Re: [GZG] A number of scientists respond to Hawking's concerns about Aliens

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Gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-lOne interesting
point is how common do you think people evolutionary imperatives are. On
earth, every creature competes with everything in it's evlutionary niche
and with creatures in adjacent niches. Chances are whatever ecosystem
you enjoy it's going to be a competitive environment, whether you are
microbes on Titan or some other environment, it's survival of the
toughest.
 
I have a couple of cats. Imagine a society where the intelligent life
form is based on cats. Where the pride dynamics are really strong and in
order for it to work individuals have to cotnrol their base instincts to
individuality. Also cats are cruel, mine enjoy hunting and tormenting
anything that moves just because they can. Also cats are armed and know
that everyone else is so there is a lot of posturing and intimidation
but beware if you cause offence, because they will gut you like a fish.
Kind of sounds like the Predator civilisation.
 
If it takes a considerable effort to get to another planet, and it would
take a large proportion of the world economy to get there at present.
Even a corporate business case to go to the moon or the asteroid belt
would require billions so to get a decent return you would need to find
asteroids of pure gold or similar just floating about. Otherwise no fund
manager is ever going to back you.
 
I always thought that the Aliens were too perfect an organism with a
range of really unlikely capabilities so that it seemed more like the
product of intelligent design rather than random chance. Also it seemed
like the aliens could absorb and incorporate the genetic material of the
creatures they host in. They seemed perfectly designed to destroy
creatures they come into contact with. If they evolved on a planet, how
do they work on their home planet without ripping it appart and killing
everything else and then themselves. Or is their home planet so bad that
the Aliens are nto the Apex predator? Yikes that sounds like a really
bad place to live.
 
BTW what is happening with the American space programme? It sounded like
Obama put the "go back to the moon" programme on hold because that would
require spending money now in favour of a giant double down game with
the promise of a mission to Mars in 20 years. 
So another 2 generations of American astronauts get to sit on the ground
while they wait for the Mars programme to get off the ground. In the
mean time will they have any capability to get into orbit or will they
have to pay for rides in Russian Soyuz capsules?