Aliens are likely to look and behave like us

[stonehart]

Hmm well this is a little food for thought.
See what you all think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ns-are-likely-to-look-and-behave-like-us.html

 

[Kevin Daly]

Hmm well this is a little food for thought.
See what you all think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ns-are-likely-to-look-and-behave-like-us.html

Of course, what he's saying amounts to "look like us" in the same way that an iguana looks like us (although that analogy is muddied by common ancestry), not the Star Trek version.

 

[stonehart]

Of course, what he's saying amounts to "look like us" in the same way that an iguana looks like us (although that analogy is muddied by common ancestry), not the Star Trek version.

Yeah that was my thinking to. I also do not think that silence means that there is no one out there.

 

[Hoffmeister]

An area of science I am very interested in. Evolution has shown time and again that it comes up with the same solutions to problems time and time again and therefore it is IMO that we will find non terrestrial life and earily similar to life on this planet, with the main variations being caused by gravity etc.

 

[Trajanus]

Yeah that was my thinking to. I also do not think that silence means that there is no one out there.

Right. Long ago it was pointed out that if we switch to fiber optics and have peace, we'd disappear from the radio map of the galaxy. "Silence" doesn't mean anything. But I do agree with Morris that ETs would most likely resemble us, at least in terms of basic morphology. Based on knowledge to date, either a planet is earthlike or it just isn't habitable. If the environment is similar, the evolutionary outcome may well be too. In The Crucible of Creation, Morris pointed out some striking examples of convergent evolution, such as marsupial and eutherian sabertooths. Given similar circumstances or niches, unrelated organisms, which previously looked vastly different, ended up virtually the same in appearance. In light of that it wouldn't be at all surprising if ETs looked basically like us. Humanoid report are perfectly consistent with good scientific prediction IMO.

 

[pixelsmith]

Yeah that was my thinking to. I also do not think that silence means that there is no one out there.

Maybe to ET's we are like Jehovah's Witnesses.

I have always found it interesting that many living things have a basic look. ie: eyes above the nose and mouth, head on top of body with 4 arms/legs/5 toes etc... I have always wondered why the fun part is right next to the smelly part.

 

[Kevin Daly]

Maybe to ET's we are like Jehovah's Witnesses.

I have always found it interesting that many living things have a basic look. ie: eyes above the nose and mouth, head on top of body with 4 arms/legs/5 toes etc... I have always wondered why the fun part is right next to the smelly part.

Common ancestry accounts for some of it: all terrestrial vertebrates are descended from amphibians that were themselves descended from fish with four bony fins
Even earlier than that, most complex animals are descended from a wormy thing: the basic plan of a tube with sensory organs and mouth at one end and disposal system at the other makes a lot of sense...then you can elaborate by adding spines or paddles that turn into more elaborate limbs and so on.
At a wild guess I'd say that species that expermented with having the fun bits at the other end may have run up against the "anything near my mouth is food" reflex, which would be unfortunate. If I remember rightly earthworms have their naughty bits (one of each) further up the torso.

While the number of limbs for the terrestrial vertebrates is a direct result of their common origin, I'd be very interested to know whether it represents an optimum value or pure chance - I've seen some speculation that not having more than 4 limbs frees up the brain for other things (rather than being busy making all the legs go).
Some prehistoric reptiles did have an extra light-sensing organ (more or less matching up with out pineal gland), and the tuatara has a vestigial form of this. So it looks like evolution tried out three eyes for vertebrates but it was a bit of a non-starter.

 

[jkoci]

Common ancestry accounts for some of it: all terrestrial vertebrates are descended from amphibians that were themselves descended from fish with four bony fins.

A while back I watched a show on Discovery Channel that speculated about what alien creatures would look like. One part I remember shows cephalopods like squids that evolved into terrestrial organisms with high intelligence and an ability to manipulate things in their environment with their tentacles. As I remember they were shown as tree dwelling and living in social groups. The program is Alien Planet.

Alien Planet: Alien Planet Long Trailer : Video : Discovery Channel Channel

 

[Ezechiel]

Hmm well this is a little food for thought.
See what you all think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ns-are-likely-to-look-and-behave-like-us.html

Pretty lame statement LOL

Aliens will look like the winning adapted survival strategy of their home planet... forged by parameters like:
Gravity: tall or short beings
Radiation: thick outer shell or not
Available light: small or large eyes
For earth like planets... Levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen: Size of animals
etc, etc, etc...

Does air oxygen concentration limit animal size? - Naked Scientists Discussion Forum

That guy is a scientist ?

As for behavior... that depends on the resources needed to sustain life, the need to fight for them and the value system built around them.

 

[AdamI]

Yeah that was my thinking to. I also do not think that silence means that there is no one out there.

I'll second the second part.

SETI is silly. I call it the Search for Extraterrestrial Twentieth-century Intelligence. It is absolutely loaded with assumptions, one of the more obvious being the use of strong radio broadcasts. We are already transitioning away from that in favor of lots of low-power high-frequency cellular-type transceivers, which don't reach very far... hence the twentieth century comment. There's a whole boatload more assumptions too...

If SETI got a positive result, it would mean something. But a negative result is absolutely meaningless given all the assumptions.

On the original post, convergent evolution is very common in nature. Dolphins used to look like dogs, but now they look like fish. Why? Because of the physics of water. We really don't know how convergent evolution could be on an entirely different planet, but such examples are suggestive.

I would be very surprised by Star Trek style "humans with funny noses" aliens, but I would not be all that surprised by an upright biped of some kind. Symmetry is nice and simple, and being upright makes it easy to look around and reach stuff. It's economical and simple and has a clear evolutionary path from other forms of practical multiple-legged land locomotion. Evolution could easily land on that solution multiple times in different places.

 

[drsamisaladin]

Dear AdamI,

I think you are wise to point out that "We really don't know how convergent evolution could be on an entirely different planet." Evolution requires so many components, many of which would seem to be unrepeateable on account of the central role of chance.

As I mentioned on another post, we humans tend to think of God in our own image, and we apparently do the same with ETs.

Why do we human beings assume that intelligent ET life that could visit us would look so much like us? Why not think of them as fish-like, or as luminous orbs, etc. etc.? In other words, might not our arrogance as a species be playing a role here? What I mean is, are we necessarily more intelligent than dolphins, for example? And why do we equate technology with intelligence?

I like the following sci-fi examples: In the Russian movie Solaris (watch the Soviet original, not the American re-make), ET contacts humanity in the form of a sentient ocean. If that could be possible, we humans might be staring at ET in the face and never know it! Another image I saw in a Lost in Space episode portrayed intelligent ETs in the form of something like bushes. It was full of cheesey effects, but I prefer to think of ETs as somekind of bush than bipedal creatures from Star Trek. Oh yes, there was that Star Trek movie that portrayed ET reaching out to whales rather than humans.

Dr. Sami Saladin
Pisa, Italy

 

[Trajanus]

I think you are wise to point out that "We really don't know how convergent evolution could be on an entirely different planet."

All indications are, either a different world is earthlike or there's no evolution, so similar outcomes seem reasonable.

Why do we human beings assume that intelligent ET life that could visit us would look so much like us? Why not think of them as fish-like, or as luminous orbs, etc. etc.?

Despite being around far longer than us fish never gave rise to intelligence, nor anything approaching it. Technological ability requires not only brains but hands. Btw look at the actual reports of humanoids. They're basically like us; in some cases the resemblence is strong.

 

[Kieran]

With the vastness of space and the number of stars and planets that are yet undiscovered, I think their is a strong possibility we are not alone. Testimony to the fact been true, Behold the UFO phenomenon. I have no interest; When I hear such statements "could there be intelligent life outside this planet? The reality is, there is intelligent life outside this planet, and it has probably been among us for a very long time.

How much evidence does one person need, before you start asking questions.

Unknown craft have been flying around our skies. These craft have been Witnessed up the sky by hundreds if not thousands of people, and photographed and videoed, and yet we still having this tiresome debate, "Could there be life outside the planet?

We've had many discussions to origins of UFOs. We all have or own favourite theory. But I Would love to find out this answer to this question; how long have UFOs been on this planet?

I think the majority who have an interest, and somewhat believe there is reality here; are convinced UFOs are not man made. I don't think; I be wrong in that statement? We go on. Who is piloting those UFOs?

We'll we have hints. I probably have gone of in a tangent again with my post. This Thread is entitled; "Aliens are likely to look like us and act like us"

I am going to give my opinions for why I Think that statement is meaningless based on the information that the UFO community has gathered over the years. I've a opinion we all ready have the answer.

I've thought about it and focused to what I have read about this subject. It's just my opinion, and could be considered speculation. There is enough evidence for me to calculate; That we have at least four non humans intelligences interacting with us humans.


All four intelligences, have a head, eyes depending on your opinion and legs. Their could be more. We have shadow people, Bigfoot, Ghosts and different other entities been claimed to have been seen. I think there is good evidence for those other entities.

But my focus and it is only my opinion. Is to who; I personally believe is Operating and possibly flying These UFOs. It just my opinion and I have no evidence.

I think we have two small beings. One being the Grey, different descriptions down through the years. Often is is hard to figure out what they look like. Child like or insect like. The insect like description is more dominant than the other.

The Grey; has Black oval eyes and grey skin. When I read the stories about the Eyes of the Grey. I pondered and remembered watching a nature documentary, We're a camera zoomed into head of the wasp and the head of a fly and the eyes were oval and scary.

The Grey has skin of a grey or blue colour and their fingers number around four. I think they're probably fingers. Some of the descriptions of the fingers that I've read. Described Webbing between the fingers. In my opinion the Grey could be a species whose habitat is near water. It just my opinion.

In my opinion; the next small being is a troll like being, three or four foot tall and has a hood over their head. I firmly believe those two beings exist, and have entered peoples lives for whatever purpose.

To save time. I will Avoid boring everyone with my opinions, and just name the other two out of the four. The so called Nordics is the third one, and I have gave my opinion in the past to who; I believe the Nordics are, and I'm not sure about the fourth one. But there is a possibility there is a Reptilian species interacting with Humans.

That alone opens amazing possibilities. I believe David mentioned a theory before. I think it involved the Dinosaurs. Imagine it was the case. The fossils found are the ancestors of these Reptilians. The theory is wrong. Dinosaurs actually never got wiped out as a species. They evolved over millions of years to have a humanoid form. With differences of course. Crazy notion I know.

There is a Non/human group that looks like us. That is my opinion. The missing link could be. And we could resemble them for a number of reasons. This Nordics have some involvement with our evolution in the past. We're all aware of the theories that are out there.

ET messed with our DNA. I never subscribed to that belief. However and I still have my opinions. There is a human looking species that is interacting with us and it has superior technology than us.

And I love to ask them a Couple questions. How come you look us and where are you from.

Everything I have wrote here, are my opinions. Not evidence.

 

[Red]

Or the aliens could be humanoid constructs because we would go mad if we saw them in their true form. It is pretty conceited to think that if there is life elsewhere that it only could evolve in earth-like conditions and would have to look like "us". I don't think there is enough information to make that conclusion. What if carbon-based life forms are in fact the minority of living beings in the cosmic neighborhood and the vast majority of them are based on sulfur, silicon, or other substances?
I tend to think that if life and intelligence exist elsewhere, it may even take forms that would be very difficult for us to identify as such.

 

[drsamisaladin]

Dear Trajanus,

I can agree to disagree with you in peace. The fact is that it is only one opinion among others in science that "either a different world is earthlike or there's no evolution, so similar outcomes seem reasonable." Depending on which scientist you ask, you'd get different responses to that posture.

You seem to equate intelligence with technology; I choose not to make that anthropomorphic leap in logic. Many scientists believe dolphins and whales might possess self-reflective consciousness, yet they have no hands, and they may possibly be the more intelligent for not having hands.

I'm not sure what you are referring to by the word "humanoids." If you mean primates of earth, that's one thing. If you are referring to reports of supposed ET humanoids, then I again will agree to disagree with you in peace, because there is not a shred of evidence for their existence as such. All reports of ET presence on this planet, of crashed and retrieved ET spacecraft are utterly unsubstantiated. In this I agree with Dr. Jacques Vallee's findings in his book Revelations, which I recommend to all who have been deceived by the delusionary fabrications of things like the forged MJ12 documents and treaties between ETs and earthly governments, and other such fictions.

Dr. Sami Saladin
Pisa, Italy