billions of years and we finally made it to.....
.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X3c.
Bet they can't say that........so where are the bakers from?....before landing in Boston.

Heck, for that matter, where did Boston come from???
 

Yes, intelligent life arose somewhere in the swamps of Jersey.

I would love to know, in how many of those planets do they have a version of Sonar where you can record a soft synth's audio output in real time. 

 
 

sharke
I would love to know, in how many of those planets do they have a version of Sonar where you can record a soft synth's audio output in real time. 

Now you're just being silly.

mike_mccue
 Why don't we experience alien interaction as common?
 
 
best regards,
mike

You mean we don't?  Man, that's why I became a forum member. Maybe
I should have gone with Pro-Tools.
 

mike_mccue
I heard a presentation recently that pointed out that, when you consider the age of the universe and our planet, the amount of time it took for life to appear and learn to send signals and space craft out into the universe was an incredibly short span of time.
 
If earthlings could learn do it so quickly, then it follows that all the aliens probably could have too. If there actually are any aliens.
 
The idea is that evidence of alien interaction should be as common as a shooting star. Why don't we experience alien interaction as common?
 

 
This kind of "lack of evidence, therefore" argument depends entirely on the premise that there's a very high likelihood that we should be seeing a specific type of evidence that we don't find. But those premises are often quite poorly supported, much less vetted. It's a much harder argument to make than one based on evidence that's actually been found.

drewfx1

mike_mccue
I heard a presentation recently that pointed out that, when you consider the age of the universe and our planet, the amount of time it took for life to appear and learn to send signals and space craft out into the universe was an incredibly short span of time.
 
If earthlings could learn do it so quickly, then it follows that all the aliens probably could have too. If there actually are any aliens.
 
The idea is that evidence of alien interaction should be as common as a shooting star. Why don't we experience alien interaction as common?
 

 
This kind of "lack of evidence, therefore" argument depends entirely on the premise that there's a very high likelihood that we should be seeing a specific type of evidence that we don't find. But those premises are often quite poorly supported, much less vetted. It's a much harder argument to make than one based on evidence that's actually been found.

 
I thought of the presentation as a form of entertainment.
 
I found the twist on the premise that "anything can happen" entertaining.
 
It seemed better than watching reruns of TMZ.
 
:-)
 
Plus, it never even mentioned pyramids or ancient calendars... so it was obvious the guy had missed a few visits.
 
best,
mike

mike_mccue
when you consider the age of the universe and our planet,

 
I've heard there are actual people who actually believe the earth is actually only 3000 years old.
 
I wonder what an actuary would say?

bapu

mike_mccue
when you consider the age of the universe and our planet,

 
I've heard there are actual people who actually believe the earth is actually only 3000 years old.
 
I wonder what an actuary would say?

My ex-business partner was one of them.  He sent me to a website because he thought this guy with "two PhD's" would have some weight with me.  Turns out, he got both as honorary degrees from theological colleges and was a complete quack.

Why don't we experience alien interaction as common?

 

I wondered about this, so I asked a virus who was hanging out in my nasal passages for awhile.
 
"Well, you see," it explained.  "Some theorize that life exists on different sizes and scales to the extent that one organism may occupy the same region of space and yet not be aware of the existence of the other."  There was a chorus of agreement from some bacteria in my mouth.  "Anyway," the virus continued.  "If a completely alien species were to attempt communication with you, how would you know?  How do you know they haven't already made the attempt?"
 
"That's ridiculous," I argued.  "I'm a member of the dominant species on this planet!  Of course we would know!"
 
"Right," drawled a mitochondrion sarcastically.  "Of course you are!"

I ate mushrooms with my tofu breakfast stir fry this morning.
 
I'm not sure if that means anything.