Is Earth really a young planet in an old universe- and what are the implications?

Of course it would have to be as far as post-bang entropy theories. But scientists often say our Sol, our planet, or civilization is very "late" compared to most all other solar systems, planets, and possible civilizations that would have formed and evolved, way, wayyyy before our very late appearance.

I remember hearing the cliche phrase about Earth being formed a stroke before midnite if all our universe's or dimension's time in existence was the rest of the clock a few times.

I guess thats still relative but still a decent metaphor for Earth's age in the universe. Do you believe in that, or are you more leaning toward time being not so important or definitiive anyways? and all being of the same big bang stardust singularity anyways.

Earth, humans aren't a product of time or dimensional travel are we? *string theory goes here, lol*

Anyways what are the implications? If we are the new guys in an old neighborhood...
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?

The presence of complex atoms in the Solar System suggest that the Sun is at least a third generation star. The first crop of stars would initially have been composed entirely of hydrogen, so it is unlikely that there was any sort of life as we know it. Second generation stars may have had rocky planets, but most of them have since gone nova or cooled into their terminal white dwarf phase. Earth may be one of the few planets where life as we know it can have evolved, with the metallurgical resources necessary for our sort of technology. In other words, despite the vastness of the Universe, we may be the only inhabitants in our little neighborhood.

reply to post by BiggerPicture


From what I understand of the subject, which is very little, our star is considered a second (or even perhaps a third) generation star. Our star was created when an even bigger earlier star exploded and the gas and energy from that exploding star makes up everything in the planets and our newer moderately sized sun. In actuality our sun has been around about half of its life expectancy, or roughly 4-5 billion years.

When it comes to contacting other intelligent life there are many many MANY variables at play beyond just the age of the Universe in relation to the age of our solar system. Keep in mind that only in the last century have we been broadcasting radio signals out to the cosmos and that even a highly intelligent species might never figure out a way to get to Earth (interstellar distances being what they are). Many many variables to consider.

There's a precious, delicate serenity (and concern) looking at Earth and earthlings as that elusive and unique in this vast universe.

On the other hand, if earth is one of the latest planets to form late and evolve so quickly into our only known sign of life in the universe so far, is it possibly we are terraformed (got that idea from the terrarium thread) by ancients?

Those are 2 very extreme possibilities of the peculiarity of our universal rarity (or random insignificance)

Some people believe/consider the bible, some the sumerian & other truly ancient texts,

and seems quite many people simply decide believe or postulate not much in our origin, at all.

What if we are being visited? Secret alien treaties, Government cover ups, UFOs, Ancient aliens!

Our civilization does not have inter stellar travel because we are a young planet, I reckon we have been visited in the past and still are visited by more advance civilizations from older planets!

The implications are that once we began to communicate with or discover extraterrestrial life (publically), we will have to acknowledge we are the least advanced civilization, being on one of the youngest planets.

That should help get rid of some of our human arrogance.

Originally posted by BiggerPicture
There's a precious, delicate serenity (and concern) looking at Earth and earthlings as that elusive and unique in this vast universe.

On the other hand, if earth is one of the latest planets to form late and evolve so quickly into our only known sign of life in the universe so far, is it possibly we are terraformed (got that idea from the terrarium thread) by ancients?

Those are 2 very extreme possibilities of the peculiarity of our universal rarity (or random insignificance)

Some people believe/consider the bible, some the sumerian & other truly ancient texts,

and seems quite many people simply decide believe or postulate not much in our origin, at all.

STAR

I believe (as do other Ancient Alien Theorists do) that our planet was terraformed by a much more advanced race of beings, who also created humankind for the purposes of slavery. This is backed by the Holy Bible itself; its just that Christians (and the like) are uncomfortable about the idea that their 'god' is a tangible one, and is no longer here, intervening in their lives.

"God CREATED the earth."

Obviously planets form on their own with no divine intervention; 'created' here implies the terraforming of the planet, making it suitable for their species.

'Let US make mankind in OUR image, according to OUR likeness".

These are not typos and the words 'us' and 'our' are seen numerous time throughout the bible when referring to the gods (plural)....God=Extraterrestrial being with advanced technology

reply to post by BiggerPicture

Anyways what are the implications? If we are the new guys in an old neighborhood...
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?

All around you, friend. The Universe is teeming with life. We're now finding, as physicist and theorist Carl Sagan predicted twenty years ago, that there are planets in orbit about other stars. San Francisco State astronomers Geoffrey Marcy and Paul Butler alone have discovered twelve planets outside of our solar system. It seems that planet formation is not as improbable as it was once thought. However, it seems that the existence of other planets, and intelligent life on those planets, renders the Christian dogma of redemption and salvation by Christ very problematic. As we learn more about the existence of other planets, and possibly life on those planets, our quaint notions of Creation along with our hubris of thinking of ourselves as being the center of the universe, will become abandoned to the history of superstition.

Originally posted by BiggerPicture

WHERE IS EVERYBODY?

When I think about the skeptical folks, I have to say, that their point of view, that life on earth is unique because of its difficult development and conditions and just evolved by coincidence is as high as the chance, that the universe is full of (maybe intelligent) life and our milky way is the only galaxy that has just one planet with intelligent lifeforms on it or actually our solar system is still just undiscovered by aliens
I know, sounds a little bit strange, but most people just believe in coincidences! So I believe in the earth just has luck or bad luck depending on whether aliens are friendly or hostile.

Well, the Earth is almost 1/3 as old as the Universe: 4.5 billion years old, vs. a 13.75 billion years old estimate for the age of the Universe. I think you could maybe call it a middle-aged planet, if you want to compare it to human lifespans (which is really kind of a meaningless comparison, I'll admit).

But it has been around long enough to exist in a solar system that is well beyond the late heavy bombardment stage of development, where life can not only take root but will have time to stabilize and flourish. To me a young planet would be anything in maybe the 1-2 and maybe 3 billion year old range.

My bad, thanks for pointing that out. come to think of it, i am remembering the clock analogy wrong, and it was just US that appeared the last stroke before the universe's age/timeline portrayed by the hands of time.

which makes it even more of a double whammy as to why are we currently so far behind in technology, yet our ancestors and traces of advanced technology (ie, giza pyramid places directly at the geographic center of all earths land mass and the "greal line" of civilization a line drawn over the globe passes thru giza pyramid as well as the bulk of discernable megalithic structures oh and the mayane getting the leap year right to a 365 days with an eight of a second yet the chinese year having some 380 days etc etc

are we intentionally backward NOW for (a) reason(s) r beyond us but for our better good? likewise we have stories of a future Armageddon in the biblical stories, however we have stories of a nuclear 'Armaghada' that occured some 10,000 years ago as per the Vedic scriptures.