RE: Atheists and Agnostics risk infinite loss for no gain
October 3, 2013 at 9:43 pm
(This post was last modified: October 3, 2013 at 9:47 pm by Jackalope.)
(October 3, 2013 at 5:34 pm)Rationalman Wrote:(October 3, 2013 at 5:19 pm)SavedByGraceThruFaith Wrote: But why would we not be getting radio waves?
Most civilizations would be emitting them for at least 100 years.
In the vacuum of space, radio waves travel at the speed of light. In 100 years, a radio wave would only travel 100 light years, that is a ridiculously tiny distance in the universe. Right now a civilization that matches our own could be transmitting radiowaves in our direction. But what if they are 5 billion light years away, the earth will be gone by then. And thats assuming that the radiowaves are aimed at us and even if they are using radiowaves as a form of communication. Also we have picked up some weird waves from space, look up the WOW signal
Let's not forget that radio signal power falls off inversely proportional to the square of the distance. I can't be arsed to do the math myself, but the signal loss over a distance of 100 light years is efuckingnormous.
But sure, yeah, we'll just listen in on whatever alien transmissions float by.
The OP is fucking clueless.
ETA: Bill beat me to the punch. Curses!
