Are we alone in the universe?

[brackitz]

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the truth is within our reach...

[bayawanon]

lets face it, dont pretend to be deaf or blind definitely we are not the only ones

[gamemailxxx]

basin ang uban micro organism size. dako jud kaayo ang universe lisod kung mag tag-an2x lang.

[rodsky]

Modern physics and mathematics point towards the certainty of alien life, but I think it's very important that we look at how life on Earth came to be before making conclusions. From a biological standpoint, the series of accidents that led to the evolution of single celled organisms, to primitive vertebrates, to complex lifeforms so and so forth is so unique that it's hard to believe it can happen (or has happened) elsewhere. Just food for thought.

The very thing you try to shove away (mathematics) will be the one that will bite you in the behind once again, if you only know the current estimated size of the universe.

The furthest our astronomical instruments can "reach out" into space is at the periphery of the afterglow of the event known as the Big Bang, which occurred roughly 14 billion years ago, which basically means that we can "see" up to 14 billion light years out. Which further means that we have a 28 billion light year "sphere" of space that surrounds the area in space that the earth and the solar system occupies. The "sphere" of space from that "edge" to the place we call our "locality" i.e. earth and the solar system is so large, you can't even begin to imagine the immensity. And the more surprising fact about this is, the universe is much, much, much, much, much, much, much (maybe much to the power of 100?) larger than this "sphere".

Ergo, to DECLARE that the series of "accidents" that led to the evolution of single celled organisms, to primitive vertebrates, to complex lifeforms so and so forth is so unique, is going to sound like a joke if you realize that the reason it SEEMS so unique is you are yet again using the MUNDANE backdrop of our OWN planet as the reference point for such an event, when in fact, in the space between the known "edge" of the universe (the sphere I was talking about earlier), such events could be taking place as normally as farting.

The usual mistake in such arguments? Anthropocentrism. Look it up.

-RODION

[Paks]

`

there's a life out there

[Vundaboi]

The very thing you try to shove away (mathematics) will be the one that will bite you in the behind once again, if you only know the current estimated size of the universe.

The furthest our astronomical instruments can "reach out" into space is at the periphery of the afterglow of the event known as the Big Bang, which occurred roughly 14 billion years ago, which basically means that we can "see" up to 14 billion light years out. Which further means that we have a 28 billion light year "sphere" of space that surrounds the area in space that the earth and the solar system occupies. The "sphere" of space from that "edge" to the place we call our "locality" i.e. earth and the solar system is so large, you can't even begin to imagine the immensity. And the more surprising fact about this is, the universe is much, much, much, much, much, much, much (maybe much to the power of 100?) larger than this "sphere".

Ergo, to DECLARE that the series of "accidents" that led to the evolution of single celled organisms, to primitive vertebrates, to complex lifeforms so and so forth is so unique, is going to sound like a joke if you realize that the reason it SEEMS so unique is you are yet again using the MUNDANE backdrop of our OWN planet as the reference point for such an event, when in fact, in the space between the known "edge" of the universe (the sphere I was talking about earlier), such events could be taking place as normally as farting.

The usual mistake in such arguments? Anthropocentrism. Look it up.

-RODION

Actually, before you start firing away, I wasn't taking away from physics and mathematics. What I'm doing however, is putting things into a broader perspective.

We tend to make use of the Drake Equation to guess the probability of extraterrestrial life in the universe. But the fact remains we're making guesses on probabilities instead of using facts to determine possibilities.

Likewise, it's easy to guess the probability of our civilization being alone in the universe--anthropocentrism, as you so kindly pointed out.

I'm not so arrogant as to think our planet is unique. What I do want you to understand is that maybe we should also consider the postulations in the rare earth hypothesis and combine it with what we know from the principle of mediocrity.

Ultimately, what I'm trying to say here is that yes, the universe is so HUGE that it's mind boggling, and it's very likely that intelligent civilizations out there are flourishing. At the same time however, it's a must that we appreciate how life came to be in this planet, because the series of chancy events that led to the boom in life is just as mind boggling. Please see the Cambrian explosion.

Just my 2 cents.

[jjammorales]

me? i don't believe in ET anymore.. just like what the vampires.. etc. they don't exist

[rodsky]

Actually, before you start firing away, I wasn't taking away from physics and mathematics. What I'm doing however, is putting things into a broader perspective.

We tend to make use of the Drake Equation to guess the probability of extraterrestrial life in the universe. But the fact remains we're making guesses on probabilities instead of using facts to determine possibilities.

Likewise, it's easy to guess the probability of our civilization being alone in the universe--anthropocentrism, as you so kindly pointed out.

I'm not so arrogant as to think our planet is unique. What I do want you to understand is that maybe we should also consider the postulations in the rare earth hypothesis and combine it with what we know from the principle of mediocrity.

Ultimately, what I'm trying to say here is that yes, the universe is so HUGE that it's mind boggling, and it's very likely that intelligent civilizations out there are flourishing. At the same time however, it's a must that we appreciate how life came to be in this planet, because the series of chancy events that led to the boom in life is just as mind boggling. Please see the Cambrian explosion.

Just my 2 cents.

One reason why some would perhaps see the Cambrian explosion as a mind-boggling event is yet again from a bias of perspective on the side of life and living things. If you put the Cambrian explosion in the context of geologic changes in the history of the earth (i.e. pretending for a bit that non-living, geologic, planetary events are also somewhat akin to "living" or "life", then there is nothing special about it--quite similar to certain processes reaching a certain critical mass.

-RODION

[pocketbell]

well, i strongle believe that we're not alone...
just imagine how big the universe is...and our planet earth is just like a tiny pebble.
scientist also said that the universe is endless (o_0) that just made me think that there's really a lot of things out there that we don't know yet.

[poloi123]

the universe is vast, they say its endless. its impossible that we are the only life forms that exist.