All those years spent reading science fiction novels about life on other planets, all that nerdy "Star Trek" watching, all those movies -- wasted:
Advanced ground and space-based telescopes are discovering new planets around other stars almost daily, but an environmental scientist from England believes that even if some of those planets turn out to be Earthlike, the odds are very low they'll have intelligent inhabitants.
He could be wrong, of course. As a critic says in the piece, 'Watson argues that intelligent life will be dismayingly rare: There is no way to prove that is true. On the other hand, if the converse is the case — if the galaxy is home to many intelligences — that is amenable to proof. We should do the experiment." I hope he is wrong. It would just be too sad to be alone in the universe.
Comments
The only thing SADDER, would be to think that we're not only alone in the universe, BUT the "most intelligent" life there is to be had as well.
I think we still have some way to go in that respect.
;)
B.G.
(may the FARCE be with you)
I'm trying to parse your comment, Bob, and it's not working. How could we be the ONLY life in the universe but NOT be the most intelligent?
Some days, I think plankton are smarter than we are. Or at least smarter than I am.
Call it an exercise in futility, my friend...designed to make you do a mental "double take".
And agreed on the plankton comment...especially during "rush hour" (when everyone does anything BUT rush).
;)
B.G.
Oh...the plankton thing...NOT directed at YOU...rather at "they" (collectively speaking).
B.G.
We used to have have such cools hopes for it, too.
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/04/13/how-scientists-visualize-the-real-flying-saucer-men/