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E.T. Civilizations: Location Is Everything?


Waspie_Dwarf

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For E.T. Civilizations, Location Could Be Everything

Their economies and their fate may depend on the abundance of gold and uranium, forged in relatively nearby neutron star mergers  

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Astronomers have recently determined that rare elements such as gold and uranium are produced as a result of rapid capture of free neutrons during the merger of two neutron stars. Neutron stars are the densest stars known, having the size of a city (12 kilometers) and up to twice the mass of the sun, with the density of an atomic nucleus. A teaspoon of neutron star material weighs a trillion kilograms, as much as a tall mountain on Earth.

arrow3.gif  Read More: Scientific American

 

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The article unfortunately relies far too much on 2 anthropomorphic assumptions (actually 3 if you apply this to an anthropomorphic economy) therein lies the logical fallacy...

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Imagine an extraterrestrial (E.T.) civilization on the surface of a planet that is deficient in uranium relative to Earth. Such a civilization will be less likely to develop nuclear weapons and to annihilate itself through a nuclear war. A lower abundance of gold would make this element more precious and have a major impact on the E.T. economy. Hence, both the economy and longevity of an E.T. civilization will depend in part on how far it is from its nearest neutron star merger.

 

Edited by keithisco
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26 minutes ago, keithisco said:

The article unfortunately relies far too much on 2 anthropomorphic assumptions (actually 3 if you apply this to an anthropomorphic economy) therein lies the logical fallacy...

 

I would agree, it is an expansion of the the argument regarding the likelihood of life and the need for a planet with water. It's one thing to say life can and has emerged on a water planet but it does not rule out it beginning in a different environment.

The relative value of gold is not worth considering in the context of an alien economy, although it can be useful as a material for use in various products. 

 

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