www.ditl.org

So who believes there is intelligent life out there in the cosmos?

Given that the universe is infinite (infinite to what my tiny brain can comprehend) there has to be, right? It might be an impossible distance away but I think there has to be 'something' that we could perceive of as intelligent life out there.

I think it is almost statistically guaranteed. I think life, in basic bacteria form, is going to be fairly common, life in any form of complexity, far far less common, and human level intelligence (oxymoron?) maybe only a few times in the whole universe.

I used to believe intelligent life was going to be fairly common, like Star Trek and Star Wars common. But I've read and heard several reports that put the possibility of life as far lower than the usual results of the Drake Equation show.

So I think we could likely find thousands, or tens of thousands of examples of basic life. But advanced intelligent life... I would be suprised if we're the only ones in the Milkyway. Maybe when we crash into Andromeda we will meet someone else.

I believe. Are we going to find proof in my lifetime, probably not, but I believe in the odds enough to go without hard evidence at this point.

It's virtualy a certainty that it's out there somewhere.

Agreed, with the vast number of planets in this galaxy, I'm sure that there must be some with life. But I still find the question of intelligent life quite troubling because of Fermi's Paradox.

What did Fermi have to say for himself then?

I'd be surprised if anyone on this board didn't believe in intelligent life out there.

I definitely believe it might be out there... just not sure if we'll ever find it...

Nickswitz wrote:I definitely believe it might be out there... just not sure if we'll ever find it...

Good point, especially as there are only unconfirmed reports of intelligent life on this planet.

Captain Seafort wrote:

Nickswitz wrote:I definitely believe it might be out there... just not sure if we'll ever find it...

Good point, especially as there are only unconfirmed reports of intelligent life on this planet.

Especially, I hear, in Arnold, Maryland, USA?

So what do the 'Fermi Paradox' and the 'Drake Equation' state then?

The Drake Equation is basicaly a mathematical formula for calculating the number of intelligent species there may be in the galaxy.

The Fermi Paradox is basicaly saying that there can't be many intelligent species around, because we've seen no evidence of them.

Meh, the galaxy alone is frikkin' huge. If those radio waves aren't aimed right, they'll pass right by. And who's to say they'll even be in a form we recognize?

Rochey wrote:It's virtualy a certainty that it's out there somewhere.

An American comedian once said that there can't be any intelligent life out there. If there was we'd be sending them money.


Seriously I'd say that they are out there. Will we ever get a chance to have some sort of contact with them? I'd like to think so, but also doubt it in my lifetime.