Flare Sci-Fi Forums: ET: No Phone signal to Home

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Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Good thing that stuff called "Technology" is.

Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :

Depending on what kind of mood the aliens who might otherwise track us down are in... this could be a good thing.

Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

You know, if we're becoming undetectable due to all the digital signal transmissions, it makes you wonder if any aliens nearby are the same way. That would explain a lack of transmissions...

Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :

There is of course a 60 odd light year shell of powerfull emissions expanding around the earth.

But if we assume that we are a very average species in the universe that means that an inteligent species needs to be looking for the signals and also needs to be looking at a moment in time when that 60 year band of signals are intersecting their planet.

If we assume that civilisation has existed for about 6200 years (taken from the earliest recorded date I know of - 4241 BC, the first Egyptian callender), than only for 1/60th of civilisation have we been sending out these transmissions or had the ability to detect any from other sources.

So, the chances are lowered significantly of one inteligent civilisation detecting another, especially if the period of time which a species is detectable ends before the end of that civilisation.

Which of course will screw up the answer you get from the Drake equation.

Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :

I thought TV signals were far too weak to be detected more than a light year or so away because they're omnidirectional and therefore attenuate before they even leave the solar system?

Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

Tell that to the Omicron Persei 8-ians. [Wink]

Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Fabrux:
You know, if we're becoming undetectable due to all the digital signal transmissions, it makes you wonder if any aliens nearby are the same way. That would explain a lack of transmissions...

An equally likely scenario is that anyonr smart enough t signal is smart enough not to do so indiscriminately, lest they attract the wrong kind of attention.

A smart species is cautious.