Where is everybody? (Fermi paradox)

[trappedslider]

Plus there are no reason to send people there, aside from "just because we can" (which we cannot). No resources to extract that could to justify the expenses to send people there and keep resuplying them. Humans like to migrate and colonize, sure, but we always followed some resources (hence Antarctica being uninhabited).

apparently the common resources that are found in Antarctica are ice, coal, sediments, petroleum, metallic resources, iron, copper, lead, uranium, platinum, and manganese.

 

[Lwaxy]

We probably have no means to detect another species yet - at least not if they are more advanced than we are. They would probably not be using radio anymore. And if they had any way of interstellar travel, we would likely not be able to detect it either. What to look for if you don't know the method used? And if there is no way to go beyond the speed of light, it is likely that most advanced species would just give up the idea of interstellar travel unless maybe with some sort of colony ship (but I kind of doubt that, I can't see anyone sending off a ship on the slim chance of finding a habitable world).

And think about it - if we would be advanced enough to space travel between systems, would we want to contact a species as behind as we are? Especially as aggressive as we are? Yeah probably other species would be as aggressive, but I tend to think it is far more likely that a species that's managed to grow beyond the threat of self destruction would be a rather peaceful group, or at least able to resolve conflicts in a less lethal way. There may even be a first directive like in Star Trek to not make contact with dangerous or yet developing civilizations.

I can't believe we are alone - it would go against all logic. I don't think intelligent life is so common that it would happen in every star system either.

Time will tell, if we don't kill our kind before then.

 

[Nellisir]

I'm of the opinion that a) intelligent life is rare, b) intelligent life that discovers radio is incredibly rare, c) the lifespan of radio usage by a civilization is incredibly incredibly rare.

The human race (homo sapiens sapiens) has been around for more than a hundred thousand years. We've used radio for .1% of that, perhaps.

I also think the pressure to expand will likely diminish with time, so that the costs of interstellar colonization are forever greater than the perceived benefits. There are hurdles to be overcome solving any one of which is beyond us right now.

 

[Kramodlog]

apparently the common resources that are found in Antarctica are ice, coal, sediments, petroleum, metallic resources, iron, copper, lead, uranium, platinum, and manganese.

You can eat those?

 

[Kramodlog]

Sure we can. It's actually fairly easy to colonize the Moon, and we could have done it with 1960's tech, but we don't want to spend the money to do it.

What tech do we have to protect colonist from cosmic raditions? From decalcification and muslce atrophy from low gravity? What tech do we have to help kids grow normally and avoid health problems? What tech do we have to grow food on the Moon. What about growing water? Energy?

 

[Morrus]

What tech do we have to protect colonist from cosmic raditions?

You don't need tech. Water and dirt both block cosmic radiation just fine. It's actually pretty easy; the issue in a spacecraft is just weight. Moon colonization would be in caves, likely, which is completely protected.

From decalcification and muslce atrophy from low gravity? What tech do we have to help kids grow normally and avoid health problems?

Yeah, that sort of stuff is a real problem. I have no idea how you'd get around that.

What tech do we have to grow food on the Moon. What about growing water? Energy?

I don't feel like those are desperately difficult. Greenhouses, solar energy, and there's loads of ice on the moon. Again, more a cost issue to set up and an engineering challenge than a major technological leap. Plus a reason to do it.

 

[The_Silversword]

You can eat those?

I suppose you could, but I wouldnt recommend it.

 

[trappedslider]

You can eat those?

you jsut said "some resources" you never said food specifically

 

[Kramodlog]

you jsut said "some resources" you never said food specifically

If your intellectually dishonest sure.

 

[Umbran]

What tech do we have to protect colonist from cosmic raditions?

On the Moon? They have this stuff called "rock".

From decalcification and muslce atrophy from low gravity?

Note that the Moon is not microgravity, as seen on the ISS. We know some of the effects of microgravity, but have not tested long-term effects of lower gravity on the human body - for all we know it may not be all that bad on the Moon - we'd have to try it to find out. Getting the exercise required to prevent atrophy should be considerably easier than dong the same in orbit.

What tech do we have to help kids grow normally and avoid health problems?

That one remains to be seen, of course.

What tech do we have to grow food on the Moon.

Hydroponics, for one. Hauling up some bulk organic matter can jump start more traditional farming, which then becomes self-sustaining.

What about growing water?

There's increasing evidence that the Moon does have water - bound up in silicate minerals and/or in ice reservoirs below the surface. Boosting it from Earth might be expensive, but sending a probe out to a small comet with a low-g thruster to alter its orbit to import the stuff to the Moon might be economical.

Energy?

Solar power is certainly an option. Nuclear power is also a reasonable candidate.