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Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

news.mit.edu

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Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#11

Post by ams6110 »

devoply wrote: post #8
Johnny555 wrote: post #5

especially if those astronomers live in nearby systems, such as around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, or TRAPPIST-1, a star about 40 light-years away that hosts seven exoplanets, three of which are potentially habitable. If the signal is spotted from either of these nearby systems, the study finds, the same megawatt laser could be used to send a brief message in the form of pulses similar to Morse code.…

I would venture a guess that all so-called intelligent life seeks make use of anything that it can get its hands on and order it according to its will. If this is true, then you really don't ever want to meet other intelligent life. At best they would integrate you into their economic system, just like we integrate people with lower intelligence into our economic system... or underdeveloped countries for that matter.…

If there is life in the Proxima Centauri system, and it has the technological capability to get to the Earth, I think they already know about us.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#12

Post by bgee »

andrewljohnson wrote: post #3

I prefer a Dark Forest strategy for approaching the universe. If anything, we should be thinking about how to emit less radiation that can be traced back to Earth into space. Best case: aliens send us technology via morse code. Worst case: relativistic projectile from advanced civilization destroys Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Forest

was thinking exactly this when I saw the title.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#13

Post by Johnny555 »

scott113341 wrote: post #10
Johnny555 wrote: post #5

especially if those astronomers live in nearby systems, such as around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, or TRAPPIST-1, a star about 40 light-years away that hosts seven exoplanets, three of which are potentially habitable. If the signal is spotted from either of these nearby systems, the study finds, the same megawatt laser could be used to send a brief message in the form of pulses similar to Morse code.…

> such as around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, or TRAPPIST-1, a star about 40 light-years away... I don't think they are asserting that the laser beam travels faster than the speed of light. I think they are referring to Proxima Centauri being about 4 light-years away from Earth [0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxima_Centauri

That may be what they meant, but that's not what they said, they mentioned 2 systems, one is 40 light years away, and said "...If the signal is spotted from either of these nearby systems..."

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#14

Post by seiferteric »

andrewljohnson wrote: post #3

I prefer a Dark Forest strategy for approaching the universe. If anything, we should be thinking about how to emit less radiation that can be traced back to Earth into space. Best case: aliens send us technology via morse code. Worst case: relativistic projectile from advanced civilization destroys Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Forest

At this point I think I would rather take our chances with the aliens since we are going to destroy ourselves anyway.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#15

Post by maxxxxx »

Johnny555 wrote: post #9
eloff wrote: post #4

This seems to me like shining a laser pointer randomly up into the sky and hoping someone from a passing plane sees it? Is this practical given the vastness of space and the directionaality of this laser?

Let's hope that there are no interstellar laws against shining lasers at other star systems.

The Vogons may come by and destroy Earth.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#16

Post by sean2 »

ams6110 wrote: post #11
devoply wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would venture a guess that all so-called intelligent life seeks make use of anything that it can get its hands on and order it according to its will. If this is true, then you really don't ever want to meet other intelligent life. At best they would integrate you into their economic system, just like we integrate people with lower intelligence into our economic system... or underdeveloped countries for that matter.…

If there is life in the Proxima Centauri system, and it has the technological capability to get to the Earth, I think they already know about us.

Serious question: how could they already know about us?

Are you simply assuming they have advanced signal detection technologies that match their space fairing capability?

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#17

Post by JohnJamesRambo »

devoply wrote: post #8
Johnny555 wrote: post #5

especially if those astronomers live in nearby systems, such as around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, or TRAPPIST-1, a star about 40 light-years away that hosts seven exoplanets, three of which are potentially habitable. If the signal is spotted from either of these nearby systems, the study finds, the same megawatt laser could be used to send a brief message in the form of pulses similar to Morse code.…

I would venture a guess that all so-called intelligent life seeks make use of anything that it can get its hands on and order it according to its will. If this is true, then you really don't ever want to meet other intelligent life. At best they would integrate you into their economic system, just like we integrate people with lower intelligence into our economic system... or underdeveloped countries for that matter.…

That’s a closed minded view of intelligence. There’s a level above exploitation where you value other intelligent life and cherish it.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#18

Post by ALittleLight »

seiferteric wrote: post #14
andrewljohnson wrote: post #3

I prefer a Dark Forest strategy for approaching the universe. If anything, we should be thinking about how to emit less radiation that can be traced back to Earth into space. Best case: aliens send us technology via morse code. Worst case: relativistic projectile from advanced civilization destroys Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Forest

At this point I think I would rather take our chances with the aliens since we are going to destroy ourselves anyway.

For being such a cynic about humanity you're awfully optimistic about aliens.

Re: Existing laser tech could be used for “porch light” to attract alien astronomers

#20

Post by true_tuna »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #17
devoply wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would venture a guess that all so-called intelligent life seeks make use of anything that it can get its hands on and order it according to its will. If this is true, then you really don't ever want to meet other intelligent life. At best they would integrate you into their economic system, just like we integrate people with lower intelligence into our economic system... or underdeveloped countries for that matter.…

That’s a closed minded view of intelligence. There’s a level above exploitation where you value other intelligent life and cherish it.

I haven’t seen much of that from available examples.
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