|
| Personal background |
|---|
I'm a father of two daughters, 7 and 9, husband and pharmacist, live in Central Florida (Orlando) and 38 years old. I went to Brooklyn Tech HS and Long Island University, both in downtown Brooklyn.
Hobbies outside my professional and family assigned duties (I assign them) include cars (I own a 2002 Z28) and various science disciplines. I enjoy watching various shows on the several discovery channels in the evening.
I also have an interest in history and politics, which in my opinion, go hand in hand. I have a particular interest in latter 18th century American history. I never cease to be amazed at the genius of our founding fathers. They were true students of history and politics. Our Constitution they drafted is the single greatest document securing freedom and liberty (thusly prosperity and wealth) of citizens in the 6000 years of recorded history. But, I digress.
I listed to various talk radio hosts, particularly Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Neal Boortz and Michael Savage. Hmmm... I don't know how well that will go over here. A conservative intellectual (well... maybe a bush league intellectual compared to many of you guys and gals) on a Berekely web site? We'll see. Great thing about America is we can disagree on fundamental issues such as the legitmate role of government, but still work together to advance science and the betterment of human kind and be friends.
I didn't have a picture of myself (for below) that does me justice (my wife says I need mercy, not justice), so I included one of my favorite toys, my Corvette LS1 powered, 2002 (among the first ones built), Chevrolet Camaro Z28, A4 w/ 3.23 rear. 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. Best 1/4 mile time, 13.8 seconds at 101 mph, stock out of the factory. For those to whom this means nothing... this is one bitchin' fast car... actually, aside from the SLP SS and Firehawk versions, you can't buy a car faster for under about $50,000.
|
| Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home |
|---|
The universe is too vast for life not to exist elsewhere. The ingredients necessary (liquid water and amino acids) are vastly abundant.
I think it could be discovered in the next 100 years. Perhaps probes to our outer planets and their moons will discover life there.
The benefits would be an advancement of science and understanding the universe. The only danger would some of us wanting to journey there, which could be perilous.
Should humans transmit a beacon…?
These questions assume "intelligent" life. That's way different. Intelligent life is a very rare thing. In the billion or so years of life on earth, out of the billions of species, only humans have the intelligence and means to create the technology to explore past our planet.
How many planets in the galaxy can support life? How many for a long enough time for an intelligent species to evolve? Of those, how many survived long enough to develop our 21st century technology? We are one species out of billions just here on earth. The sample is not large enough to say if we really are one in a billion or one in a million billion.
Life intelligent enough to reach our level of technology is likely so rare, there may only be a few civilizations in our galaxy and may not be found for thousands of years or ever... assuming they are even out there now.
How long do civilizations with space age technology last? Even if it's a million years, the universe has been around 20 billion. Many could be long extinct.
There's the distance of space issue. Depending how far away they are, they could be extinct a very long time by the time their signal reaches us. Or ours reaches them.
I doubt highly any intelligent life will receive, decipher, read and then reply to a signal. I don't know what another civilization would be able to decipher or even what direction to send it.
SETI is a worthwhile project. It’s in its infancy, but may make a great discovery one day.
I am open to comments. Please e-mail tomscott@cfl.rr.com
|
| Your feedback on this profile |
|---|
| Recommend this profile for User of the Day: |
I like this profile |
| Alert administrators to an offensive profile: |
I do not like this profile |
|
|
