Ancient Aliens?

[Sarek]

Life is almost 100% guaranteed. But think of all the things that had to happen for humans to come to be.

A planet at just the right distance to a stable star, rotating at a speed which allows it to be fairly uniform in temporary, making a relatively stable climate. Water, oxygen, etc.(not that all life requires the same chemistry) Mass extinction events that allowed us to be the apex species. Large planets in our solar system that help protect us from stray comets and asteroids. Earth's molten iron core, providing a magnetic field to protect us from solar winds, etc.

There's a lot that needs to happen to keep a species alive long enough to develop into an intelligent civilization.

That all sounds like a very unique situation, but considering the available attempts the universe has on its side I would say those things you mentioned plus things we don’t understand actually make for a universe that’s filled with life. We need better technology, I don’t think seti is the right way to go about it, but humans had to start searching and this was the best they could come up with. I think they’re going to start using AI and I think that will help.

 

[HungryLion]

Life is almost 100% guaranteed. But think of all the things that had to happen for humans to come to be.

A planet at just the right distance to a stable star, rotating at a speed which allows it to be fairly uniform in temporary, making a relatively stable climate. Water, oxygen, etc.(not that all life requires the same chemistry) Mass extinction events that allowed us to be the apex species. Large planets in our solar system that help protect us from stray comets and asteroids. Earth's molten iron core, providing a magnetic field to protect us from solar winds, etc.

There's a lot that needs to happen to keep a species alive long enough to develop into an intelligent civilization.

I remember my astronomy teacher telling us that there are “more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on every beach in the entire world”

When you think about it in terms like that….. even if the probability of a planet having the right qualities to harbor life is low. The sheer number of stars and thus planets out there in the universe still makes life on other planets likely.

It’s a numbers game. It’s like baby sea turtles. The chances of one single baby turtle making it from egg to sea is very low given all the predators they have to make it past. But…. Have thousands and thousands of baby turtles all hatching at the same time…. Some make it through.

 

[dsturgeon]

It’s a numbers game. It’s like baby sea turtles. The chances of one single baby turtle making it from egg to sea is very low given all the predators they have to make it past. But…. Have thousands and thousands of baby turtles all hatching at the same time…. Some make it through.

The problem of looking at it that way, is that you are skipping the impressive part. It took 2 to create the egg.

The numbers game on 2 turtles, male and female, developing in perfect unison, so that together they can create life within themselves in the form of the FIRST egg, that then replicates both male and female within itself and with enough abundance to make it the sea, is not worth calculating. Not even in a trillion years.

 

[Runwildboys]

I remember my astronomy teacher telling us that there are “more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on every beach in the entire world”

When you think about it in terms like that….. even if the probability of a planet having the right qualities to harbor life is low. The sheer number of stars and thus planets out there in the universe still makes life on other planets likely.

It’s a numbers game. It’s like baby sea turtles. The chances of one single baby turtle making it from egg to sea is very low given all the predators they have to make it past. But…. Have thousands and thousands of baby turtles all hatching at the same time…. Some make it through.

I have no doubt that there's plenty of life out there. But I also think about the factors I mentioned earlier, and the fact that there may have been many intelligent species that have already destroyed themselves.

I won't speculate on the odds. I can only say I see the possibility that there are millions of intelligent civilizations, and the possibility that there are very few.

 

[HungryLion]

The problem of looking at it that way, is that you are skipping the impressive part. It took 2 to create the egg.

The numbers game on 2 turtles, male and female, developing in perfect unison, so that together they can create life within themselves in the form of the FIRST egg, that then replicates both male and female within itself and with enough abundance to make it the sea, is not worth calculating. Not even in a trillion years.

This doesn’t really fly when literally the same thing happened here on earth