http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=486
Edg --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung <no_re...@...> wrote: > > I'm aware of the math of light speed is as you've reported below, but even > now many avenues for "getting around" this "law" are being touted. If > anything, worm holes, for instance. > > Of course a worm hole needs a type II civilization to build, and we're at > least a thousand years from that ability. But, the universe is 13 billion > years old, so a type II civilization could have been achieved BILLIONS of > years before the Earth even was created. > > In short, there's been enough time for the universe to have produced, what? > -- how about ALL KNOWNLEDGE and ALL POWER. If FTL speed is possible, it's > been figured out long ago. Even without the possibility, the worm hole > concept could be, as in the film, Contact, already in place and so ancient > they can't even remember who invented the system. All this seems to have > been tossed aside in Hawking's thinking when he comes out with "be afraid." > > Edg > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Hugo" <fintlewoodlewix@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I was shocked at this statement. It shows that he doesn't think we'll > > > ever find a way to go faster than the speed of light and so must > > > necessarily imagine huge spaceship worlds that roam space and need raw > > > materials now and then. > > > > > > It is surprising that he, of all folks, would be so unimaginative when > > > it comes to the ways to explore space. I maintain that any culture that > > > could create an interstellar ship would have the ability to transmute > > > matter into any element or be able to mine material from almost empty > > > space or get all they want from comets etc. > > > > > > There's so many planets out there that Earth, being in the suburbs of > > > the galaxy, would not be the first choice. I do agree that if the speed > > > of light is a true limit, then world sized ships are a possibility, but > > > self-cloning robots the size of dust particles are a better way to > > > explore. Hawking's right about aliens being dangerous in that their > > > mindsets must be, well, alien, and that bodes for a lot of friction. > > > > > > If faster than light speed is achieved, one has to at least assume that > > > that species will be at minimum thousands of years advanced beyond our > > > science and how then could they not be able to transmute elements at > > > will? > > > > > > Given the amount of planets we've already found with our poor > > > instruments, it seems ever more likely that life is exceedingly abundant > > > out there, and if so, then any space farers will have laws to obey, > > > prime directives etc. On the whole, I'd score a FAIL for Hawking -- he > > > doesn't seem to have even scanned the possibilities > > > > You mean he doesn't seem to have watched Star Trek? > > > > There is actually a very good reason why breaking light speed > > isn't possible, it's to do with the conversion of matter into > > energy and the relationship of mass to speed. To accelerate a > > single particle of matter to light speed would require using > > every particle in existence (including the one you are trying > > to move) as fuel. Which is a bit of an obstacle. > > > > But I can assure you he has considered it, I've read his book > > A brief history of time, well most of it. I doubt anyone gets > > past the bit about how quarks have to be spun round between > > 9 & 14 times before you see the same side again. Luckily it > > isn't possible to do this or see it if it was so it saves you > > the trouble of going mad about what a funny old world it is! > > > > > > > > .....which is even a > > > bigger FAIL. I'm thinking he just rubber stamps these TV scripts and has > > > almost zero input. > > > > > > Edg > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Jason <jedi_spock@> wrote: > > > > > > > >  > > > >       History has shown that whenever a > > > technological superior civilisation come into contact with an tech > > > inferior civilisation, it has always been disastrous for the > > > technological inferior culture. The crux of the problem had always > > > been resources. > > > > > > > >      Something to ponder about. > > > > > > > > "The enemy aggressor is always pursuing a course of larceny, murder, > > > rapine, and barbarism. We are always moving forward with high mission, a > > > destiny imposed by the deity to regenerate our victims while > > > incidentally capturing their markets, to civilize savage and senile and > > > paranoidal peoples while blundering accidentally into their oil wells or > > > metal mines." > > > > â"John T. Flynn, As We Go Marching(1944) > > > > > > > > --- On Wed, 4/28/10, do.rflex do.rflex@ wrote: > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Stephen Hawking: Aliens may not come in peace > > > > Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 10:03 AM > > > > > > > >  > > > > If intelligent alien life forms do exist out in the vastness of the > > > space, they might not be the friendly cosmic neighbors the people of > > > Earth are looking for, famed British scientist Stephen Hawking says in a > > > new television series chronicling his work to explore the secrets of the > > > universe. > > > > > > > > An advanced spacefaring extraterrestrial civilization could end up > > > wandering the universe in enormous spaceships on the prowl for vital > > > materials after consuming the natural resources of their own world, > > > Hawking explains in an episode of the show "Into the Universe with > > > Stephen Hawking," which premiered Sunday on the Discovery Channel. > > > > > > > > "Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer > > > and colonize whatever planets they could reach," Hawking said. "If so, > > > it makes sense for them to exploit each new planet for material to build > > > more spaceships so they could move on. Who knows what the limits would > > > be?" > > > > > > > > Continue reading: > > > > http://www.csmonito r.com/Science/ 2010/0427/ Stephen-Hawking- > > > Aliens-may- not-come- in-peace > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > >
