Aliens - Are they out there? Have they visited us? And related questions

[Anomalocaris]

Killjoy!

[norbie]

I think it is mathematically probable that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe. I think it mathematically improbable for that life to have visited earth.

If aliens exist I don't see why we have to assume that they are in some way more intelligent or culturally advanced than we are. I think every society will always have it's dead weight who don't contribute.

I personally believe that the alien races in the cosmos are too seperated by distance to ever meet each other. We're all orphaned in a stream of stars and define our own place in the universe.

[thesummerqueen]

What an image that is... "orphaned in a stream of stars"...it's like we're lone rocks projecting up from vast glittering river.

[theVOID]

I would go as far as to say that it is as certain as anything that is not logically necessary.

400,000,000,000 stars in the galaxy
100,000,000,000 known galaxies

That's 40,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars

If half have planets and planet-bearing stars have an estimated 3 stars average (not much data on that one)

That's 60,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Planets

Even if 1/10 are in the goldilocks zone.

That's 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 planets in the goldilocks zone.

If only 1% of those have the conditions necessary for life

That's 60,000,000,000,000,000,000 planets where abiogenesis can happen

They are pretty fucking conservative estimates compared to the likes of the drake equation too.

[LWP17]

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on these closely related subjects. Here are some questions for you to consider and think about:

1. Is there intelligent life outside Earth?
   
2. Have we been visited by beings from other planets?
   
3. Would aliens look like us or carry basic similarities?
   
4. Is the money wasted on looking for life outside of Earth?
   
5. Could or would aliens have a similar society to our own?
   
6. Could or would aliens believe in a 'God' figure or have a religious society?

I believe there is life out there, somewhere. It would be very improbable that in the vastness of space we are all alone, there's something called the Drake Equation . It considers all the factors which should develop intelligent life able to communicate with us within our galaxy. The answer is 10, although just a prediction it's an interesting thought. I do not believe we have been visited by aliens, it is highly unlikely as it would take millions of years to get to the Earth and I believe that their society would be similar to ours, in a way that they are trying to find other life outside their own planet and would most likely make contact. Now the next question starts many an argument between my brother and I, I believe that aliens would look nothing like us as we have evolved to live on this planet. We have evolved in a way which would only suit our environment. This also raises an interesting question as in the Earth we are the only species to develop intelligent life, who's to say it isn't exactly the same on another planet? Next we have money issues, is it really work beaming up signals into space for the off chance we get lucky and find something? SETI spend a lot of money in looking for other life but is it really worth it? Now these next two I can't answer, I would like to think that aliens would have a similar society to ours, it would seem logical, I guess. On the other hand their evolution could lead to a totally different kind of society all together.

Any religious people who want to give their input is welcomed.

1. Is there intelligent life outside Earth? I don't see why not.
   
2. Have we been visited by beings from other planets? Most likely.
   
3. Would aliens look like us or carry basic similarities? Probably not. They are probably fit for their environment.
   
4. Is the money wasted on looking for life outside of Earth? Yes.
   
5. Could or would aliens have a similar society to our own? Maybe, maybe more advanced or inferior.
   
6. Could or would aliens believe in a 'God' figure or have a religious society? Impossible to assume.

[Anomalocaris]

[*]Have we been visited by beings from other planets? Most likely.

Based on what?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

1. Is there intelligent life outside Earth?

I believe it's most likely but not necessarily so; still waiting for evidence.


2. Have we been visited by beings from other planets?
Unlikely,again, no evidence and why would anyone advanced enough bother with such a nasty,primitive and aggressive species such as ours?

3. Would aliens look like us or carry basic similarities?
I guess it's possible,but I have no idea of how likely. I would not expect so.

4. Is the money wasted on looking for life outside of Earth?
I don't think so,but could be self destructive. We have no way of knowing if other sentient species would be benign. They could be like the Borg for we all know.

5. Could or would aliens have a similar society to our own?

To which society do you refer? Why would they want anything similar to any human society?

6. Could or would aliens believe in a 'God' figure or have a religious society?

Possibly, but not necessarily. An intelligent and consistently rational species would not need religion.

There seems to be an underlying assumption that other sentient species would need to be like us in significant ways.An unfounded assumption. We're not even all that similar to most other species on our own planet.

[Violet]

[*]Have we been visited by beings from other planets? Most likely.

Based on what?

It would be very narcissistic indeed to assume that humans are the most technologically advanced race in this galaxy... and at least equally presumptive to think ourselves the first on the galactic scene.

[Anomalocaris]

I am not assuming we are the first. But it is a different kind of narcissism to assume we or our planet warrants any special attention, or that any who came before us would be motivated in such a way that they would visit us.

[Minimalist]

The very same human egotism which invents a special sky daddy just for man can easily insist that any other intelligent beings would just want to cross the infinities of space just to see US!