Rare earth theory

Slothrop

Tight but Polite
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swears

preppy-kei
Is the main problem with this that it's hard to verify either way? Anything we can say about the evolution of aliens is pure speculation, they might not need the same conditions as humans to exist. But then again, they might not need to become intelligent to survive anyway.

There is something about intelligent life on earth that seems like an enormous fluke...
 

Dusty

Tone deaf
You can't draw up realistic predictions when the only evidence you have to work with is one solar system - which just happens to be the one the experimenter is sitting in. By any scientific yardstick it's going to be blue-sky thinking.

Considering we have only just started to locate other planets around our nearest neighbouring stars (and thats just knowing they are there, let alone what they might actually be capable of supporting), articles like this make me rather angry - the assumptions are astounding:

"We now believe that we evolved late in the Earth's habitable period, and this suggests that our evolution is rather unlikely. In fact, the timing of events is consistent with it being very rare indeed," he says."

What does this even mean? How can you make a statement like that when you only have one planets evolutionary map as evidence. Perhaps if the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out things could have been very different.

If anything our planet has shown that once life has started, its bloody difficult to put a stop to it, and that evolution constantly pushes towards more complex lifeforms. Not only that, but extremophiles prove that life doesn't need to be in the 'safezone' around our sun for life to potentially form (or even need to rely on the sun at all, as the foodchains around deep underwater geothermal vents show). If creatures (even if its just microbes) can live and thrive in highly radioactive or acidic environments on our planet alone, who knows what else is going on out there.

Will other lifeforms ever contact us? Probably not. Do they exist? Who knows - don't try and hide a random guess in pseudo-scientific waffle.
 
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swears

preppy-kei


This part is interesting:

The claim that nobody would want to colonize the stars is absurd. It takes only one, as they say; self-replication will do the rest. Most or all advanced civilizations will prefer certain configurations of matter to others. Star systems have building materials, energy, perhaps information, potential humanitarian disasters, potential threats. In civilizations where groups and individuals vary in their expansionism, the expansionist ones will tend to dominate in the long run. The “Zoo Hypothesis” that aliens are keeping us in the dark on purpose requires very strange motivations.

So, if they could, they would.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
How many technological civilisations are there in the Milky Way? The same, give or take, as the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. I really fail to see how anyone can think themselves qualified to offer anything stronger than a personal hunch on this matter.
 

swears

preppy-kei
Thing is though, zhao, rare-earth theorists AREN'T Star Trek fanboy style nerds, because they're sceptical of alien life/interstellar travel being abundant. If we were talking about "exobiologists" or whatever, you might have a point.

Also, they aren't crackpots either, the idea that life on earth is the result of some very particular occurrences that may well be hard to find elsewhere isn't exactly crazy fringe pseudoscience.

If you're gonna post pic responses, make sure they are

a) relevant

b) funny

Thanks.
 

zhao

there are no accidents
Thing is though, zhao, rare-earth theorists AREN'T Star Trek fanboy style nerds, because they're sceptical of alien life/interstellar travel being abundant. If we were talking about "exobiologists" or whatever, you might have a point.

Also, they aren't crackpots either, the idea that life on earth is the result of some very particular occurrences that may well be hard to find elsewhere isn't exactly crazy fringe pseudoscience.

If you're gonna post pic responses, make sure they are

a) relevant

b) funny

Thanks.

that was a total propeller head response you realize.

the entire topic of UFO's could be construed as crack-pot, and certainly NERD territory.

like your sweeping characterization of my well footnoted and researched article based on the actual findings of real physicists as "crank" is entirely accurate.

but i actually think BOTH posts have the potential to be interesting.

we are missing the point here: you took the piss out of mine, now I'm returning the favor.

so let's show some good sportsmanship huh? because if not it will be

























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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
Hahahaha.

Ahem. I mean, that's not the level of discourse this place should be aiming for. "hrrmph"

:p

Very funny, all square I should say.
 

swears

preppy-kei
that was a total propeller head response you realize.

How so? I not even saying I believe in the rare earth theory, I just thought it would be an interesting talking point.

the entire topic of UFO's could be construed as crack-pot, and certainly NERD territory.

Nobody has mentioned UFOs. The whole of science could considered "nerd territory".

like your sweeping characterization of my well footnoted and researched article based on the actual findings of real physicists as "crank" is entirely accurate.

Like I said, the first page actually had something to do with physics, the rest of it was hippy-dippy rubbish about past-life regression and bending spoons, and how the universe only exists in our minds.

but i actually think BOTH posts have the potential to be interesting.

"Interesting..."

we are missing the point here: you took the piss out of mine, now I'm returning the favor.

I'm not trying to score points, I just don't see the point of talking about new-age nonsense with no basis in reason or fact. Why not just join some forum with a load of dipshits discussing fairy sightings, guardian angels, healing crystals and horoscopes?
 

Dusty

Tone deaf
I'm well confused now. Zhao, don't you think crop circles are made by aliens?

Pot, kettle...
 

zhao

there are no accidents
that was a total propeller head response you realize.

How so? I not even saying I believe in the rare earth theory, I just thought it would be an interesting talking point.

the entire topic of UFO's could be construed as crack-pot, and certainly NERD territory.

Nobody has mentioned UFOs. The whole of science could considered "nerd territory".

like your sweeping characterization of my well footnoted and researched article based on the actual findings of real physicists as "crank" is entirely accurate.

Like I said, the first page actually had something to do with physics, the rest of it was hippy-dippy rubbish about past-life regression and bending spoons, and how the universe only exists in our minds.

but i actually think BOTH posts have the potential to be interesting.

"Interesting..."

we are missing the point here: you took the piss out of mine, now I'm returning the favor.

I'm not trying to score points, I just don't see the point of talking about new-age nonsense with no basis in reason or fact. Why not just join some forum with a load of dipshits discussing fairy sightings, guardian angels, healing crystals and horoscopes?

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