Aliens: Yes Or No?

[Umbran]

Statistically speaking, in a infinite universe, other intelligent life is pretty much assured.

However, it may well be that there are no viable technical solutions to the various issues presented by interstellar travel, such that each such intelligence may be doomed to be alone.

 

[Umbran]

At near-light speeds, the mass of the particle becomes the limiting factor. Light travels faster than all other known particles (or energy waves, depending on which equation is examining it) because it has the lowest mass of all other observable forms of matter (or energy, depending.) If it had less mass, it would travel faster.

Photons are already massless. They can't have less mass.

Mathematically speaking: in our universe, the speed of light is not just a constant--it's a limit.

Well, this is the assumption of Einsteinian relativity, so far backed up by a lot of empirical research and experimentation. Any massless particle will move at C.

Is it possible for there to be other forms of matter or energy with lower mass than light? It's hard to say.

No, it isn't. Photons are massless. If you want less mass than a photon, you're talking about negative mass, which is only questionably a meaningful discussion.

Either way, though, the equations of relativity still hold for negative masses: the speed of light limit would still hold for a negative mass.

 

[Ryujin]

If only we could somehow prove the existence of tachyons, beyond mathematical solutions. Then again if we could do that, interstellar travel might not be an issue anyway.

 

[Blue]

I'd love a poll answer "there are, have been, or will be, intelligent aliens out there".

Space is so big, there are so many possibilities. But we have no idea how rare "intelligent" life is. We as a species can't even agree if dolphins or octopodes (octopuses?) would qualify.

Once we multiply by the length of life-bearing planets potentially existing, that brings up the odds. Though that is assuming that it requires planets.

 

[Ryujin]

I'd love a poll answer "there are, have been, or will be, intelligent aliens out there".

Space is so big, there are so many possibilities. But we have no idea how rare "intelligent" life is. We as a species can't even agree if dolphins or octopodes (octopuses?) would qualify.

Once we multiply by the length of life-bearing planets potentially existing, that brings up the odds. Though that is assuming that it requires planets.

There are a few who seem to already think that octopi are of alien origin.

 

[Corinnguard]

If alien life had visited us in the past, that could explain some of the beings in our various myths and pieces of folklore. Some of them could even have inspired us enough to write them down for a fantasy RPG like D&D. There are a number of beings in D&D that are literally out of this world.

 

[Blue]

There are a few who seem to already think that octopi are of alien origin.

One hypothesis along many possibilities is that all life on this planet are of alien origin, starting from amino acids introduced via a meteor.

But I assume you are talking about in something closer to their current form. I've seen things about that as well.

 

[Ryujin]

One hypothesis along many possibilities is that all life on this planet are of alien origin, starting from amino acids introduced via a meteor.

But I assume you are talking about in something closer to their current form. I've seen things about that as well.

I've read claims that octopi "just appear" at some point. Yeah, I don't buy it.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I've read claims that octopi "just appear" at some point. Yeah, I don't buy it.

Scouts for the Illithid invasion

 

[Umbran]

One hypothesis along many possibilities is that all life on this planet are of alien origin, starting from amino acids introduced via a meteor.

So, amino acids are not "life". Amino acids don't even replicate themselves. There are no amino acids used in terrestrial life that can be shown, or even be reasonably argued, cannot easily arise naturally given a complex chemical soup and some energy (like radiation, volcanism and lightning can provide).

Thus, "amino acids are seen on meteors" doesn't make a statement about the origin of life. It makes a statement on the ubiquity of conditions to create amino acids - and thus that amino-acid-based life could also be ubiquitous.