redlightning
Banned
What happens if during the 2000s microbial life is found on a moon in the Solar System?
What happens if during the 2000s microbial life is found on a moon in the Solar System?
To me, that's kind of assuming the Fermi Paradox works out a certain way.Complex or simple? I.e. eukaryotic-type or prokaryotic-type?
Because if it's prokaryotic, it's interesting, it's a spur to science. But if it's eukaryotic, evolved independently, you have an insidious meme in the scientific community: that one of the prime Great Filter candidates, the high unlikelihood of simple cells becoming complex, and thence multicellular, does not exist behind us. Thus, the Great Filter is in front of us. Far, far more doubts and second guessing about every new tech in the scientific community.
Because if eukaryotic life is common, we're most likely fucked.
Because if eukaryotic life is common, we're most likely fucked.
Why? Aliens likely?
In this scenario, we have found other eukaryotic life within our system. If we have already found complex life within our own system, it can be inferred that complex life likely exists within many other (and, if one postulates that our solar system is average/unexceptional/mediocre, then complex life likely exists within a majority of the universe's solar systems) solar systems. But if complex life is so common, then why haven't we encountered other intelligent species? Clearly, there is some unseen "filter" just over the horizon which will prevent us from becoming a space-faring, colonizing race. Extinction.
Complex or simple? I.e. eukaryotic-type or prokaryotic-type?
Because if it's prokaryotic, it's interesting, it's a spur to science. But if it's eukaryotic, evolved independently, you have an insidious meme in the scientific community: that one of the prime Great Filter candidates, the high unlikelihood of simple cells becoming complex, and thence multicellular, does not exist behind us. Thus, the Great Filter is in front of us. Far, far more doubts and second guessing about every new tech in the scientific community.
Because if eukaryotic life is common, we're most likely fucked.
Clearly, there is some unseen "filter" just over the horizon which will prevent us from becoming a space-faring, colonizing race. Extinction.
In this scenario, we have found other eukaryotic life within our system. If we have already found complex life within our own system, it can be inferred that complex life likely exists within many other (and, if one postulates that our solar system is average/unexceptional/mediocre, then complex life likely exists within a majority of the universe's solar systems) solar systems. But if complex life is so common, then why haven't we encountered other intelligent species? Clearly, there is some unseen "filter" just over the horizon which will prevent us from becoming a space-faring, colonizing race. Extinction.
Or perhaps the distances and energy requirements to cross said distances are so huge that most species don't even bother.
In this scenario, we have found other eukaryotic life within our system. If we have already found complex life within our own system, it can be inferred that complex life likely exists within many other (and, if one postulates that our solar system is average/unexceptional/mediocre, then complex life likely exists within a majority of the universe's solar systems) solar systems. But if complex life is so common, then why haven't we encountered other intelligent species? Clearly, there is some unseen "filter" just over the horizon which will prevent us from becoming a space-faring, colonizing race. Extinction.
Subsurface oceans and deep interiors of medium-sized outer planet satellites
and large trans-neptunian objects
The detection of induced magnetic fields in the vicinity of the jovian satellites Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto is one of the most surprising
findings of the Galileo mission to Jupiter. The observed magnetic signature cannot be generated in solid ice or in silicate rock. It rather suggests
the existence of electrically conducting reservoirs of liquid water beneath the satellites’ outermost icy shells that may contain even more water
than all terrestrial oceans combined. The maintenance of liquid water layers is closely related to the internal structure, composition, and thermal
state of the corresponding satellite interior. In this study we investigate the possibility of subsurface oceans in the medium-sized icy satellites and
the largest trans-neptunian objects (TNO’s). Controlling parameters for subsurface ocean formation are the radiogenic heating rate of the silicate
component and the effectiveness of the heat transfer to the surface. Furthermore, the melting temperature of ice will be significantly reduced by
small amounts of salts and/or incorporated volatiles such as methane and ammonia that are highly abundant in the outer Solar System. Based on the
assumption that the satellites are differentiated and using an equilibrium condition between the heat production rate in the rocky cores and the heat
loss through the ice shell, we find that subsurface oceans are possible on Rhea, Titania, Oberon, Triton, and Pluto and on the largest TNO’s 2003
UB313, Sedna, and 2004 DW. Subsurface oceans can even exist if only small amounts of ammonia are available. The liquid subsurface reservoirs
are located deeply underneath an ice-I shell of more than 100 km thickness. However, they may be indirectly detectable by their interaction with
the surrounding magnetic fields and charged particles and by the magnitude of a satellite’s response to tides exerted by the primary. The latter is
strongly dependent on the occurrence of a subsurface ocean which provides greater flexibility to a satellite’s rigid outer ice shell.
Hows about all species create artificial intelligences that wipe them out before interstellar travel becomes practical, meaning that it's the AI's develop interstellar travel, but they won't speak to meat?Or perhaps the distances and energy requirements to cross said distances are so huge that most species don't even bother.
In this scenario, we have found other eukaryotic life within our system. If we have already found complex life within our own system, it can be inferred that complex life likely exists within many other (and, if one postulates that our solar system is average/unexceptional/mediocre, then complex life likely exists within a majority of the universe's solar systems) solar systems. But if complex life is so common, then why haven't we encountered other intelligent species? Clearly, there is some unseen "filter" just over the horizon which will prevent us from becoming a space-faring, colonizing race. Extinction.
Point very well taken. There is nothing inevitable about our specific type of verbal, self-reflexive intelligence.. . . we don't assume complex life will inevitably develop the camouflage of Cameleon or the speed of a Cheetah, what about Sapience makes it so damn inevitable? . . .