8th August 2006, 8:21 PM
Like GR said, the pulsing sounds are just that, there are plenty of natural things in the universe that produce consistent sound waves or some other form of energy in a manner that might make you think it was created by an intelligence, the idea of an artificial creation being picked up would be random at best since, like for example our own research stations like SETI, use man-made instruments to pick up known energy sources. I dont think it's far fetched to say that an alien not only wouldn't be able to tell our sounds of bleeps and frequencies from everything else out there nor that our known methods of producing audible transient energy could even be picked up by there technology or even there own ears... if they even have anything like an ear.
things like SETI are picking up forms of energy that we understand, but is it picking up the echoes of dark matter or other plausible theoretical forms of energy and substance? Not in the slightest, simply because we dont have the knowledge yet. But I think push come to shove the idea of finding the existence of a planet would mean to someday explore it in some fashion so time will tell. We could be in the middle of a massive alien research study that's been in effect for a hundred years but because they dont exist as we do they could just be seeing an anamoly in space that barely resembles a planet. Or communicate and understand on such a totally different level that the idea of human beings or other animals aren't even considered to be living things or worth the time trying to communicate, much like how we view the microcosmos.
Symbols and what not are definitely the way to go the problem is getting it to them to start the communication, and you cant beat having a giant blue sphere of life in the middle of a dead solar system as a beacon to the aliens saying 'LAND HERE'. As far as their probability of existing I think it's fair to say that if it happenned once it can happen again, and if the ratio is something like that for every ten planets one will hold life, then there are trillions of planets with life through the unknown and known universe. All we can do is keep trying and assuming that they can even begin to understand us. sometimes i wonder about solar flares or magnetic interference being a form of communication using what they believe to be a very common element that all living things would understand, but all we do is complain about the TV getting fuzzy or our dropped call, we could be bombarded with alien greetings every second of every hour and have no idea how to even prove if its there or not.
here's what i'd do: launch the Statue of Liberty in to deep space towards the nearest galaxy with a note that says "If found, please return to Planet 3 (or 7 depending on your direction, just look for the contenent shaped like a boot), sector 0.0, map and DS Lite w/English Training enclosed -- if you're evil or ugly we'll kill you. sincerely, Humanity." and wait it out.
things like SETI are picking up forms of energy that we understand, but is it picking up the echoes of dark matter or other plausible theoretical forms of energy and substance? Not in the slightest, simply because we dont have the knowledge yet. But I think push come to shove the idea of finding the existence of a planet would mean to someday explore it in some fashion so time will tell. We could be in the middle of a massive alien research study that's been in effect for a hundred years but because they dont exist as we do they could just be seeing an anamoly in space that barely resembles a planet. Or communicate and understand on such a totally different level that the idea of human beings or other animals aren't even considered to be living things or worth the time trying to communicate, much like how we view the microcosmos.
Symbols and what not are definitely the way to go the problem is getting it to them to start the communication, and you cant beat having a giant blue sphere of life in the middle of a dead solar system as a beacon to the aliens saying 'LAND HERE'. As far as their probability of existing I think it's fair to say that if it happenned once it can happen again, and if the ratio is something like that for every ten planets one will hold life, then there are trillions of planets with life through the unknown and known universe. All we can do is keep trying and assuming that they can even begin to understand us. sometimes i wonder about solar flares or magnetic interference being a form of communication using what they believe to be a very common element that all living things would understand, but all we do is complain about the TV getting fuzzy or our dropped call, we could be bombarded with alien greetings every second of every hour and have no idea how to even prove if its there or not.
here's what i'd do: launch the Statue of Liberty in to deep space towards the nearest galaxy with a note that says "If found, please return to Planet 3 (or 7 depending on your direction, just look for the contenent shaped like a boot), sector 0.0, map and DS Lite w/English Training enclosed -- if you're evil or ugly we'll kill you. sincerely, Humanity." and wait it out.