Comments on: Intelligent life up there? Wait 20 years

Galaxy is only so big, and telescopes are getting better. One researcher says it's only a matter of (not much) time.

If the theory holds true, then

a 350 dish array won't make any difference. We have to assume that the data we are looking for will be as difficult to decompose as 1024 bit encryption.

As a new technological species, we are still far too dependent on logic. An advanced intelligence would have run logic to its reasonable limits and looked for a different model for SpaceTime.

Or to put it more subjectively, we will have to have been broadcasting for at least another 930 years before our signals meet the minimum requirements of a thousand light years, to reach the next most likely destination. Even if we thought we had a coherent signal we would still have to wait 1,000 years for a confirmation, or encryption key.

A species that has been broadcasting for a 1,000 years would have solved most if not all of the rules governing SpaceTime. This means that they would have a common understanding and most of their communications would be inference and implication, as the rules of space are nothing if not immutable.

oops

as the rules of space are nothing if not immutable.

should have read,

as the rules of SpaceTime are nothing if not immutable.

[nealda]

We're progressing.

"As a new technological species, we are still far too dependent on logic. An advanced intelligence would have run logic to its reasonable limits and looked for a different model for SpaceTime."

I'd like to point out that, here in the US, we're taking the lead in abandoning logic -- which proves, once again, that we are the natural leaders of civilization. USA! USA! USA!

[Earl Benser]

Rules of Space Time?????

Actually, Space Time is already quite well defined. And the
alterrnative to logic is chaos. The time radius limit is a real
problem - a civilization can be gone before the 'I hear You'
message comes in.

ANyhow, the search for intelligent life here on Earth hasn't been
all that successful.

[Earl Benser]

Rules of Space Time?????

Actually, Space Time is already quite well defined. And the
alterrnative to logic is chaos. The time radius limit is a real
problem - a civilization can be gone before the 'I hear You'
message comes in.

Anyhow, the search for intelligent life here on Earth hasn't been
all that successful.

[Jim1900]

Noise

Any signal we receive will likely be from a civilization several million years more advanced than us. What would it look like? Given the rate of change in compression and encryption in only the last 10 years, we probably could not recognize a signal from another civilization anyway. It would just look like noise to us.