Comments on: If ET Calls, Would We Be Told? http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/ Space and astronomy news Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:07:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: lutfee http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-57755 lutfee Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:11:00 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-57755 very nice info here. happy to read it. very nice info here. happy to read it.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-27307 Jessica Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:47:58 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-27307 I am writing about this very cosmic conspiracy theory this new blog called What in the Universe that just launched on the Science Channel's website: http://blogs.discovery.com/what_universe/ I am writing about this very cosmic conspiracy theory this new blog called What in the Universe that just launched on the Science Channel's website: http://blogs.discovery.com/what_universe/

]]> By: william http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-21546 william Sat, 24 May 2008 14:57:45 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-21546 The more important half of the "Ethics of Contact" is the ethics observed or ignored by the alien visitors themselves. The Declaration of Human Sovereignty is an example of the rights the need to be honored by any ethical visiting extraterrestrials. www.humansovereignty.org Marshall Summers' perspective on the Ethics of Contact is very important to the discussion. He spoke directly to this issue at the 2006 MUFON International Symposium: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8218184179960857820 http://www.alliesofhumanity.org/mufon2006transcript-ethics-of-contact.php The more important half of the "Ethics of Contact" is the ethics observed or ignored by the alien visitors themselves.

The Declaration of Human Sovereignty is an example of the rights the need to be honored by any ethical visiting extraterrestrials. http://www.humansovereignty.org

Marshall Summers' perspective on the Ethics of Contact is very important to the discussion. He spoke directly to this issue at the 2006 MUFON International Symposium:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8218184179960857820
http://www.alliesofhumanity.org/mufon2006transcript-ethics-of-contact.php

]]> By: DavidRavenMoon http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-20134 DavidRavenMoon Sat, 10 May 2008 07:55:59 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-20134 Marcellus, I don't believe in doom and gloom. And by the way, trees only absorb CO2 during the day. You like to jump to conclusions, don't you? That's called a knee-jerk reaction. And for the record, I'm glad to see that SETI is using more than just radio. I was even part of the SETI at home thing for quite a while. Marcellus, I don't believe in doom and gloom. And by the way, trees only absorb CO2 during the day.

You like to jump to conclusions, don't you? That's called a knee-jerk reaction.

And for the record, I'm glad to see that SETI is using more than just radio. I was even part of the SETI at home thing for quite a while.

]]> By: Funny Quiz http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-19647 Funny Quiz Mon, 05 May 2008 22:11:11 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-19647 i personally think we wouldnt be informed that they have mechanisms prepared to inhibit us from knowing i personally think we wouldnt be informed that they have mechanisms prepared to inhibit us from knowing

]]> By: MoJo http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-19572 MoJo Sun, 04 May 2008 18:04:50 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-19572 thanks for the news thanks for the news

]]> By: String http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-18141 String Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:11:48 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-18141 Hi, Ideasforlife.tv have produced this video which looks at an exhibition studying Alien life. The exhibition is concerned with the forms in which aliens may take, and the lack of imagination and scientific thinking seen in media You can check the video out here: http://www.ideasforlife.tv/watch/3 Hi,

Ideasforlife.tv have produced this video which looks at an exhibition studying Alien life. The exhibition is concerned with the forms in which aliens may take, and the lack of imagination and scientific thinking seen in media

You can check the video out here:

http://www.ideasforlife.tv/watch/3

]]> By: auntiegrav http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-18018 auntiegrav Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:55:44 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-18018 You said, "Maybe I’ve watched too many movies, but I’m still doubtful that an alien message, whether good news or bad, could be withheld from public knowledge. It would be too big, too transformational, too altering an experience not to be shared." To me, this is similar to the argument that the government is too incompetent to keep secrets about UFO's or flying triangles or "gasp!" extraordinary renditions or drug smuggling to pay for covert operations. The can, they do, and they will continue to hide many major things from the public eye. SOMEONE got us to the moon. It wasn't the politicians, the newspapers, or the PR reps. It was hard working, extremely capable and intelligent people who work in government agencies and government contractors. They have only gotten better at hiding things, not worse. The things we see falling out of the information portal to the newspapers are rare and minor. Especially here in the U.S., where news is a joke and investigation is a theatrical production to appear lawful. Nothing important in the government gets done through proper 'channels', and nothing important will be presented to the public unless the System of systems falls apart for lack of money. If we are looking and believing in an electromagnetic spectrum -based universe, but it turns out the universe is really 99% in a different form or spectrum, do you think anyone that has gone through our schools would find that other universe? If our schools and our food make us stupid and lazy, how would we know? If ET calls us on an aether-phone, how would anyone from the 20th century onward ever hear them? The aether doesn't exist, remember? Check your premises. You said, "Maybe I’ve watched too many movies, but I’m still doubtful that an alien message, whether good news or bad, could be withheld from public knowledge. It would be too big, too transformational, too altering an experience not to be shared."

To me, this is similar to the argument that the government is too incompetent to keep secrets about UFO's or flying triangles or "gasp!" extraordinary renditions or drug smuggling to pay for covert operations. The can, they do, and they will continue to hide many major things from the public eye.

SOMEONE got us to the moon. It wasn't the politicians, the newspapers, or the PR reps. It was hard working, extremely capable and intelligent people who work in government agencies and government contractors. They have only gotten better at hiding things, not worse. The things we see falling out of the information portal to the newspapers are rare and minor. Especially here in the U.S., where news is a joke and investigation is a theatrical production to appear lawful. Nothing important in the government gets done through proper 'channels', and nothing important will be presented to the public unless the System of systems falls apart for lack of money.

If we are looking and believing in an electromagnetic spectrum -based universe, but it turns out the universe is really 99% in a different form or spectrum, do you think anyone that has gone through our schools would find that other universe? If our schools and our food make us stupid and lazy, how would we know?
If ET calls us on an aether-phone, how would anyone from the 20th century onward ever hear them? The aether doesn't exist, remember?
Check your premises.

]]> By: someguy http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17824 someguy Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:02:07 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17824 Heres my favorite idea of a signal based on the spam hypothesis. "Would you like to increase the size of your glognor?" Glognor is what aliens call there male reproductive thingy. Get it? lol. Heres my favorite idea of a signal based on the spam hypothesis.

"Would you like to increase the size of your glognor?"

Glognor is what aliens call there male reproductive thingy. Get it? lol.

]]> By: Lionel http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17805 Lionel Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:39:42 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17805 While Ive read most of the post, there are a few things one must consider. 1: Our galaxy alone has about 300 to 400billion stars(more or less), about 270 planets outside our solar system has been discovered and still counting and these are just gas giants with one possible planet or two that shows some promise as being a class M type planet. So the idea that we are alone is rather idiotic and egocentric on humanities part. 2: Why does a more advance civilization have to be millions of years ahead of us, Im quite certain that a civilization 100 to 1000 years ahead of us should have amazing technology and whether you want to admit it or not, I believe that US humans will be on the verge of a new revolutionary technology or technologies that will be available to us, notice I said revolutionary NOT evolutionary!! 3: Its quite possible that SETI may, and I emphasize the word MAY pick up radio/optical signals with other civilizations that are technologically similar to us to a certain degree more or less..but I suspect that more advance civilizations are most likely using a technology in communications that is entirely different and based on physics (ie: like wormholes, hyperspace, etc) that we only have theories on but as of yet, not capable of engineering/building such an apparatus. 4: My hunch is that we will SEE a class M planet waaay before we even pick up a signal, if such a planet has a civilization, they should be able to pick it up studying its atmospheric content (provided the alien technology is sufficient enough to leave pollutants in its atmosphere)..so WE will SEE proof of other civilizations by telescopic observation more so that SETI and perhaps a heck of a lot safer, for now. While Ive read most of the post, there are a few things one must consider. 1: Our galaxy alone has about 300 to 400billion stars(more or less), about 270 planets outside our solar system has been discovered and still counting and these are just gas giants with one possible planet or two that shows some promise as being a class M type planet. So the idea that we are alone is rather idiotic and egocentric on humanities part.
2: Why does a more advance civilization have to be millions of years ahead of us, Im quite certain that a civilization 100 to 1000 years ahead of us should have amazing technology and whether you want to admit it or not, I believe that US humans will be on the verge of a new revolutionary technology or technologies that will be available to us, notice I said revolutionary NOT evolutionary!!
3: Its quite possible that SETI may, and I emphasize the word MAY pick up radio/optical signals with other civilizations that are technologically similar to us to a certain degree more or less..but I suspect that more advance civilizations are most likely using a technology in communications that is entirely different and based on physics (ie: like wormholes, hyperspace, etc) that we only have theories on but as of yet, not capable of engineering/building such an apparatus.
4: My hunch is that we will SEE a class M planet waaay before we even pick up a signal, if such a planet has a civilization, they should be able to pick it up studying its atmospheric content (provided the alien technology is sufficient enough to leave pollutants in its atmosphere)..so WE will SEE proof of other civilizations by telescopic observation more so that SETI and perhaps a heck of a lot safer, for now.

]]> By: QED http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17719 QED Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:34:59 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17719 I think it is a good thing to think positive about all posibilities .... As a matter of fact I run a SETI distributed processing program thru BOINC on my little insignificant computer , along with 23 or so other BOINC projects which are related to ; Protein folding , Cancer research, Cosmology , Climatology and Global warming, Cryptography, Artifical Intelligence, Astronomy, Pulsars, Milky Way, Mathematics search for prime numbers , Orbit ...which will search for Earth like planets etc. Think positive and don't always be a complainer or a Couch Potato....Try to avoid negative people but , because you too are a child of the Universe , consider and listen to everyone because even the Dull and Ignorant have something to say ...its just that it takes a little time to figure out who the dull and ignorant really are. We probably are not edible to these Aliens who wish to communicate with us any way so show a little trust. It very well may be that many of them have listened to us and have determined that we are dull and ignorant and are avoiding us...If this is the case we must prove ourselves to them by our future actions , for example by not being warlike or seeming too deranged like some of our leaders and politicians. Just a random thought ... not a sermon. I think it is a good thing to think positive about all posibilities ….
As a matter of fact I run a SETI distributed processing program thru BOINC on my little insignificant computer , along with 23 or so other BOINC projects which are related to ;
Protein folding , Cancer research, Cosmology , Climatology and Global warming, Cryptography, Artifical Intelligence, Astronomy, Pulsars, Milky Way, Mathematics search for prime numbers , Orbit …which will search for Earth like planets etc.
Think positive and don't always be a complainer or a Couch Potato….Try to avoid negative people but , because you too are a child of the Universe , consider and listen to everyone because even the Dull and Ignorant have something to say …its just that it takes a little time to figure out who the dull and ignorant really are.
We probably are not edible to these Aliens who wish to communicate with us any way so show a little trust. It very well may be that many of them have listened to us and have determined that we are dull and ignorant and are avoiding us…If this is the case we must prove ourselves to them by our future actions , for example by not being warlike or seeming too deranged like some of our leaders and politicians.
Just a random thought … not a sermon.

]]> By: alphonso richardson http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17707 alphonso richardson Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:46:20 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17707 I bet,given current attempts to contact 'ET' we'd get the answering service - in several milion years time. No-one would be around to call them back. Typical. I bet,given current attempts to contact 'ET' we'd get the answering service – in several milion years time.
No-one would be around to call them back.
Typical.

]]> By: Rapax http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17700 Rapax Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:31:29 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17700 I seriously doubt that 'governments' would have any saying about it getting out or not. After all, the guys working on SETI are mainly scientists, and not just any scientists, but mostly those who chose this particular calling because they honestly love the subject (it's pretty hard to get into that field, and once you do, it's not very well paid). As true scientists, the vast majority of them have a strong natural aversion to secrecy. Free distribution of information is one of the basic pillars of successful research. Add to that fact that the work is fairly complex, not something just any governement or military layman can 'take over'. The guys working on this are pretty much the only ones that CAN do it. And finally, any signal will not be recorded by a single location, scientist or team, but rather will have to be pieced together by many teams working from several countries around the world. I think it's rather safe to assume that it would be all over teh intarwebs before any three letter agency could react. I seriously doubt that 'governments' would have any saying about it getting out or not. After all, the guys working on SETI are mainly scientists, and not just any scientists, but mostly those who chose this particular calling because they honestly love the subject (it's pretty hard to get into that field, and once you do, it's not very well paid). As true scientists, the vast majority of them have a strong natural aversion to secrecy. Free distribution of information is one of the basic pillars of successful research. Add to that fact that the work is fairly complex, not something just any governement or military layman can 'take over'. The guys working on this are pretty much the only ones that CAN do it. And finally, any signal will not be recorded by a single location, scientist or team, but rather will have to be pieced together by many teams working from several countries around the world.
I think it's rather safe to assume that it would be all over teh intarwebs before any three letter agency could react.

]]> By: Dr. Alexander Zaitsev http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17696 Dr. Alexander Zaitsev Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:00:54 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17696 I would like to repeat -- it is the "childhood disease" in SETI & METI to talk profusely about "If ET Calls, Would We Be Told?" We must become aware of huge distances (and propagation delay) in the Universe and thus single-channel communication! All our and ETI's transmissions are principally monologues, not dialogues... Cheers, Alexander. I would like to repeat — it is the "childhood disease" in SETI & METI to talk profusely about

"If ET Calls, Would We Be Told?"

We must become aware of huge distances (and propagation delay) in the Universe and thus single-channel communication!

All our and ETI's transmissions are principally monologues, not dialogues…

Cheers,
Alexander.

]]> By: Teabinge http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-4/#comment-17694 Teabinge Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:26:37 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17694 Any sane civilization would HIDE fron potential alien nazis. I would not be surspised if some out there are listening to our radio transmissions, judging us to better be unresponded to. This greedy, violent, immature race of homo sapiens could possibly in a few centuries or millenia pose a threat to other civilizations (if they exist). Any sane civilization would HIDE fron potential alien nazis.
I would not be surspised if some out there are listening to our radio transmissions, judging us to better be unresponded to.

This greedy, violent, immature race of homo sapiens could possibly in a few centuries or millenia pose a threat to other civilizations (if they exist).

]]> By: alokmohan http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17688 alokmohan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:18:05 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17688 I hope ETs speak in bengali. I hope ETs speak in bengali.

]]> By: rpdelgado http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17679 rpdelgado Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:17:50 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17679 Hello all, Where can I download the image above (VLA), in a higher resolution ? Thank you all. rpdelgado@gmail.com Hello all,

Where can I download the image above (VLA), in a higher resolution ?

Thank you all.

rpdelgado@gmail.com

]]> By: Toolman59 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17675 Toolman59 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:47:30 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17675 The political pond life that we are cursed with would be sure to screw it up somehow. If they told me that the Pacific ocean contained saltwater, I would still want a second opinion from an independent source. The political pond life that we are cursed with would be sure to screw it up somehow. If they told me that the Pacific ocean contained saltwater, I would still want a second opinion from an independent source.

]]> By: marcellus http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17667 marcellus Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:31:27 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17667 The people that think SETI is a waste of time remind me of the Global Warming fanatics. They are just sitting around waiting for the end to come. In effect, they are already dead. Get out there. Live your life. If you think global warming is real, plant some trees (a lot of trees) to absorb carbon dioxide. If you think the future is real, look for confirmation of that in the radio spectrum of the skies. SETI is NOT a waste of time. Believing in gloom and doom is. The people that think SETI is a waste of time remind me of the Global Warming fanatics. They are just sitting around waiting for the end to come. In effect, they are already dead.

Get out there. Live your life. If you think global warming is real, plant some trees (a lot of trees) to absorb carbon dioxide. If you think the future is real, look for confirmation of that in the radio spectrum of the skies.

SETI is NOT a waste of time. Believing in gloom and doom is.

]]> By: Kevin M. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17659 Kevin M. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:06:28 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17659 If there are more intelligent species, then they already know we are here, and are clearly avoiding contacting us directly, which would only harm us. Can encountering someone far less or far more developed than us really be considered "contact", or just domination or exploitation? Someone on our own level would be the only peoples worth "contacting", and it will then occur to us that they are just more people like ourselves. Advancement of any society must involve a long-term development of an "ethics of contact" for handling encounters with less-developed peoples. Meanwhile, the reality of scale which we are slowly grasping is that we are too far away from anything to travel or even pick up the rarest of signals. We may soon grasp that space exploration is largely futile and unaffordable, If we do pick up a "signal" it will be controversial and take us centuries to decipher, much less respond to. Based on our current progress, it seems that we will have to expand very far before we can reasonably expect any meaningful contact. We may well colonize our own corner of the galaxy before that happens. If there are more intelligent species, then they already know we are here, and are clearly avoiding contacting us directly, which would only harm us.

Can encountering someone far less or far more developed than us really be considered "contact", or just domination or exploitation?

Someone on our own level would be the only peoples worth "contacting", and it will then occur to us that they are just more people like ourselves.

Advancement of any society must involve a long-term development of an "ethics of contact" for handling encounters with less-developed peoples.

Meanwhile, the reality of scale which we are slowly grasping is that we are too far away from anything to travel or even pick up the rarest of signals. We may soon grasp that space exploration is largely futile and unaffordable,

If we do pick up a "signal" it will be controversial and take us centuries to decipher, much less respond to.

Based on our current progress, it seems that we will have to expand very far before we can reasonably expect any meaningful contact. We may well colonize our own corner of the galaxy before that happens.

]]> By: ringo http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17651 ringo Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:24:49 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17651 Hello, open your eyes.. they hd already contact us,,, have you heard of Crop circles? look on youtube for videos..do you think men are actually doing this...? Hello, open your eyes.. they hd already contact us,,, have you heard of Crop circles?
look on youtube for videos..do you think men are actually doing this…?

]]> By: Emission Nebula http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17645 Emission Nebula Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:15:58 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17645 "Immortal tree hugging hippies"? So theyll live forever hugging trees? lol :) "Immortal tree hugging hippies"?

So theyll live forever hugging trees? lol :)

]]> By: Frank Glover http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17643 Frank Glover Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:14:41 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17643 Consider: If a country (or non-government entity) recieves the signal that's washing over an entire hemisphere...how can we assume that no one else (either in a specific SETI search or conducting unrelated radioastronomy in the same patch of sky) won't also recieve it? It could be like trying to hide a supernova... Consider: If a country (or non-government entity) recieves the signal that's washing over an entire hemisphere…how can we assume that no one else (either in a specific SETI search or conducting unrelated radioastronomy in the same patch of sky) won't also recieve it?

It could be like trying to hide a supernova…

]]> By: ScepticTim http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17640 ScepticTim Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:19:29 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17640 If we accept the assumption that any civilization having gone through the bottle necks of overpopulation, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources, would develop and keep the habit of moderation, one can assume that the universe could be filled with very advance star faring civilizations and the reason we don’t see a trace of them is because they are a bunch of immortal tree hugging hippies. If we accept the assumption that any civilization having gone through the bottle necks of overpopulation, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources, would develop and keep the habit of moderation, one can assume that the universe could be filled with very advance star faring civilizations and the reason we don’t see a trace of them is because they are a bunch of immortal tree hugging hippies.

]]> By: William http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/07/if-et-calls-would-we-be-told/comment-page-3/#comment-17639 William Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:14:02 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13527#comment-17639 While not a government program, SETI operates in the same way. Once set up it is self perpetuating in somuch that that it obsorbs vast amounts of money, and at best is not really expected to show any progress. It does give a lot of work to those who otherwise woul be unemployed with very little prospects of gainful employment elsewhere. While not a government program, SETI operates in the same way. Once set up it is self perpetuating in somuch that that it obsorbs vast amounts of money, and at best is not really expected to show any progress. It does give a lot of work to those who otherwise woul be unemployed with very little prospects of gainful employment elsewhere.

]]>