I think this saying is partially true.........granted just a opinion and given my track record an opinion that has a maximum effective range of zero meters.........I think it would be more terrifying if we were the only life in this universe.........to be alone in the middle of infinity............among trillions of stars and planets.......I can not believe the universe is so badly designed......
The second option is pretty exciting actually. Bet we learn more when we get a closer look at Europa. :)
We'll likely find indicators of life in quite a few places within a generation or two, but it'll probably be quite a bit longer before we find signs of anything other than us that has made a telescope, a radio, or a rocket. The dinosaurs dominated for much more of the Earth's history than we have (and perhaps will), but were hardly on track to be a threat anywhere besides Earth.
I'm guessing we'll find that intelligent, technically-capable life happens more than we think, but it's terribly sparse, spread over a vast expanse of space and time. Those we have the fortune to meet might be much more advanced - and potentially dangerous, but they might have had to survive their reckless adolescence without exterminating themselves. Maybe only the strong, smart, wise, and principled species persist long enough to get the chance to venture out.
So a friend tells me -- If we're alone; if we're the only ones... Well, I like that idea because that means we're special. So I think to myself, if we're "truly" alone -- as in Stephen Hawking no time before Big Bang and no God alone -- the whole idea of being special is kind of a mute point. But then again we don't need a god to be special right? Ah never mind. Cool quote. Lol
The first one terrifies me more, plus it's depressing as hell -- figuratively and perhaps, literally. 👿
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps, to put it in a quantum way, both. Perhaps our atoms just transition to another state
ReplyDeleteElon Musk version of this one is slightly different ;)
ReplyDeleteI think this saying is partially true.........granted just a opinion and given my track record an opinion that has a maximum effective range of zero meters.........I think it would be more terrifying if we were the only life in this universe.........to be alone in the middle of infinity............among trillions of stars and planets.......I can not believe the universe is so badly designed......
ReplyDeleteIf we are alone, we will never know for sure, however odds look good that even if we aren't alone we won't know for sure for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteThe second option is pretty exciting actually. Bet we learn more when we get a closer look at Europa. :)
ReplyDeleteWe'll likely find indicators of life in quite a few places within a generation or two, but it'll probably be quite a bit longer before we find signs of anything other than us that has made a telescope, a radio, or a rocket. The dinosaurs dominated for much more of the Earth's history than we have (and perhaps will), but were hardly on track to be a threat anywhere besides Earth.
I'm guessing we'll find that intelligent, technically-capable life happens more than we think, but it's terribly sparse, spread over a vast expanse of space and time. Those we have the fortune to meet might be much more advanced - and potentially dangerous, but they might have had to survive their reckless adolescence without exterminating themselves. Maybe only the strong, smart, wise, and principled species persist long enough to get the chance to venture out.
So a friend tells me -- If we're alone; if we're the only ones... Well, I like that idea because that means we're special. So I think to myself, if we're "truly" alone -- as in Stephen Hawking no time before Big Bang and no God alone -- the whole idea of being special is kind of a mute point. But then again we don't need a god to be special right? Ah never mind. Cool quote. Lol
ReplyDeleteArthur C Clarke is awesome.
ReplyDeleteTerrifying? No. Mind expanding? Yes!
ReplyDelete