What to Expect from ET?

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j00b

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Message 2010020 - Posted: 30 Aug 2019, 19:01:34 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

all my life i have believed that aliens were exactly as 'civilized' / evolved as us (as they were equally old), so they were looking with the same weapons / tech as we do
if they were (millions of) lightyears away, wouldn't they be looking/listening to a lightyear(s) old picture of us ?
-the same for our FRB eavesdropping of course

but,
since everything (from BigBang to BigSucker) happens now maybe we're just communicating next to each other
and communicating with the wrong means/media
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Message 2010022 - Posted: 30 Aug 2019, 19:06:55 UTC - in response to Message 2010007.  

On the other hand, maybe, even just knowing we are not alone could help humanity scale down a bit and stop behaving so badly.


My feelings exactly.

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Message 2010123 - Posted: 31 Aug 2019, 10:44:10 UTC - in response to Message 2009819.  
Last modified: 31 Aug 2019, 10:50:21 UTC

As nearly all discoveries in space (and science) are unexpected, it's likely that any alien life we come into contact with will also be nothing like expected!


Ditto @Weed, so true.
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Message 2010228 - Posted: 31 Aug 2019, 22:03:29 UTC - in response to Message 2010007.  


On the other hand, maybe, even just knowing we are not alone could help humanity scale down a bit and stop behaving so badly.


Sadly, the only thing we can be sure of if we get proof of ET is that there will be a shock to the system; things will change… Sadly, when shocked to of their lethargy, Humans tend to revert to their "type" : The religious will scramble to make sure ET has always been part of their belief system (somehow), the angry will get angrier and the depressed more depressed. Some, thinking that the end is nigh, will finally DO things they've not done for some reason. I would hope that enough of us would be level-headed enough to retain their humanity -- the good parts of it, not the xenophobic or self-destructive bits -- and show ourselves as good galactic citizens in their eyes, or whatever their primary sense organs are.

After the initial shock, I expect we'll revert to the "same-old same-old" after a short bit, a bit like "the kids" after they've settled into the 'family reunion' (or 'holiday party' routine. The squabbles and sibling rivalry won't go away, they'll just be quieter for a while, hopefully until the end of the party when everyone returns home.
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Message 2010277 - Posted: 1 Sep 2019, 3:15:32 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

very well written, aside from the spelling and syntax checker.... who both seemed to have been on an extended doughnut break.
I treat everyone with equal disregard, I make fewer enemies that way!
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Message 2010313 - Posted: 1 Sep 2019, 10:07:03 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  
Last modified: 1 Sep 2019, 10:10:00 UTC

Thank you friend for your important reflection.
How often has this SETI @ at home project captured any signals that we may consider characteristic of this ET research?
I am small but since the year 2000 whenever I can participate.
19 years and had no news of any sure sign of sucess but, we persevere!
Are we researching the right Nature and Dimension?
Can We Create a Self-Supporting and Motivating System Like Was the GRC COIN Pool? Which can motivate the expansion of research?
All these questions come to me when I reflect on this Thematic and its text contributes greatly to the satisfaction in these exercises.
Thank you !
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Message 2010317 - Posted: 1 Sep 2019, 12:05:18 UTC

There are many thousand signals that are "worthy of further investigation" - if you want more details of the next stage in the hunt read the "nebula" threads.
Bob Smith
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Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?
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Message 2010323 - Posted: 1 Sep 2019, 13:13:30 UTC - in response to Message 2010228.  


On the other hand, maybe, even just knowing we are not alone could help humanity scale down a bit and stop behaving so badly.


Sadly, the only thing we can be sure of if we get proof of ET is that there will be a shock to the system; things will change… Sadly, when shocked to of their lethargy, Humans tend to revert to their "type" : The religious will scramble to make sure ET has always been part of their belief system (somehow), the angry will get angrier and the depressed more depressed. Some, thinking that the end is nigh, will finally DO things they've not done for some reason. I would hope that enough of us would be level-headed enough to retain their humanity -- the good parts of it, not the xenophobic or self-destructive bits -- and show ourselves as good galactic citizens in their eyes, or whatever their primary sense organs are.

After the initial shock, I expect we'll revert to the "same-old same-old" after a short bit, a bit like "the kids" after they've settled into the 'family reunion' (or 'holiday party' routine. The squabbles and sibling rivalry won't go away, they'll just be quieter for a while, hopefully until the end of the party when everyone returns home.


Were you thinking to the "discovery of America", maybe? That was some sort of a "shock", with new "races" found, new places where one could settle (if they had enough money), new things to learn. I just hope it will go in a different way: instead of conquistadores wiping out almost everything to settle with their old way of life, it would be wonderful to merge cultures and civilizations and become richer. And i'm not implying we could be the conquistadores..maybe humans will be treated as the Europeans treated Native Americans..
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Message 2010451 - Posted: 2 Sep 2019, 14:41:30 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

Question: What are "we" at SETI doing to work toward detecting QUANTUM signals that may be used by "ET?"
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Message 2010462 - Posted: 2 Sep 2019, 15:42:39 UTC

thank you for this thread,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019995867903026

Detection theory and quantum mechanics
Author Carl W.Helstrom

Statistical signal detection is formulated quantum-mechanically in terms of choosing one of two density operators as the better description of the state of an ideal receiver after exposure to a field in which a signal may or may not be present. The optimum decision procedure is expressed as a projection operator on the state-space of the receiver. Examples involving the single-mode detection of coherent and incoherent signals are given. Threshold detection as an approximation to optimum detection for weak signals is also defined quantum-mechanically, and threshold detectors for coherent and incoherent fields occupying many modes of a receiver cavity are worked out. The noise in all cases is taken to be thermal radiation described by the Planck law.
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Profile Byron Leigh Hatch @ team Carl Sagan
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Message 2010478 - Posted: 2 Sep 2019, 17:11:33 UTC

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Message 2010553 - Posted: 3 Sep 2019, 18:50:43 UTC
Last modified: 3 Sep 2019, 18:53:04 UTC

The probability of success may be quite small, but if we never search, or buy that LOTTO ticket, the odds are even closer to zero.

I'm going to paraphrase this excellent, implied comparison between winning the lottery and finding ET to ignorant (or conservative) people who grumble about the SETI budget. It highlights the importance to all humans of finding another lifeform!
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Message 2010611 - Posted: 4 Sep 2019, 7:39:49 UTC

While I intend to continue participating in SETI@home I personally believe it unlikely we will ever receive an intentional signal from anyone. When the potential outcomes are unknowable the idea is less a cry in the Dark Forest than a literal 'shot in the dark' - the act of sociopaths who take no responsibility for what might happen on the other end.
Call it a "Prime Directive" concept if you wish, but I'd like to think that anyone out there would not attain what we might consider an advanced civilization with such an unscientific (and callous) disregard for consequences.
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Message 2010703 - Posted: 5 Sep 2019, 3:00:40 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

We have had molecular oxygen in our atmosphere in significant concentrations for roughly 2.45 billion years. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/origin-of-oxygen-in-atmosphere/

If someone/thing was in the galactic neighborhood anytime since then and bothered to look we would be an interesting observational target.
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Message 2010828 - Posted: 5 Sep 2019, 23:05:56 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

I am a new downloaded of the SETI@HOME program I don't know just what to do at this point, when I was 15 years old I personally seen those round flying disk you seen on some film and photo's so I know they exist, That was 1968 but I am not sure just how looking for a radio signal or E.T. Today is the same-thing. I surmise that the signal has already been found and contact been made. I am 66 years old now 2019
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Message 2011059 - Posted: 7 Sep 2019, 7:37:53 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

Very Good Article. I have no doubts that we are not alone. There are millions of galaxies out there, with each galaxy having millions, billions or trillions of stars. The issue is just the long distances.
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Message 2011415 - Posted: 9 Sep 2019, 22:39:46 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

Well written!
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Message 2011492 - Posted: 10 Sep 2019, 19:22:25 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

Many thanks for your work! SETI is about as cheap as you can get and its modus quite realistic. How can you measure success if you don't ask the question? And for those worrying about a potential confrontation with said ETs, our planet's invisibility was lost with our technological progress.
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Jean-Pierre Gariepy

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Message 2011723 - Posted: 12 Sep 2019, 13:29:45 UTC - in response to Message 2009519.  

Thank you for your inspiring essay.

All this is fascinating. If we receive a message from a little bit more advanced civilization, (and around 80 to 100 light/years),
my guess ( my wish) is that it will only be math. Prime numbers, Fibonacci Suite, etc.
Their wisdom would conduct them to just formulate: (like you said) 1. You are not alone. 2. We will not tell you what to do, or what we did. If you receive our signal, you are big enough to continue by yourself.
I am a SETI active fan. And I am desperately looking for a sound simulation of a possible radio signal. Would you have a path?

Best regards and Salutations, from Montreal,

Jean-Pierre G
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Message 2012004 - Posted: 15 Sep 2019, 3:31:34 UTC - in response to Message 2010007.  

I always hope the day to get news from ET even it is a bad news.
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