• @floofloof@lemmy.ca
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    131 year ago

    It’s really a question of whether we manage to collapse modern civilization before the job is done. If we’re busy killing each other for water there might not be much opportunity for astronomy.

  • @qooqie@lemmy.world
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    81 year ago

    Well yeah… but it is quite expensive to find them so it’s hard to tell people who only want to make money that it’s worth it

      • no banana
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        31 year ago

        And his presidential campaign was definitely not a worthwhile investment

    • I think it’s like exoplanets. They were hypothesized on the basis that based on observation at that time they could neither confirm nor deny the existence of planets outside the solar system, and that the sun having planets couldn’t have been that unique. It’s just that it was believed that we wouldn’t be able to observe these exoplanets directly.

      The same thing goes with alien life. We have no conclusive evidence to deny extraterrestrial life, nor (to the best of my knowledge) conclusive evidence to confirm it, and it’s highly unlikely that the Earth is that unique. The question is whether we will be able to confirm the existence of alien life, and while that enough is thrilling, will humanity be able to interact with them within our lifetime. My guess is that sometime in the future we will have a breakthrough and we will be able to at least confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life beyond doubt.

  • DreamButt
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    21 year ago

    this:

    lim t → ∞

    Does not equal this:

    “Within your lifetime”

  • Maybe they have found us and we’re being prepared to hear that officially. There’s been a lot of unprompted announcements like this lately from various governments and organizations.

    • @Tatters@lemmy.world
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      111 year ago

      This is a story about possible scientific evidence for signs of life (probably simple) on nearby planets, still many light years away. It is not a story about pseudoscientific claims that aliens are visiting us already, for which there is no, and never has been any, scientific evidence at all.

      • I don’t think there’s anything pseudoscientific. It’s pure speculation (as far as I know). I just it fascinating how often “aliens” comes up lately. Chuck Schumer is introducing legislation to compel private business and individual who have artifacts of non-human intelligences to release them to the government under eminent domain.

        https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-rounds-introduce-new-legislation-to-declassify-government-records-related-to-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-and-ufos_modeled-after-jfk-assassination-records-collection-act--as-an-amendment-to-ndaa

        He was a protege of Harry Reid, known fan of disclosure. Hillary Clinton famously is fascinated by UFOs as is John Podesta, her confidante.

        I just find it very interesting. Why is this even being discussed.

        We don’t have congressional hearings about Bigfoot or the financial impact of Leprechaun gold, etc.

        Why do you think there’s so much attention paid to this? I have no idea but I do find it interesting.

        • @Tatters@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          “Chuck Schumer is introducing legislation to compel private business and individual who have artifacts of non-human intelligences to release them to the government under eminent domain.”

          Absolutely pointless - it has never been proven that there are any such artifacts. What there are, are lots of baseless conspiracy theories which various politicians are pandering to, for their own political agenda.

          • Here’s it is. You are saying there’s a significant enough group of people who would think this was a reason to vote for, say a Democrat to carry a wide net, who a large enough group of them will hear about this little known, barely mentioned addition to a spending bill to make a difference in which election?

            This sounds like some very hamfisted and ineffective politicking. Larry, in Butte, is going to love this. He and his MUFON buddies are going to put us over the top come next election when surely this will be big news!

            Yes, that must be it.

            • @Tatters@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I am glad that you agree with me now. After all, it seems far more likely that politicians will be politicking, compared to the alternative, that there is big, cross-party conspiracy to hide first contact with alien intelligences.

              • I want to make sure that you think there’s a political voting block that will be swayed by this, is aware of the legislation, and that this is the only reason?

                Could you just say yes or no on that?

                • @Tatters@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  I really have no idea. Politicians can be political without there having to be a voting block as their target.

    • @umbrella@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      yeah those videos released by the pentagon, then all those hearings with pilots and an ex-intelligence guy, then nasa coming out and confirming there is unidentified stuff flying around…

      we are either looking at gradual disclosure or a huge con at this point