Alien life
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Tannhauser said:
Again, I don't disagree with your conclusion, but I've quoted what I think is a major assumption on your part.
What evidence is there that the presence of liquid water means there is a 'good chance of life'? No. of planets known to have liquid water = 1. No. of planets known to have life = 1. So we don't know if the chances of life developing in the presence of liquid water are 100%, 50%, 1% or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000001%. I'm not convinced that 'scientific' attempts to estimate this percentage are anything more than guessing. As Rick put it, in summary, f**k knows.
Again, I don't disagree with your conclusion, but I've quoted what I think is a major assumption on your part.
What evidence is there that the presence of liquid water means there is a 'good chance of life'? No. of planets known to have liquid water = 1. No. of planets known to have life = 1. So we don't know if the chances of life developing in the presence of liquid water are 100%, 50%, 1% or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000001%. I'm not convinced that 'scientific' attempts to estimate this percentage are anything more than guessing. As Rick put it, in summary, f**k knows.
okay lets just say 'chance' instead of 'good chance'. Still - 150 sextillion? There's gotta be a dead cert in there somewhere.
put base elements in a jar with water and Co2, heat it, run a spark inside the jar and you'll get amino acids. I don't think that life is as rarer as is made out. The oldest living organism on earth is growing inside ice at - temperatures. It can be done.
gossamer said:
Evidence suggests bottlenose dolphins, some apes, possibly elephants and maybe even magpies (ripped straight from wikipedia so it must be true).
Evidence suggests bottlenose dolphins, some apes, possibly elephants and maybe even magpies (ripped straight from wikipedia so it must be true).
To describe this as "controversial and far from universally accepted" would be something of an understatement. It's been a flashpoint for debate, both for scientists and philosophers, for a very long time.
Wiegieboard said:put base elements in a jar with water and Co2, heat it, run a spark inside the jar and you'll get amino acids.
I suspect you're referring to the famous Miller-Urey experiment and its successors. Two comments only:
1. the mix of gases they used was a lot more "helpful" than the primordial atmosphere
2. amino acids aren't in question anyway, we find them everywhere - in meteorite fragments etc. Proteins are the problem. Protein-formation requires an energy-absorbing reaction, which makes it very very difficult to cause to happen without intervention, and the only thing that intervenes in this way is life. So you have a chicken/egg situation - we know of no protein-free life and no life-free proteins.
My (lay) understanding is that protein formation is the big, not-well-understood stumbling block. Well, the first one, anyway, there are plenty more
.Disclaimer: this is not my specialist subject, so there may be errors.
IainKendrick said:Really I didn't realise so many sugdenties wore tin foil hats?
That's because the hats go nicely with the ties.
Rick said:
To describe this as "controversial and far from universally accepted" would be something of an understatement. It's been a flashpoint for debate, both for scientists and philosophers, for a very long time.
To describe this as "controversial and far from universally accepted" would be something of an understatement. It's been a flashpoint for debate, both for scientists and philosophers, for a very long time.
It's a fascinating one. For all the faults with mirror tests, for my money they do show that some animals have self-recognition. But I think there's a tendency for reductively-thinking biologists to conflate 'self-recognition' and 'self-awareness'. In my opinion, there is a lot more to self-awareness in the sense we usually mean it. TBH, I think it requires language.
Which leads me to agree with your observation on youtube comments. As these are largely only the written equivalent of grunting sounds, this leads me to think the many posters on there have not yet achieved self-awareness.
Tannhauser said:
It's a fascinating one. For all the faults with mirror tests, for my money they do show that some animals have self-recognition. But I think there's a tendency for reductively-thinking biologists to conflate 'self-recognition' and 'self-awareness'. In my opinion, there is a lot more to self-awareness in the sense we usually mean it. TBH, I think it requires language.
Which leads me to agree with your observation on youtube comments. As these are largely only the written equivalent of grunting sounds, this leads me to think the many posters on there have not yet achieved self-awareness.
It's a fascinating one. For all the faults with mirror tests, for my money they do show that some animals have self-recognition. But I think there's a tendency for reductively-thinking biologists to conflate 'self-recognition' and 'self-awareness'. In my opinion, there is a lot more to self-awareness in the sense we usually mean it. TBH, I think it requires language.
Which leads me to agree with your observation on youtube comments. As these are largely only the written equivalent of grunting sounds, this leads me to think the many posters on there have not yet achieved self-awareness.
Well put that man.
yes and yes.
PS: it's well known that meteors did bring life to earth during the millionsof years it has. Alien life, cells and s**t.
PS: it's well known that meteors did bring life to earth during the millionsof years it has. Alien life, cells and s**t.
To the people that think there is nothing special about Earth/humans and that there is no intelligent life here...
Do you see the world through s**t-tinted glasses?
Do you see the world through s**t-tinted glasses?
billynomates30/07/23 @ 18:36
billynomates said:Anyone been following the UFO Congressional hearings recently? Fascinating stuff.
From a distance yes, but I have strong doubts that any official release will be made saying they have alien craft, technology and of course, bodies etc.
billynomates13/09/23 @ 22:24