Space, Its Huge

[You suck and have no life 203]

Silicon based organic beings?

[Victoreem the V of doom 30]

Getting past the language barrier would be a pain, they might not even communicate vocally. They might use pheromones and learning to distinguish one alien fart from another may be a little tough.

[Oww My Nose 19]

Getting past the language barrier would be a pain, they might not even communicate vocally. They might use pheromones and learning to distinguish one alien fart from another may be a little tough.

There was an essay written about this, actually. Assuming extra terrestrial life exists, and communicates vocally, there's a good chance that we'll never be able to understand them anyways, since language is so tightly knit with our civilization. Even if we could translate what they're saying into (lets say) English, there's no guarantee it would make sense, since the grammar and mannerisms might be totally different.

The full essay is at http://io9.com/5551357/alien-languages-not-human

And just a bonus that I found while looking for that article

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2010/02/invisible-extraterrestrials-one-of-worlds-leading-physicist-says-they-could-exist-in-forms-we-cant-c.html

[locomotive 15]

Haha. I saw that yesterday. The video went through way too fast. I didn't know that our solar system was 1 light day across. Thats pretty freaking big in itself.

Yeah the pictures you posted are actually better because they give the viewers time to process just how big this whole thing is so yeah

[You suck and have no life 203]

There was an essay written about this, actually. Assuming extra terrestrial life exists, and communicates vocally, there's a good chance that we'll never be able to understand them anyways, since language is so tightly knit with our civilization. Even if we could translate what they're saying into (lets say) English, there's no guarantee it would make sense, since the grammar and mannerisms might be totally different.

I highly doubt that. So what if their grammar and culture is different. Take for example "I eat food". That something all species will need to say. How many ways are there to say it? 1. I eat food 2. Food I eat.

Thats just a very basic example but even if they didn't have a vocal language and spoke purely of 128 bit encrypted pulses, given the level of our supercomputers, its not that hard to decipher a language.

Other thoughts.

Neurobiology:

It doesnt matter how our brain is wired. If its a signal, and it can be measured, and it has a pattern, then our computers can do the rest.

Borrowing Words:

Japan didn't have hamburgers. How hard was it for them to borrow "Han ba ga"?

Chemical Language:

How many different number of chemicals can one species make? Tens, maybe hundreds max? Not that hard to decipher. I know I can just make one. Its a fart gas. If your primary mode of communication is through chemicals, you are probably a dumb insect. Shooting out stinky sacs of gas is probably not a fast way to communicate. Look at the earth ones. Usually the only scent being sent out are the ones that tell your mates that you are horny. Thats about it. How hard is it to decipher that?

My responses are scattered. The article just pretty explains why alien language is different. But it doesnt give any arguments around the fact that we cant decipher it. Thats your misinterpretation. Apparently, you are still stupid as usual.

[Oww My Nose 19]

Who says if you're hungry, you say I want food. What if you make a reference to some guy who's famous in your cultures history for being hungry. It's obscure, but not outside the realm of possibility.

There's no guarantee that just because what makes sense for us makes sense everywhere in the universe. There are an infinite number of ways for civilized species to evolve, same for language.

We know cats and dogs make vocalizations, they might be for communication, but we have no idea what they're saying.

[You suck and have no life 203]

Who says if you're hungry, you say I want food. What if you make a reference to some guy who's famous in your cultures history for being hungry. It's obscure, but not outside the realm of possibility.

There's no guarantee that just because what makes sense for us makes sense everywhere in the universe. There are an infinite number of ways for civilized species to evolve, same for language.

We know cats and dogs make vocalizations, they might be for communication, but we have no idea what they're saying.

Lets say in an alien race, if you are hungry, you say "i love to pee in my own butthole". It doesnt matter what they say, we would still be able to decipher it because there is a pattern.

The reason we dont understand dogs is because they don't have a language. Its just a buncha barks. You are referencing intelligence species. Not stupid one.

[Oww My Nose 19]

How about dolphins then? They are intelligent.

Again, you're missing the point. There have to be ways of communicating that we just don't understand. Just because we think we can understand anything, doesn't mean we can.

[Victoreem the V of doom 30]

Yeah but there are so many ways to say one thing. There are 42806 languages in the world according to wiki, and I assume that counts all known languages including dead ones. That's at least 42806 ways to say "I eat food".

Just in English

1.I eat food

2.I gorge myself

3.consume sustenance

4.fill stomach

5.gain nutrients

another example is give us your John Handcock. What immigrant who understands basic English would know what that means without the sign language provided when giving him the pen.

Much of our language is sign language we just don't think about it much (maybe that's just the Italian in me)

While I'm sure that its possible to decipher an alien language I don't think we could communicate in theirs unless its very similar to our vocal communication.

district 9 for example the aliens and humans understood each other enough to

communicate but they couldn't speak the language of the other.

[Dashuu 11]

The truth of the matter is, for us to interact with another intelligent species, they'll have to come to us or we'll go to them. Either way, we're looking at what will likely be several years of observation before first contact. If we're lucky, that alien species will be at least as advanced as we are. With their own methods for deciphering universal law. This likely means we'll both have our own mathematical formulas, that are based on universal physics. If we both have mathematical technologies, they'll most likely be based on the same principles. Numbers are numbers, they will represent the same patterns and formulas regardless of "name" or "qualifier". If we both at least have a mathematical system, we will have a method to develop communication on a deeper level. We'll likely never have a full true understanding of their language without their history, but look at all the examples of human exchange despite lingual barriers... It'll be difficult at first, but within a hundred years of contact, we should be able to achieve a workable level of communication.

[Krash 1,040]

Some big shot scientist actually made a formula to calculate the chances of life on other planets.

Ah found it, the Drake Equation

N = ( R* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc) x L

Found here.

The way i see it is what makes us so special? Why should we be the only life out there. Its boggling to think of everything we know of, everything weve learned through telescopes and thousands of years of knowledge about the universe, to think about how that started, and throw it out the window. For instance, think of what created the universe, how big is it. Oh and i am atheist/agnostic, dont want to come off all religious.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Krash

[Brokkoly 11]

based on the amount of species of plants and animals on earth, i think that in the infinite universe, if we were to meet another form of life, it's physical makeup would be similar to ours if its planet's conditions were similar, or they could be the complete opposite of us. Now, on the subject of culture, think of the internet, and all of the information that is available and being transmitted wirelessly. What are aliens going to see if the internet is the first thing they see? they are going to see alot of our culture, but can they interpret it? Also, think of how long it would take to communicate between the two cultures, by the time they got our message of hello, our culture would have made thousands of years of progress, while once their message got back to us, both cultures would have progressed far beyond what they were when they sent out the messages, so we would get a view of 100k year old planet blorch, and our planet would have advanced 200k years past what it was when we first sent out the information in the first place. (and this is all assuming we sent the messages in the right direction)

[You suck and have no life 203]

Its not that hard to learn a culture. I came to the US in 1989. Within a year, I already knew how to moon walk and crab my crotch. Within 2 years I spoke English just as good as the other kids.

[locomotive 15]

eh.. well their are trillions and trillions of stars in the universe one of them is bound to have some sort of extraterrestrial life and by the time we find them or they find us I am sure we will find some way to communicate with them. and I am a Muslim and in my religion it doesn't say that god only created humans beings, but it doesn't say he created aliens either. So I am open to anything really.

[You suck and have no life 203]

youtube not working?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60UHKgHnqNo

?v=60UHKgHnqNo

[locomotive 15]

yeah these are extremists they interpret the quran in there own retarded ways. I wont argue against you because well I have no argument really after 911 but I read the quran and all I cant say is no 911/all the other stupid killings and terrorist acts that have been happening have nothing to do with the words written in the quran.

[You suck and have no life 203]

If you were born in India, you would probably believe in Hinduism.

If you were born in the middle east, you probably believe in Islam.

If you were born in the Viking Age, you would probably believe in Thor.

Which religion is correct? None. Your religion is nothing more than indoctrination by your stupid parents. If you were born in a different time and place, you would have a totally different religion. If you truly want to know whats in the universe, why would you read a retarded book written by man thousands of years ago, before the concept of the scientific method. If its not measurable, repeatable, predictable, and congruent with all exiting knowledge, its bullshit. Gtfo.

[You suck and have no life 203]

If you were born in India, you would probably believe in Hinduism.

If you were born in the middle east, you probably believe in Islam.

If you were born in the Viking Age, you would probably believe in Thor.

Which religion is correct? None. Your religion is nothing more than indoctrination by your stupid parents. If you were born in a different time and place, you would have a totally different religion. If you truly want to know whats in the universe, why would you read a retarded book written by man thousands of years ago, before the concept of the scientific method. If its not measurable, repeatable, predictable, and congruent with all exiting knowledge, its bullshit. Gtfo.

[locomotive 15]

First of all I was born in America I have been living in Egypt for the past 3 years only so no.. second of all my parents arnt even muslims so again no and finally my religion doesnt tell me whats in the universe, hubble does that, it just gives me something to belive in and morals to guild me. so dont go swearing around and acting all smart, cause its really sad. nothing more....

[You suck and have no life 203]

1. religion doesnt give you morals.

2. you dont get to pick and choose. if you believe in a religion, then you have to believe in it entirely. If you pick and choose, thats just using your own logic. I can agree with "thou shall not kill" and not have to agree with the "god made the early in 6 days bs".

[Dashuu 11]

I think I heard the origin of religion best said by Patton Oswalt. "Society started with the biggest and the strongest. One great big guy, with the biggest club, who took what he wanted and raped what he wanted. Society took off when someone told that big guy that he'd go to a bad place if he did bad things." My opinion is that religion was the moral backbone to society. The establishment of consequence in a society that could yet afford prisons. Is any one in particular correct? That's up to you. Most served the purpose of uniting people towards a common goal though, which is usually rather useful.

[SatansDankWeed 2]

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?â€

-Epicurus 260 BCE

[Oww My Nose 19]

K GUYZ GOD JUS LIKES GIVING PEOPLE TRIALS 2 PROVE THEMSLEVES CUZ IF U SUFFER MORE IN THIS WORLD U PROSPRE MORE IN THE AFTERLIFE

I'M NOT YELING HOW DO I MAKE THE A IN A SQUARE TURN OFF?

[Krash 1,040]

Which religion is correct? None. Your religion is nothing more than indoctrination by your stupid parents. If you were born in a different time and place, you would have a totally different religion. If you truly want to know whats in the universe, why would you read a retarded book written by man thousands of years ago, before the concept of the scientific method. If its not measurable, repeatable, predictable, and congruent with all exiting knowledge, its bullshit. Gtfo.

This. But its not a fight i like to have with my friends. I just nod my head and say what they want to hear.