| Subject: Re: SETI and the Grail |
| From: "GbH" <Geoff_Hannington@IEE.ORGasm> |
| Date: 19/11/2004, 11:10 |
In news:bxend.46268$QJ3.4012@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com,
Rob Dekker <rob@verific.com> blithered:
Quite an article FranticInFresno ! Thanks for writing down your
thoughts.
Two comments below, on what I think are the two main issues in your
article.
Rob
"FranticInFresno" <MostWanted@NOSPAM_Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1dWkd.20509$6q2.16510@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
SETI and the Grail
[....]
Given the assumption that an extraterrestrial
intelligence (ET) is searching for our signal, they have not yet
detected it
and would be unable to respond to it for at least 100 years from
today.
True, but you are assuming that ET will always wait sending a signal
until they have detected ours.
Current SETI projects are more focused on receiving an ET beacon
signal, like finding a light house flash.
A light house also does not wait transmitting a signal until it can
see a boat.
This does not address the possibility that an ET may be inadvertently
broadcasting their own radio and/or TV signals or actively
broadcasting a
signal for ET pickup by our own SETI receivers.
Exactly. That is a second scenario for SETI. Currently however, we
are not capable
of proving/disproving an earth-like civilisation around Alpha
Centauri, based on
radio/TV/radar broadcast signals alone. We need much bigger antenna's
for that,
and a thorough sustained detection program over a wide spectrum.
Whatever the case may be the Drake Equation does not take into
account new science. There are methods of communication which use
faster that light methods.
FTL communication is only a theory. It's science fiction until we
find evidence.
Consider this :
If FTL communication is possible, ETs could very well have EM
(radio/optical)
beacons for civilizations which did not discover that, transmitting a
message
about how to build an FTL communication device to join the subspace
galactic internet....
OMG intergalactic Spam!
--
The enemy of my enemy is my fiend?
If at first you don't succeed,
maybe skydiving's not for you!