REM%IMSSS@SU-AI.ARPA (Robert Elton Maas) (03/21/86)
EV> Date: 14 Mar 86 22:44:24 GMT EV> From: hplabs!qantel!lll-lcc!lll-crg!mordor!ut-sally!utastro!ethan@ucbvax.ber keley.edu (Ethan Vishniac) (I would send this to the author, but the UUCP path is so damn long...) EV> Subject: detecting alien spacecraft EV> On the Detectability of Antimatter Propulsion Spacecraft (Detecting alian antimatter propulsion by NASA Gamma-Ray Observatory) EV> In this paper Michael Harris points out that alien spacecraft using an EV> antimatter drive will have large proper motions and be quite conspicuous. You are omitting something very important. Hint: In military, if you see an artillery shell with zero proper motion? Answer, run like hell in any direction. Do I have to spell it out? (The proposed method will fail to detect any alien craft that is headed directly for Earth, such as an invading force, on its way to stamp out the society responsible for Howdy Doody and the McCarthy hearings as well as everybody involved in World War 2 on both sides.)
weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener) (03/21/86)
In article <8603210822.AA02367@s1-b.arpa> REM%IMSSS@SU-AI.ARPA (Robert Elton Maas) writes: >EV> In this paper Michael Harris points out that alien spacecraft using an >EV> antimatter drive will have large proper motions and be quite conspicuous. > >You are omitting something very important. Hint: In military, if you >see an artillery shell with zero proper motion? Answer, run like hell >in any direction. Do I have to spell it out? Oh. Is THIS why we need to continue the shuttle program? Understood. > (The proposed method will >fail to detect any alien craft that is headed directly for Earth, such >as an invading force, on its way to stamp out the society responsible >for Howdy Doody and the McCarthy hearings as well as everybody >involved in World War 2 on both sides.) It will also fail to detect any alien craft LEAVING Earth, while trying to maximize their distance between us and them. You don't think it's anything we said, do you? ucbvax!brahms!weemba Matthew P Wiener/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720
mc68020@gilbbs.UUCP (Tom Keller) (03/27/86)
I wish to open this discussion by pointing out that I personally would
very much like to meet intelligent aliens. I think it would be a wonderful
adventure, though I confess that the prospect does frighten me at the same
time.
I do not, however, *EXPECT* to meet any intelligent aliens. The reason
is really quite simple:
If we assume for the sake of argument that the speed of light is in fact
a velocity beyond which we cannot accelerate a mass, and that an intelligent
alien lifeform would most probably have developed some form of electromagnetic
communications, we come to the inescapable conclusion that we won't be running
into them for a **VERY** long while, even if they *DO* exist (oh, I *HOPE*
they do!).
Presumably, either they would have detected our emissions, and started on
an exploratory expedition sometime in the past 100 years or so, or we would be
detecting their emissions. The fact that we are not detecting such emissions
argues that if such emissions were there, the source must be a considerable
distance from us ( I would argue at least 50-100 lightyears).
Even assuming that a startdrive which achieves a significant percentage
of lightspeed is available, this implies that it would require anywhere from
150 to 600 years, minimum, for them to travel here. Likewise for us to travel
there.
Thus, I predict that *IF* we find intelligent life in the universe, it will
likely be *VERY* far into our future, and ***VERY VERY*** far away.
I think this is a pity, but it does seem inescapable.
--
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Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim any and all responsibility for disclaimers.
tom keller
{ihnp4, dual}!ptsfa!gilbbs!mc68020
(* we may not be big, but we're small! *)