Why haven't we found aliens yet? (good read)

The question of whether or not we are alone in the galaxy is one that has fascinated everyone from mathematicians to conspiracy theorists. But, if extra-terrestrial life forms are abundant in the Universe - as some people believe - why have they not been in contact?

From Doctor Who to Superman, ET to Marvin the Martian, fiction has regularly brought aliens to Earth as friends or enemies but, as yet, no-one has proved they have ever seen an alien apart from on film or TV.

In 1960, a radio telescope was pointed out into space to listen for signs of extra-terrestrial intelligence, trying to add scientific fact to the question "is anybody out there?" But 50 years on, nobody knows the answer to it. "It's probably the most important question there is," says Dr Frank Drake, who was a pioneer of radio astronomy and is considered the father of Seti - the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. "What does it mean to be a human being? What is our future? Are there other creatures like us? What have they become? What can evolution produce? How far can it go? "It will all come out of learning of extra-terrestrials and this will certainly enrich our lives like nothing else could."

Back in 1961, Drake created a formula to work out how likely it was that we are alone in the galaxy, a formula which still underpins how experts view the question today. The so-called "Drake equation" estimates the amount of civilisations able to communicate with Earth. And the figure Drake and his colleagues estimated in 1961 was 10,000.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/cd533b943214.jpg[/atsimg]
The Drake Equation is a formula designed to find the number of intelligent civilisations in the galaxy, using
The number of stars formed every year
Multiplied by the fraction of those stars with planets
Times the number of those planets in the solar system that could support life
Multiplied by the fraction of those planets on which life appears
Multiplied by the fraction of those life-bearing planets on which intelligence arises
Times the fraction of those that would become technologically advanced with a desire to communicate Multiplied by the length of time that they continue to transmit detectable signals into space

Dr Drake has a more simple answer to why life hasn't been found: "We just haven't tried enough,"
Source: www.bbc.co.uk...

Please go to the source artcle for the complete read and info.

I always like these types of articles. They make one think-or rethink-the topic of Aliens and/or life outside of the Earth realm. Since joining ATS, many things have changed in me. Especially in the area of Space Exploration and/or UFO-Alien existence.

I go from one side to the other. Yes they exist... okay. Well, I think of it this way. We, humans, have already proven that life can exist off of Earth (by our own Space adventures, moon landings, space station etc. LIFE off of the planet earth. Can be Done.

From there I expand it to. What Alien make up will we find/how different are we really? Do they have emotions, display hate, anger, vengence, love, kindness, compassion, lust, greed, etc etc etc. Are the effects of our gravity effecting them and, if so, how? Do they have a One God system? Do they believe in God? Are they are God (somehow?).

I think you got the picture. But, I do see it this way currently. We, Humans< are the only known aliens in Space with document evidence to back up the claim.

But, out of this article, the thing I like and agree with most is Drakes statement: "We just haven't tried enough,"

I hope I live to see the day when it is let known that they exist. And, I mean made known by them and not some gov't that thinks we are ready and can handle the news of aliens/Ufos etc.

It's not like looking for a monkey wrench in your garage, y'know.

The article is to drum up audience for a TV show tonight on BBC 4 covering the drake equation. 8pm GMT. Should be on iplayer when the broadcast finishes.

Because they are among us and they know everything about us.

Originally posted by realitydiscovered
Because they are among us and they know everything about us.

reply to post by FOXMULDER147


I have seen garages, id rather look for intelligent life in space than for a monkey wrench in some of the garages I have seen. The likelyhood that intelligent life is actually there is greater too .

the reason we the common citizen haven't knowledge of ET, is the government wont tell and ET is smarter than everyone on the blue marble

It fails to account for
-civilizations come and gone.
-us being in an intentional or unintentional bubble where we are not seeing what is really out there.
-civilizations which have been superceded by more violent cultures and/or eliminated.


It is an excellent starting point. However, it may not be the entire answer.

One reason I think we have not made contact is because we humans think sending radio waves out into space is the best option for making contact. Who is to say other civilizations use radio waves too? Maybe they use some other means of communication other than "primitave radio waves". Until we find another way of sending messages, I think we'll be calling all the wrong numbers.

How do we know they haven't?

Oooh, oooh, I know this one!!!!

The aliens are not finished probing us yet.

Or harvesting stem cells, implanting 'things' or any other of the myriad of stories from abductees.

Nice OP Anon, Star and Flag!

I saw what I saw. At least for me I have no need of them, but they are here
and they must be into my considerations.

reply to post by yeahright


Tis true. There are far too many variables that are not taken into consideration with that formula. Then there are variables that we have not even discovered yet.

reply to post by CastleMadeOfSand


Unless aliens have found something other than the electromagnetic spectrum to communicate, which in itself is unlikely, then radio waves would make an excellent candidate. Radio waves are technically the longest wavelengths and can travel the greatest distances, and the Earth's atmosphere happens to be transparent to a good portion of radio, which means we can easily receive them without distortion. Granted, there are a lot of radio emitters in space so it would be hard to tell what is astronomical in nature and what is artificial.

we have found aliens already
We just don't acknowledge them as Alien life forms.

i submit that every diverse creature or microbe that inhabits the Earth are the types
of creatures that could inhabit other planets of similar scale ...throughout the Galaxies

a mole on Earth may have a cousin type of mole on another biosphere...or some type of
evolutionary variation... Earthlings need to understand all the vagaries of Earth's denizens
to have a grasp of what alien creatures would be like...

we are just one Oasis in a gigantic cosmic desert

God I have seen them in real life, I KNOW that they exist. I am not the only one, yet these kinds of papers simply make me shake my head in shame that we cant simply get it all out in the open and lets the chips fall where they may.

Originally posted by qalameid
reply to post by CastleMadeOfSand

 

Unless aliens have found something other than the electromagnetic spectrum to communicate, which in itself is unlikely,

Unlikely? Even after perhaps millions of years of evolution? I'd say you are just making a weak argument based upon an arbitrary and highly implausible assumption.

Originally posted by qalameid
then radio waves would make an excellent candidate. Radio waves are technically the longest wavelengths and can travel the greatest distances, and the Earth's atmosphere happens to be transparent to a good portion of radio, which means we can easily receive them without distortion. Granted, there are a lot of radio emitters in space so it would be hard to tell what is astronomical in nature and what is artificial.

Radio waves, huh? You mean those waves that take years to cross distances to the nearest stars? LOL! I think ET is too intelligent ever to use such impractical forms of communication. If he did, he could be dead before the message got home. How about telepathy? It's instantaneous because it is not transmitted as a physical signal. Don't believe in telepathy? Well, that does not mean it doesn't exist, does it? Perhaps, it really is the ETs' favourite form of communication.

Originally posted by anon72

We, humans, have already proven that life can exist off of Earth (by our own Space adventures, moon landings, space station etc. LIFE off of the planet earth. Can be Done.

I hope I live to see the day when it is let known that they exist.

Well anon72, here is someone who actually personally experienced such space adventures and even experienced a moon landing, and if you will take the time to listen to what he is saying in this interview it could be that your hope to live to see the day when it is let known that they exist did become true.
But that entirely depends on if you would believe what that man said of course.

Dr. Edgar Mitchell UFO interview on Kerrang Radio 23 july 2008

reply to post by micpsi


Telepathy? Really? So by that logic you should believe in God then, since you cannot disprove it's existence. Actually, the aliens are probably sentient sour patch kids from a distant multiverse, and they want to share with us the significance of Asian culture, as the Asian continent is really a gigantic spaceship they planted into the Earth's surface before the Big Bang. Don't believe it?

Anyway. Yes, even after millions of years, I don't think aliens would be able to destroy the limits of the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves, like gamma, are the infinite end of the spectrum. All we would do is find a way to rename parts we find significant. And radio waves travel as fast as any other form of light. They also do not get absorbed by molecular clouds/dust as easily as UV/violet/visible and so on.

And who's to say aliens have gone far beyond their own planet or system? It's foolish to speculate in earnest on what we don't know and can't back up with evidence - that's the realm of movies, which is entertainment. I prefer to stick to science. If it something that is currently beyond our understanding, like telepathy or sentient candies, I would not speculate as there is no evidence of it. It's that simple. Personally, I believe that alien life does exist. It's simply a matter of numbers. Whether they've been here or not, I don't know but I lean towards the side of "no".