see thats an excellent question. But the factors will determine it won't it. Resources, lack or girth of resources, lack of natural predators etc. it puts the timeline in perspective, what do you think?

Yes, the factors... which, given other species here or elsewhere, would be different than those we encountered along our collective development. It wouldn't be a controlled environment where everything is sequencial to our own evolution of knowledge. It not only draws a new timeline, but a new developmental scheme almost entirely... yes, almost.

As for the laws of physics and general sciences which we have determined to be true being so with an alien lifeform... well, why? We find holes and new discoveries which drastically change the ideas of science all of the time. Their development could have been more directed or quicker, or even slower, than our own. They may have unlocked certain mysteries of the universe which we are no where near understanding, which would be safe to say is true if they are visiting us. Along the lines of the scientific theories of science... they prove true to us when they fit, but if they don't, then it's impossible. How many impossibles have been proven to be possible after further study into the many fields of intelligence? A few grandiose examples which are important to this topic string are flight and breaking the sound barrier... and we've come how far just since those two? They can now be explained by physics, but could they before their time (in physics language, not just a dreamt up hypothesis)? Nope. They could be laughing at us right now for any scientific idea which we hold as fact, be it from physics, biology, psychology or astrology. It's possible... again with the possiblity... rational thought does not defeat this idea. Damn you!! LOL.

For chimpanzees or its most selective offspring, I'd guess another 10 million years or so. With human intervention, this length may be shortened to about 70 years.

That reminds me of when the space program was first envisioned, the smartest minds of the world were all smug in their belief that the mass to thrust ratio versus gravity would prevent ANY rockets from leaving the earth. And along comes chemistry to tell us that if you combine this and this your energy out put will expand greatly and voila we're in space. Its true that if think of it like time travel it helps. What would a person say if they are brought from 1950's to present about the things everyone takes for granted. cell phones, digital movie recorders, clothing materials, it would be like magic o science fiction to them. And thats only 50 years what if you went back 500mand showed someone a bandaid and neosporin, it would be a medical marvel.

It is not really a question of intelligence but of spiritual evolution. I don't have a definition for "spiritual evolution" but it has to do
with our level of civilization quite as much as the level of intelligence. That too, of course. Whenever I see something about SETI,
I have to smile and think first we need to mount a worldwide search to see if there are any signs of intelligence here on Earth. We
ignore the ample evidence we already have for ET. Instead we insist that they must send us radio signals! Maybe they never
developed radio. Maybe they went straight to telepathy or to optical fiber. Anyway, if they did set up a beacon, it would only be to
draw primitive, brutal, violent to say nothing of stupid species like us. Why would they do that?

~~~Cebrakon

Beacons would be advantageous for civilizations who knew that they were on the brink of extinction and needed help. Others could set up beacons to warn us of impending danger in areas that should be avoided. I wonder why we haven't heard them?

It seems that every time we turn around, we're having to go through another new age or new creation. We may have had over 20 civilizations, some more advanced than our own, come and go within the last 100,000 years. Every 6 to 10 thousand years, we face near extinction, and every 2 to 3 thousand years, we're having to deal with some catastrophe. It's no wonder no one visits us. It's not like we're running a permanent county club here.

Without even knowing it, we may have a beacon on the egde of our solar system that warns others to stay away, or one that simply says: "Dinosaur Season Closed - No Trespassing".

Please explain. "Spiritual Evolution?" And it's not a question of intelligence, but it has to do with our level of intelligence? Define spiritual then, as you use it. I'm interested to read what you have to say with your idea on the topic, but I can't quite get it from what you've said.

eh, some of those things that have been seen i highly doubt brainstorming scientists manufactured ...atleast..not without any help

Young grasshopper of an alien embryo, perhaps I can elucidate "spirituality without religion" by examples. I'll bet others on this thread could do so as well. On the scale of spirituality, anthropologists rank above missionaries, even though the latter may be pious, while the former may be skeptical. Art is spiritual, even and especially when its themes are symbolic rather than religious. There is plenty of scientific proof (Ian Stevenson, Raymond Moody, etc.) of life after death, and you don't have to go to church, nor do you have to wait for the "end of days" to be bodily resurrected. People who know this are generally happier than those who don't. But they don't preach. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Thomas, "Let those who have eyes see. Let those who seek find. The realm of the imperishable [my translation of "kingdom of heaven"] is spread out before you, but you do not see."

So what does spirituality have to do with going to the stars? I'll admit, this is not obvious. One clue is provided by our star-traveling humanoids, our little buddies of every color and size. Why do these shy little humanoids avoid disturbing the natural course of evolution on this planet? Why aren't they the slime monsters of science fiction? Because the only way to cross the vast distances of interstellar space is by levitation and apports, powers of the mind. If other humanoids have these powers, why don't we? Could it be because we have wars, murder, rape, pedophilia? Could it be because the general level of knowledge of life after death, the meaning of life, and immortality is approximately zero? Could it be because our architecture is mostly square boxes, very utilitarian but hardly spiritually uplifting? Psi powers are not like technology, which any primitive murderer or rapist may use. Psi powers are only given to those who have evolved spiritually to the point where they can use and not misuse such powers. The dark side of our personalities must be docile and under our complete control before further progress towards the stars can be made. And the light side must rear triumphantly and joyfully, and be expressed in our personalities. There is a lot to this, young grasshopper. Way more than I can put in a post. Study the classics of the unborn new age.

~~~Cebrakon

I think its a function of time. We still have to find a way to get past concepts like nationalism and race before we can expend the resources neccessary to explore the universe. we have to stop thinking of ourselves as fractional difference machines and realize that each and everyone holds a small solution to the over all solving of the mysteries of the universe.

Hey, you're absolutely right about that last line.
Cheers, Mate!

I too agree with Darkwind and SparkOfOm. Is that quote from Yeshua from the Gospel of Thomas? Sounds like something he might say.

~~Cebrakon

They are probably so high and mighty that for them to contact us would ruin our civilization somehow. We have to meet them when we are at an exceptable level of progress.