Hoffmeister
There is no spoon
So I was watching this documentary recently:
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422637PW4Za5YP
(You will need to download the veoh web player)
It features a number of well known scientists discussing the possibilities of extra-terrestrial life and I found it to be thouroughly educational. However, towards the end of the show (at 41.35 if you don't have time to watch the whole show and want to skip through) all of the scientists including paracast fan favourite Seth Shostak seem baffled by the Fermi Paradox.
If you dont have time to even watch the last ten minutes of the show, the Fermi Paradox basically is:
"We know from astronomy that there are Suns that are billions of years older than our, and we think that life should be fairly abundant in the universe (relatively speaking). Surely some of these lifeforms who have millions to billions of years head start on us should be flying all over the galaxy.
If this is the case, then why havent we met them? Why arent they here?"
Most of the scientists either come to the conclusion that either life is too thinly spread in the Universe, or we are the only life, or space travel just isnt possible.
Seth Shostak in particular always says that of course they are not here, because the first thing they would do is come down to meet us.
What are peoples opinions on this Paradox?
Mine is that they likely have been here, but we are so insignificant that they just drop by for a quick look, like we might stare down at an interesting insect, and then just move on. Think about it, if they really do have interstellar travel, they will have seen many other civilisations along the way.... we might be just another insect.
Furthermore, I believe that perhaps when they first set off and found another civilisation less advanced as them, they might have dropped by and 'landed on the white house lawn'. In this situation I think there is a high chance that their presence would have had a very negative effect on that culture (for many reasons which I can go in to) and as a result they probably would try to remain anonymous from further 'backward' civilisations that they meet.
Ironically it is Seth himself who says "we better hope they dont land if they do arrive as every time an advanced civilisation has met a lesser advanced civilisation in human history its been bad for the cavemen" (para-phrasing). So by saying this ,I think he has pointed out the one reason why UFO's do remain anonymous they way they do and actually backed up their case for existance.
Now of course of all this is just my theory, but it sems the most likely one to me...
If you are interested in watching the two follow up docs to the one I posted, here they are:
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422638eJmFbz9N
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422639p3q6GGmQ
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422637PW4Za5YP
(You will need to download the veoh web player)
It features a number of well known scientists discussing the possibilities of extra-terrestrial life and I found it to be thouroughly educational. However, towards the end of the show (at 41.35 if you don't have time to watch the whole show and want to skip through) all of the scientists including paracast fan favourite Seth Shostak seem baffled by the Fermi Paradox.
If you dont have time to even watch the last ten minutes of the show, the Fermi Paradox basically is:
"We know from astronomy that there are Suns that are billions of years older than our, and we think that life should be fairly abundant in the universe (relatively speaking). Surely some of these lifeforms who have millions to billions of years head start on us should be flying all over the galaxy.
If this is the case, then why havent we met them? Why arent they here?"
Most of the scientists either come to the conclusion that either life is too thinly spread in the Universe, or we are the only life, or space travel just isnt possible.
Seth Shostak in particular always says that of course they are not here, because the first thing they would do is come down to meet us.
What are peoples opinions on this Paradox?
Mine is that they likely have been here, but we are so insignificant that they just drop by for a quick look, like we might stare down at an interesting insect, and then just move on. Think about it, if they really do have interstellar travel, they will have seen many other civilisations along the way.... we might be just another insect.
Furthermore, I believe that perhaps when they first set off and found another civilisation less advanced as them, they might have dropped by and 'landed on the white house lawn'. In this situation I think there is a high chance that their presence would have had a very negative effect on that culture (for many reasons which I can go in to) and as a result they probably would try to remain anonymous from further 'backward' civilisations that they meet.
Ironically it is Seth himself who says "we better hope they dont land if they do arrive as every time an advanced civilisation has met a lesser advanced civilisation in human history its been bad for the cavemen" (para-phrasing). So by saying this ,I think he has pointed out the one reason why UFO's do remain anonymous they way they do and actually backed up their case for existance.
Now of course of all this is just my theory, but it sems the most likely one to me...
If you are interested in watching the two follow up docs to the one I posted, here they are:
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422638eJmFbz9N
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6422639p3q6GGmQ