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Shostak: 'we will find ET within 20 years'


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SETI's Seth Shostak believes that if alien life exists then we will find it within the next two decades.

The senior astronomer believes that advances in computing technology will make it possible to significantly speed up our ability to scan star systems for signs of intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/263756/shostak-we-will-find-et-within-20-years

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The meteorologists can't even accurately predict snow in Seattle but can predict when we'll find ET? ok.

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i guess Seth Shostak doesn't accept any of the nearly countless reports, photos, video, radar, testimonies of credible people, or military and police contacts as evidence of something ET. Keep searching Seth.

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I've always thought the notion of searching for radio noise from a distant world to be a bit naive given the distances. We've had radio communication for only around 100 years now and we're already beginning to digitize our signals globally so they are harder to decipher. Within another 50 years earth will "appear" nearly radio silent against the background radiation. If you think about it, is it really such a great idea to stand and shout "we are here!" when we don't know who's listening?

Even assuming radio communications are still used 200 years from now, that still only covers a short time in our entire history that our civilation would be leaving that footprint. So presumably, for any given evolution of intelligent life, only a small portion of that will be marked by a "radio" age. If a planet is 400 light years away, we'd have to be pretty lucky indeed to find a civilization that developed in parallel close enough to our timeline for this to be plausible, I think.

Edited by Calibeliever
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Calibeliever, you have a great point. If you look at the human race and see how we have evolved to become the current dominant species on this planet, I believe you will notice that our technological advances are generally made for the purpose of war. By screaming "We are here" to the universe it seems like we are announcing our naiveté to anyone looking to dominate "their" portion of the universe. There's no doubt in my mind we would do it to any other planet or species we came in contact with.

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Doubt they will.

Didn't SETI say the same thing 20 years ago?

:D

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Doubt they will.

Didn't SETI say the same thing 20 years ago?

:D

Gotta keep the money coming in.

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i guess Seth Shostak doesn't accept any of the nearly countless reports, photos, video, radar, testimonies of credible people, or military and police contacts as evidence of something ET. Keep searching Seth.

Why should anyone? They are only anecdotal so far.

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i guess Seth Shostak doesn't accept any of the nearly countless reports, photos, video, radar, testimonies of credible people, or military and police contacts as evidence of something ET. Keep searching Seth.

Neither do most logical people.

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Seems like ole Seth is just plucking a number out of the air just to get back in the news a bit.

I do hope he is right, but what he just claimed can be claimed by anyone.

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If you think about it, is it really such a great idea to stand and shout "we are here!" when we don't know who's listening?

I've often thought this. I think we should remember the book, "How to Serve Man". :cry:

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The Native Americans were not Screaming We are here ! Come and Help us. Look what Happpened to Them !

Even Hawkin warns about sending out the Dinner Menue !

I say Lets just keep from Destroying ourselfs and develope FTL travel,then We can Go Looking ! ITs a Lot easer to Loose a ship full of Fools than a Planet ! :tu:

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1. they look for messages, yet send out nothing.

2. It's weird most people in science say alien life must exist, yet look at believers like they are crazy.

3. I think it would be hilarious if it was just us in a cold dead universe

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1. they look for messages, yet send out nothing.

Who?

2. It's weird most people in science say alien life must exist, yet look at believers like they are crazy.

I think you misunderstand. Most people believe that life exists elsewhere in the Universe, the question is whether they are visiting us or not. So no, not weird at all.

3. I think it would be hilarious if it was just us in a cold dead universe

I would personally find it sad.

Cheers,

Badeskov

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..I'm not at all convinced that an alien species first encounter with Earth will end up badly. If they attack, on the ground, in the air, they won't have that much of an advantage no matter the technology (physics is physics, after all). If they stay in high orbit and lob asteroids at us, then we're screwed. Otherwise, if it comes to face to face contact, the Earth isn't like the old Native Americans vs. the Europeans. We are not helpless. Don't fool yourselves.

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Who?

I think you misunderstand. Most people believe that life exists elsewhere in the Universe, the question is whether they are visiting us or not. So no, not weird at all.

I would personally find it sad.

Cheers,

Badeskov

The actual facts are the Vast Universe is So far from Cold and Dead ,ITs actually Gobb-smacking with Life,Energy electrons photons, active everythings ! Star-Stuff is blastin throughout the Universe ! IMO. CHeer`s Badeskovs !

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Why the hell do we want to find alien life anyway?

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The meteorologists can't even accurately predict snow in Seattle but can predict when we'll find ET? ok.

??

That's like saying the LA Clippers are a useless basketball team, so the Buffalo Bills won't win the next Superbowl.

The success or otherwise of meteorology has nothing to do with our ability to find aliens.

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..I'm not at all convinced that an alien species first encounter with Earth will end up badly. If they attack, on the ground, in the air, they won't have that much of an advantage no matter the technology (physics is physics, after all). If they stay in high orbit and lob asteroids at us, then we're screwed. Otherwise, if it comes to face to face contact, the Earth isn't like the old Native Americans vs. the Europeans. We are not helpless. Don't fool yourselves.

Yes I agree. Any civilization that has traveled the Universe has probably knows where the best resources are and has no need to invade other civilizations to steal. Hopefully they have reached a point where war is seen as pointless and wasteful. They probably do have weapon technology but it is used in defense.

Our biggest threat is our nukes. They maybe useless against invaders but we posses the technology to render our own planet useless in a kind of scorched Earth policy. That hopefully would keep the resource hunters at bay.

Edited by skookum
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i guess Seth Shostak doesn't accept any of the nearly countless reports, photos, video, radar, testimonies of credible people, or military and police contacts as evidence of something ET. Keep searching Seth.

How many of those are from other star systems? Try reading the article next time.
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Nice soundbite. Is SETI short of funds, I wonder?

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