Everybody seems to be missing the point. The only ET's we want to contact are those at approximately the same level of advancement as us and who communicate in a similar fashion. A civilization thousands or millions of years ahead of us would have absolutely nothing in common with us and most likely would not even bother even if we came knocking. It would be like us communicating with ants. As for aquatic intelligent life, they may be smarter than us but I don't see how they could build any interstellar means of communication let alone spacecraft. Living in the water is too easy and does not encourage the development of tools and technology.

I believe somewhat in convergent evolution. Given a similar gene pool to start with if intelligence does develope it ought to at least generally resemble us. The dinosaurs dominated for millions of years and weren't even close to becoming an intelligent species. We have been here for about a million years and are on the verge of moving out into the stars.

Hi Bob :)

Any discovery of life outside our planet would be enough for me to be going on with I have to admit - certainly if it was big enough to see with the naked eye... but with regard to intelligent life, it would probably be easier for us if they were at least a little like us. They would I think certainly need to be socially orientated. (I remember reading somewhere about the possibility of silica-based life (as opposed to carbon based like ourselves) having potential to develop along evolutionary lines, possibly with intelligence too) but can't remember the details so might have to go and do some digging about on that).

Life similar to us, and at a similar level of advancement to us, may well be the safest for us to make contact with, for all parties concerned, as we're unlikely to do harm to one another given the great distances that will no doubt be involved. Advanced benevolent life on the other hand may well quarantine us for the sake of all other life, intelligent or not that may be out there.

I do wonder whether most of us would even get to know if we did pick up a call from ET... and if we did... how long before it was "debunked" by some vested interest groups who would rather discoveries of that nature were never made.

But certainly on planets that could potentially serve as homes for us in the future, with similar building blocks and evolutionary pressures requiring collaborative problem solving, we may well find something very similar to us is already living on them if we ever reach them. It would be good if we could become penpals before descending on them, to avoid any misunderstandings that might otherwise occur.

I do however like the concept of ET lifeforms and our interaction with them in films like Men In Black :) Wouldn't that be so cool if it were true :)

There is a big difference between the search for life somewhere other than earth and searching for intelligent ET's

I think our search for some form of life not originating on earth will come to fruition in our solar system. It may be extinct but I think there is a good chance we will find some form of life clinging to existence on or in Mars. If not there, Europa or one of the moons of Saturn. It's very interesting but not what SETI is about.

I am convinced that ET exists but it is a long shot regarding whether we ever discover them or make contact. But we won't find them if we don't look and that is why my computers crunch data.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

There is a big difference between the search for life somewhere other than earth and searching for intelligent ET's

I think our search for some form of life not originating on earth will come to fruition in our solar system. It may be extinct but I think there is a good chance we will find some form of life clinging to existence on or in Mars. If not there, Europa or one of the moons of Saturn. It's very interesting but not what SETI is about.

I am convinced that ET exists but it is a long shot regarding whether we ever discover them or make contact. But we won't find them if we don't look and that is why my computers crunch data.

+1 (with our only difference being: my computer - for the moment anyway :))

'We're not ready to meet aliens': Humans are too stupid and religious to cope with extra-terrestrial life, claims expert


A professor from Spain says we're not ready to meet extraterrestrial life
Gabriel De la Torre surveyed 116 students from the US, Italy and Spain
He found that many had a lack of knowledge in a number of areas
They also had religious beliefs that would make finding ET a 'big shock'
We also focus too much on daily problems than bigger things like Earth
He concludes we need to improve our 'global consciousness'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2622311/Were-not-ready-meet-aliens-Humans-stupid-religious-cope-extra-terrestrial-life-claims-expert.html

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'We're not ready to meet aliens': Humans are too stupid and religious to cope with extra-terrestrial life, claims expert


A professor from Spain says we're not ready to meet extraterrestrial life
Gabriel De la Torre surveyed 116 students from the US, Italy and Spain
He found that many had a lack of knowledge in a number of areas
They also had religious beliefs that would make finding ET a 'big shock'
We also focus too much on daily problems than bigger things like Earth
He concludes we need to improve our 'global consciousness'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2622311/Were-not-ready-meet-aliens-Humans-stupid-religious-cope-extra-terrestrial-life-claims-expert.html

Excerpt from the poll shows

Of the 116 students...

71.4% think the military should have the main role in the event of contact with an alien civilisation.
80% believe if we find aliens more advanced than us they will try to conquer us.

Funny how we tend to assume others have the same standards as ourselves.

They also mention SETI! :)

To date nothing has been found, although the search continues unabated.

Members of the project are now going further by sending out messages from Earth (Active Seti) to try and contact other lifeforms.

Very interesting Lynn - thank you. :)

I tend to agree that your average everyday Joe citizen is not ready to meet ET and the consequences of making public a first contact situation might be dire. Most humans are still to taken with themselves to face the possibility that ET really exists.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

They also had religious beliefs that would make finding ET a 'big shock'

If they have religious beliefs they already are used to the idea of an Extra Terrestrial coming down to Earth.

They also had religious beliefs that would make finding ET a 'big shock'

If they have religious beliefs they already are used to the idea of an Extra Terrestrial coming down to Earth.

:) Lot had two pop in on him in Sodom.

'We're not ready to meet aliens': Humans are too stupid and religious to cope with extra-terrestrial life, claims expert

Experts use the strangest words lately...

We must be careful not to put everyone under the same umbrella indiscriminately.

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

Very interesting point I found in the article Tom posted in the News section:

"Regarding our relation with a possible intelligent extraterrestrial life, we should not rely on moral reference points of thought, since they are heavily influenced by religion. Why should some more intelligent beings be 'good'?," added the researcher, who believes that this matter should not be monopolized by a handful of scientists: "In fact, it is a global matter with a strong ethical component in which we must all participate."

I agree! (with the latter)

not rely on moral reference points of thought

Hm, wonder what morality has to do with religion tho... It's not like religious persons are the only one with morality or that morality is only influenced by religion and not by the personality or intelligence of a person....

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

I feel that some of us are ready to meet ET and would not fall apart upon learning we are not alone but I tend to agree that the vast majority of us could not cope with such a confrontation.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.