In addition to the Drake equation, I've also contemplated this angle:
It's been estimated that since life began on Earth, there have arisen some 50 billion different species (most of which are now gone). Out of that 50 billion, only one has rose to technological prominence.
1 in 50 billion.
If we apply that to our Galaxy (let's say some 400 billion stars, and ignoring all other Drake factors for the moment), that means (at best!, at best!!!) there are only 8 star systems with technological civilizations. This means, on average, we are about 12,000 lightyears apart.
Add other Drake factors, and the number, again, drops essentially to zero.
Unless one of the other answers to Fermi's paradox holds up, I suspect the following: pre-intelligent life is probably flourishing all through the universe, likely even within our solar system, given how incredibly tenacious life is proving itself to be here on Earth. But intelligence is perhaps a very, very, very, very rare jewel.
In either event, how this will affect the "religious," well, eye of the beholder, eye of the beholder.
Originally posted by Mindship
In addition to the Drake equation, I've also contemplated this angle:It's been estimated that since life began on Earth, there have arisen some 50 billion different species (most of which are now gone). Out of that 50 billion, only one has rose to technological prominence.
1 in 50 billion.
If we apply that to our Galaxy (let's say some 400 billion stars, and ignoring all other Drake factors for the moment), that means (at best!, at best!!!) there are only 8 star systems with technological civilizations. This means, on average, we are about 12,000 lightyears apart.
Add other Drake factors, and the number, again, drops essentially to zero.
Unless one of the other answers to Fermi's paradox holds up, I suspect the following: pre-intelligent life is probably flourishing all through the universe, likely even within our solar system, given how incredibly tenacious life is proving itself to be here on Earth. But intelligence is perhaps a very, very, very, very rare jewel.
In either event, how this will affect the "religious," well, eye of the beholder, eye of the beholder.
1 or 10000000 we have no way of knowing how hard the conditions that cause life are till we find some more elsewhere. 😉 No equation works!
Originally posted by Sir Whirlysplat
1 or 10000000 we have no way of knowing how hard the conditions that cause life are till we find some more elsewhere. 😉 No equation works!
I think we keep missing it. We keep looking for ourselves, but life is all around us in ways we do not understand.
Years ago I used to think of the universe as a dead waist land, but now, I see it as being alive. Life is everywhere, we just have to open our minds to see it.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I think we keep missing it. We keep looking for ourselves, but life is all around us in ways we do not understand.Years ago I used to think of the universe as a dead waist land, but now, I see it as being alive. Life is everywhere, we just have to open our minds to see it.
Well when you see it Shaky take a polaroid for me 😉
Originally posted by Sir Whirlysplat
No! they are arrangements of inorganic or organic atoms, as both kinds of crystals exist. However they contain no genetic material unless you are using analytical crystallography to look at nucleic acids.
Well, you are looking at them with a narrow lens. As long as you only look for life through that small lens, you will not see most of the life that is in the universe, even intelligent life.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Well, you are looking at them with a narrow lens. As long as you only look for life through that small lens, you will not see most of the life that is in the universe, even intelligent life.
only that if we keep looking through this lens for another 60 billion years we might see a whole lot of life that we cant see now because light is too slow. when that happens we could probably satisfy some answers to this post
Originally posted by Sir Whirlysplat
Do you talk to crystals Shaky?
Please, what I am talking about is a topic of discussion in the scientific world. If we find life, will we know that it is life? The definition of life that we use, may not apply to a world were conditions are drastically different.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Please, what I am talking about is a topic of discussion in the scientific world. If we find life, will we know that it is life? The definition of life that we use, may not apply to a world were conditions are drastically different.
true but nothing lwads me to believe crystals are alive 🙂
Originally posted by Sir Whirlysplat
true but nothing lwads me to believe crystals are alive 🙂
I didn't say they were. I just asked, are they? Some people do believe that crystals are alive, and with good reason, crystals grow.
We know that on this planet, a crystal does not fit the blueprint of life as we know it, but on another world, would this knowledge blind us more then help?
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I didn't say they were. I just asked, are they? Some people do believe that crystals are alive, and with good reason, crystals grow.We know that on this planet, a crystal does not fit the blueprint of life as we know it, but on another world, would this knowledge blind us more then help?
yes the ability to absorb component parts from a super saturated solution does indicate life 🙁 ❌