Professor Cox. The Aliens killed themselves

[Habitat]

I am getting very confused here. So the future intelligent beings will have to fly to the moon, to learn from a time capsule, that space-faring civilizations just don't last ? How dumb is that.

[Derek Willis]

9 hours ago, Habitat said:

I am getting very confused here. So the future intelligent beings will have to fly to the moon, to learn from a time capsule, that space-faring civilizations just don't last ? How dumb is that.

Well, that's what happens when celebrity scientists make headline grabbing comments. They forget that they said something in the past that contradicts what they are saying now.

[psyche101]

14 hours ago, Derek Willis said:

Prof Cox seems to be saying that any species capable of travelling to other star systems will have destroyed itself before doing so. This is his suggestion why none have ever visited us (if they ever existed, that is). If that is the case, then no alien civilization is ever going to visit us, and hence none will see the time capsule on the Moon. The implication is that species with high technology will destroy themselves - so we will do the same. I hadn't thought in terms of another intelligent species emerging on Earth and taking a look at the time capsule. Perhaps that is what the Lunar One Mission has in mind. In which case that is a rather depressing concept.

Good point, in addition, I would think that Professor Cox being a Scientist cannot subscribe to absolutes, and therefore despite his belief, a chance must exist regardless of any proclamation.

It would be great if people like he would post in places like this, I'd love to ask him what he feels the odd's are likely to be considering the vastness of space and the remoteness of space, and just what it would take for us to even be detected amongst all these planets as a potential contact Vs the likelihood that we should have actually seen  Von Neumann machine by now. I wonder why he thinks we "should" have seen one by now if there really is 11 billion potential targets in the galaxy.  We might still be "yet to be counted" 

[seeder]

If someone wants to invite the Professor,,,,and who knows....he may just come... heres his email that I tracked down

Contact details

Role: PPARC Advanced Fellow

Email: brian.cox@manchester.ac.uk

Websites

• The School of Physics and Astronomy

 

[lost_shaman]

On Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 4:21 PM, seeder said:

For clarificatdextbecausety tho.... hands without AT LEAST mans level of intelligence.....never seem to go too far, achievement wise that is

 

https://handfacts.wordpress.com/tag/primates/

If you look at human hands we have a true opposable thumb, the most dexterity, and our hands are generalized IN the sense that no task IS dominate IN our hands morphologically.

But not only that, our wrists, forearms, arm bones, and shoulders differ from other species allowing humans greater precision and ranges of motion.

All of that together makes us super tool users, and we adapted that way because of our general tool use. 

All of that above made possible by our preference for bipedalism.

[XenoFish]

Our dexterity comes from a refined nervous system. Allowing for fine motor skills. That's our advantage. We gave up strength for grace.

Edited October 13, 2016 by XenoFish

[seeder]

3 minutes ago, lost_shaman said:

If you look at human hands we have a true opposable thumb, the most dexterity, and our hands are generalized IN the sense that no task IS dominate IN our hands morphologically.

But not only that, our wrists, forearms, arm bones, and shoulders differ from other species allowing humans greater precision and ranges of motion.

All of that together makes us super tool users, and we adapted that way because of our general tool use. 

All of that above made possible by our preference for bipedalism.

 

Exactly.... we can easy thread a needle...well those of us whose eyes havent gotten to old to see clearly... surgeons can manipulate tools on the vascular level....or peel back the finest outer layer of an eyeball..... scientists can manipulate tools on the cellular level.....we can manipulate a pencil to create finely drawn realistic portraits...in fact....the human hand along with intelligence and eye coordination is one helluva fantastic tool to have, and even when our hands are not enough for certain tasks....we can create the tools to DO those tasks...

I dont want to sound like a stoned new age hippy....but WE.... mankind.... are bloody amazing ..... the way we are 'equipped' and have sooo much potential

[seeder]

19 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Our dexterity comes from a refined nervous system. Allowing for fine motor skills. That's our advantage. We gave of strength for grace.

 

ever heard of Mike Tyson? 

 

[XenoFish]

Just now, seeder said:

 

ever heard of Mike Tyson? 

 

There are exceptions. 

[lost_shaman]

The dexterity is evolved in the forearm-wrist-hand morphology. And also more neurons to function so a larger brain.

[lost_shaman]

Seeder,

Im right handed and almost sliced my right thumb off in middle school. Like you I was left to instantly become lefthanded pardon the pun for 4 months. 

Something like that will give you an appreciation for what even just one hands loss can cost you!

Edited October 13, 2016 by lost_shaman

[seeder]

7 minutes ago, lost_shaman said:

Seeder,

Im right handed and almost sliced my right thumb off in middle school. Like you I was left to instantly become lefthanded pardon the pun for 4 months. 

Something like that will give you an appreciation for what even just one hands loss can cost you!

 

Yep, you dont miss the water till the well runs dry! Back when I had the injury....one of the biggest challenges was putting socks on with one hand...and the 'wrong' hand too, couldnt tie my laces tho.. buttons were a tricky thing.....brushing my teeth was very awkward...and there was no way I could have written anything. Most who lose hands are given hook like appendages....they may be able to grip a cup or have a fork attached for eating....but without hands....we're overwhelmingly disadvantaged.!

Of course there ARE super expensive 'electronic' hands that can do a whole lot more and even look realistic....

But guess what? yep....it took someone else with hands to build them!

 

[Derek Willis]

9 hours ago, psyche101 said:

It would be great if people like he would post in places like this ...

I was thinking the same thing. When Jim Oberg posts he adds a level of authority that cuts through any c**p. And he always does so with humor and courtesy. Brian Cox is clever enough to know that the media will spin his comments (to a degree that is what he wants because it sells books) and so what we see in the media is unlikely to be his actual position on any particular subject. So it would be interesting if he would respond to a few questions from UM members.

[psyche101]

16 hours ago, Derek Willis said:

I was thinking the same thing. When Jim Oberg posts he adds a level of authority that cuts through any c**p. And he always does so with humor and courtesy. Brian Cox is clever enough to know that the media will spin his comments (to a degree that is what he wants because it sells books) and so what we see in the media is unlikely to be his actual position on any particular subject. So it would be interesting if he would respond to a few questions from UM members.

I would agree, I have been reluctant to contact him as I have little doubt that such a position would make him a more than busy man. I was thinking we might get better results from his facebook page? 

[qxcontinuum]

in fact perhaps this is what happened on Mars. 

the theory is darn plausible ! I believe any advances technological civilization must go through a period of tremble and hegemony wars from which they may not survive!

It is also the way of universe that we all follow. bigger galaxies eat smaller ones, black holes devours planets, meteorites destroys planets, stars explodes etc... the whole universe is a wild place to live in. It's just more or less time until will kill ourselves. Imagine having Isis controlling  atomic bombs...

[Tatetopa]

On 10/9/2016 at 2:53 PM, Thorvir Hrothgaard said:

It's certainly possible, but highly improbably.  The universe is a big place, certainly not all alien life will (or has) destroy themselves.

But, just because Cox says it, it doesn't mean it's true.  He's speculating just like everyone else is.

It is a very anthropomorphic view.  The universe is not created in our image.  It seems like an unimaginative supposition.

Fermi was sitting at a table eating lunch with several mathematicians and physicists, I think during the Manhattan project.  He is reported to have said "Where are they?"  Enrico was postulating alien life similar enough to us to be recognizable, and that they would want to talk to us.  Consider how far we have come since 1944.  Consider how far since Voyager was sent out.  Carl Sagan's baby had a gold phonograph record with greetings in 100 languages and earth sounds including whale song. If we  progress through the next 100 years, that effort will seem pretty primitive.  The level of technology Fermi was looking for was nonexistent 100 years before he asked that question.  It may be naively quaint in another 100 years.

[Thorvir]

14 minutes ago, Tatetopa said:

It is a very anthropomorphic view.  The universe is not created in our image.  It seems like an unimaginative supposition.

Fermi was sitting at a table eating lunch with several mathematicians and physicists, I think during the Manhattan project.  He is reported to have said "Where are they?"  Enrico was postulating alien life similar enough to us to be recognizable, and that they would want to talk to us.  Consider how far we have come since 1944.  Consider how far since Voyager was sent out.  Carl Sagan's baby had a gold phonograph record with greetings in 100 languages and earth sounds including whale song. If we  progress through the next 100 years, that effort will seem pretty primitive.  The level of technology Fermi was looking for was nonexistent 100 years before he asked that question.  It may be naively quaint in another 100 years.

In 100 years, I hope that we'll be able to catch up to Voyager and bring it back, retired to a museum.

Or....refit it with modern tech and let it continue on it's way.

[lost_shaman]

32 minutes ago, Thorvir Hrothgaard said:

In 100 years, I hope that we'll be able to catch up to Voyager and bring it back, retired to a museum.

Or....refit it with modern tech and let it continue on it's way.

Are you really going to be that I embarassed of the '70's In a hundred years? 

[Thorvir]

5 minutes ago, lost_shaman said:

Are you really going to be that I embarassed of the '70's In a hundred years? 

Shush, adults are discussing things.

If you fail to comprehend what I easily meant by my post, once again, then there's no hope for you.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Thorvir Hrothgaard

[Habitat]

1 hour ago, qxcontinuum said:

Imagine having Isis controlling  atomic bombs...

Indeed, I surrender !

[psyche101]

1 hour ago, qxcontinuum said:

in fact perhaps this is what happened on Mars. 

the theory is darn plausible ! I believe any advances technological civilization must go through a period of tremble and hegemony wars from which they may not survive!

It would help if you actually evolve into a being first.

[XenoFish]

2 hours ago, Thorvir Hrothgaard said:

In 100 years, I hope that we'll be able to catch up to Voyager and bring it back, retired to a museum.

Or....refit it with modern tech and let it continue on it's way.

If only there was a real drive for space exploration. Instead of us blowing each other up over religious and political beliefs. We'd probably colonized mars back in the 90's. 

Who knows, future astronauts might just be a brain inside advanced mechanical bodies. Would save a lot on resources. 

 

[lost_shaman]

59 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Ianothery there was a real drive for space exploration. Instead of us blowing each other up over religious and political beliefs. We'd probably colonized mars back in the 90's. 

Who knows, future astronauts might just be a brain inside advanced mechanical bodies. Would save a lot on resources. 

 

Right because eating food Is a crazy Idea!

 

Who wants to go to all that trouble?

 

 

Edited October 14, 2016 by lost_shaman

[XenoFish]

6 hours ago, Thorvir Hrothgaard said:

Shush, adults are discussing things.

If you fail to comprehend what I easily meant by my post, once again, then there's no hope for you.

Yeah I agree. Seems that there is a major lack of comprehension skills going on.

[seeder]

10 hours ago, Thorvir Hrothgaard said:

In 100 years, I hope that we'll be able to catch up to Voyager and bring it back, retired to a museum.

Or....refit it with modern tech and let it continue on it's way.

 

well its ONLY 18 billion kms away...its got quite a headstart....and in another 100 years time, how many billions of kms do you think it will be ahead? Ive heard some daft things on these forums...but trying to locate and retrieve anything at 18 billion kms distance is a total waste of time