So, what else is out there then??? - Page 4

Hanuman · 22-04-10, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coxy

Almost as mind blowing as space is time. Is it possible for others to exist in the same place but in a different time???

Get your head around that one!

Yes. This is called politics

dubmeister · 23-04-10, 12:11 AM

4:57 on.............................
Bloody students!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Tzlh6YjfE

5potnoodle · 23-04-10, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGGYIN

Wonder how many suns,are out there?
If there are more suns??There might be life?If there is,I don,t think they are anywhere near us.If they were more advanced than us,they would have probally contacted us??
I don,t think any of us,will find out in our life time???

How many suns? The sun is a star, or if you like, every star is a sun. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on Earth. Admittedly, not every star can have planets because of the nature of their proximity to other stars or their size but if only one percent of stars had planets orbiting, that's still a lot of planets. If only one percent of those planets were in the "Goldilocks" zone, that's still a lot of habitable planets that could support life as we know it.

What we must remember though is there may be other bodies in our own solar system that have life on them. The jury is still out on Mars with the possibility of microbial life existing just below the surface. There are also several moons of our planets that are promising in this respect, Europa being the most exciting prospect. It is thought that life could be underneath the ice in liquid water oceans warmed by hydrothermal vents on the sea bed, rather like the ones found in recent years on Earth in the Pacific Ocean. If it is discovered that there is more than one body in one solar system that can sustain life, the odds of there being life in other systems greatly increases.

As to whether there is any intelligent life in the universe (bugger all down here on Earth - Eric Idle) we may never know. Our Earth has been transmitting radio signals for almost 100 years from terrestrial transmitters at huge power levels, but as we get ever closer to using satellites for all broadcast purposes, our radio waves will no longer radiate outwards from Earth at megawatts, instead they are all pointed in to the Earth at very low power levels. So the chances that we'll be spotted by an extra-terrestrial source are minuscule, since we'd have to be evolving at a similar or later moment for them to see us, if they even bothered to look. If they aren't quite as advanced, they will miss our "beacon". We have SETI, which is listening for similar extra-terrestrial radio signals but if they were more advanced, we've probably already missed theirs.

The universe has been around for 13.75 billion years. Our Solar system has only been around for the last 4.6 billion years, the Earth maybe around half a billion years younger than that. If you think about the time it has taken for the Earth to get to the point we are today, that's around a third of the age of the universe and so it is quite feasible that extra-terrestrial intelligent life has formed and become extinct maybe twice in the time that the Earth was still at the chemists.

One thing that studying life here on Earth has taught us is that life can exist in some very odd places. Venus and Mars were very similar to Earth in the early solar system but they weren't in the crucial Goldilocks zone that the Earth is in. The chances of there being planets or even moons of a similar construction and chemical make-up as Earth are great but they have to be at just the right distance from their star and of a sufficient size or mass that they can hold on to their atmosphere for life to have a chance. But considering how many stars are out there, I think it's reasonable to assume that we are most definitely not alone albeit isolated by distance/time/extra-terrestrial apathy/religion.

5potnoodle · 23-04-10, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coxy

Almost as mind blowing as space is time. Is it possible for others to exist in the same place but in a different time???

Get your head around that one!

In theory yes, it's called quantum mechanics. Plants and algae use quantum physics in photosynthesis... a very recent discovery. Essentially their energy particles can exist in two or more places at once giving them near 100% efficiency in producing food from light.

If you want to read about it, click here.

Coxy · 23-04-10, 07:25 AM

Crikey Einstein, it was quarter to four in the morning and you came up with that lot!!!!!

Interesting reading though. I take it it is something which you have an interest in?

20vcqdriver · 23-04-10, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGGYIN

The Clangers and Soup Dragon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coxy

but can you hear a fart in space?

Simple answer is no, Sound cannot travel in a vacuum.

For me the big question is, what and where did 'space' itself come from, never mind all the different galaxies swirling around in it.
And yes there has to be life in not just our galaxy but in all the other galaxies too, the chance of there not being life is just too huge.
Am pretty sure there is both less intelligent and more intelligent life out there, but lets face it, would we go and introduce ourselves to an alien race that cannot stop stupid fighting between each other for (on the scale of space) grains of sand.....
I find it amazing that we find the money to make more horrific ways to kill each other and yet struggle to find the money to do what we ought to be doing and exploring space...

Gordon WR · 23-04-10, 10:12 AM

One of the biggest stars we know can be seen in the constellation of Orion in the left shoulder (as we look at it ) . Called Betelgeuse it is 400 times bigger than the sun and is 640 light years away. It is a red supergiant which will be visible during the day when it explodes. When it does it will become a supernova and because of its distance away from us may already become one, but doubtful if we will find out !!

Ringmaster · 23-04-10, 10:58 AM

Yes, definitely life out there, but not as we know it.... no pun intended.

Now there is the question of Dark Matter to think about, i.e. the theory as I understand it is that space is not just an empty vacuum, Dark Matter exists within the void and this can be accounted for mathematically. The DM has characteristics which go a long way to explaining how the universe works.... that's where my brain ceased to compute any more.

To think that they say the galaxy is expanding.... into a seemingly endless void. That concept always amazes me. Infinity and beyond!

All that nothing is something........ know what I mean?

20vcqdriver · 23-04-10, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringmaster

Yes, definitely life out there, but not as we know it.... no pun intended.

Now there is the question of Dark Matter to think about, i.e. the theory as I understand it is that space is not just an empty vacuum, Dark Matter exists within the void and this can be accounted for mathematically. The DM has characteristics which go a long way to explaining how the universe works.... that's where my brain ceased to compute any more.

To think that they say the galaxy is expanding.... into a seemingly endless void. That concept always amazes me. Infinity and beyond!

All that nothing is something........ know what I mean?

Exactly! Space itself is hard to comprehend as everything we come across has bounderies, a start and a finish. Your born, live a little and die. Galaxies have a start and outer boundaries that are known to be expanding. But space itself!! Does it have a beginning, an end and if it does whats on the other side......

And the 'big bang' where did the materials come from to start that chain reaction in the first place... My brains on overload....

Emjay · 23-04-10, 12:29 PM

Do other's know we are here? We have been leaking out radio waves from our home now for (lets say from arguments sake) 100 years. We also know that radio waves travel at the speed of sound.

By now all the stars in this map will be receiving our broadcasts for the millenium celebrations and any life out there is probably pissing their galactic pants at the sight of our dome and fireworks display

Map of the universe at 12.5 light years from our sun

Cast the net further aside to 100 light years and these little green men are probably hearing the voice of Reginald Fessenden making the first recorded audio transmission (I'd love to have heard that one).

This is probably about has far as we are reaching out at the moment but it still is impressive none the less that our human influence and imprint has spread so far out and that our brain still remains the most complex living organism in the known universe. And maybe that is a more fundamental and amazing question, the fact that we have evolved as a life form, not simply to exist but where life actually looks back at itself and questions why it is here and what is it's purpose. Has God invented man or has man evolved into God?

Map of the universe at 250 light years radius from our sun

For comparison this is the univers at 5000 light years

Now I really must avoid the soup at lunchtime

23-04-10, 07:25 AM	#35
Coxy 4 Ring Mafia Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on the side of a hill in Shropshire! Posts: 28,215	Crikey Einstein, it was quarter to four in the morning and you came up with that lot!!!!! Interesting reading though. I take it it is something which you have an interest in?

23-04-10, 10:12 AM	#37
Gordon WR Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 781	One of the biggest stars we know can be seen in the constellation of Orion in the left shoulder (as we look at it ) . Called Betelgeuse it is 400 times bigger than the sun and is 640 light years away. It is a red supergiant which will be visible during the day when it explodes. When it does it will become a supernova and because of its distance away from us may already become one, but doubtful if we will find out !!

23-04-10, 10:58 AM	#38
Ringmaster Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,336	Yes, definitely life out there, but not as we know it.... no pun intended. Now there is the question of Dark Matter to think about, i.e. the theory as I understand it is that space is not just an empty vacuum, Dark Matter exists within the void and this can be accounted for mathematically. The DM has characteristics which go a long way to explaining how the universe works.... that's where my brain ceased to compute any more. To think that they say the galaxy is expanding.... into a seemingly endless void. That concept always amazes me. Infinity and beyond! All that nothing is something........ know what I mean?

23-04-10, 12:29 PM	#40
Emjay Man Fettler Extraodinaire Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up my own arse blowing smoke Posts: 7,417	Do other's know we are here? We have been leaking out radio waves from our home now for (lets say from arguments sake) 100 years. We also know that radio waves travel at the speed of sound. By now all the stars in this map will be receiving our broadcasts for the millenium celebrations and any life out there is probably pissing their galactic pants at the sight of our dome and fireworks display Map of the universe at 12.5 light years from our sun Cast the net further aside to 100 light years and these little green men are probably hearing the voice of Reginald Fessenden making the first recorded audio transmission (I'd love to have heard that one). This is probably about has far as we are reaching out at the moment but it still is impressive none the less that our human influence and imprint has spread so far out and that our brain still remains the most complex living organism in the known universe. And maybe that is a more fundamental and amazing question, the fact that we have evolved as a life form, not simply to exist but where life actually looks back at itself and questions why it is here and what is it's purpose. Has God invented man or has man evolved into God? Map of the universe at 250 light years radius from our sun For comparison this is the univers at 5000 light years Now I really must avoid the soup at lunchtime