New Galaxy

[Someguy63]

Another thing to consider is that we may be the only intelligent life form right now. Space is vast, but so is the time frame. Civilizations may have come and gone many times before us. Human civilization has so far existed such a short time that in astrophysics terms it is hardly measurable. Not even a blink.

Of course the time frame is vast, civilizations come and go in the blink of an eye, but still, mathematically speaking, we are no where remotely close to being the only intelligent life form with a civilization.

[PR3D4TOR]

At this exact point in time?

[Someguy63]

At this exact point in time?

Look up the Drake equation, it puts together all factors such as rate of star formation, fraction of planets with stars, and so on, and according to the equation it is estimated there are about 140,000 in our own galaxy.

Now of course it's just an equation. Any civilization "included" in the equation might not exist anymore, to answer that very question

[PR3D4TOR]

So basically one for every one-light year band of the galaxy.

[Someguy63]

So basically one for every one-light year band of the galaxy.

It's very possible, of course now I can't go into depth with this stuff, I only love reading about it. I don't want to be called a cut and paste cosmologist or something like that.

But after all I've read and watched, despite life-supporting planets like ours having small chances of existing, that small chance in terms of the Galaxy (with hundreds of billions of stars) where that "1 in 10,000" ratio is played over and over and over...must mean we have a hell of a lot of neighbors.

[Zoney]

We are no where remotely close to being intelligent.

Fixed

[PR3D4TOR]

It's very possible, of course now I can't go into depth with this stuff, I only love reading about it. I don't want to be called a cut and paste cosmologist or something like that.

But after all I've read and watched, despite life-supporting planets like ours having small chances of existing, that small chance in terms of the Galaxy (with hundreds of billions of stars) where that "1 in 10,000" ratio is played over and over and over...must mean we have a hell of a lot of neighbors.

One in ten thousand being life bearing planets? If so then the chance of any of them having intelligent life at the same time is not = 1. We've been around for about 200,000 years and we could be gone tomorrow.

[Someguy63]

One in ten thousand being life bearing planets? If so then the chance of any of them having intelligent life at the same time is not = 1. We've been around for about 200,000 years and we could be gone tomorrow.

It isnt really 1/10,000 I was just using it as an example.

I'll look it up

Have found some info, try this out, this says 1 in every 6 stars has a planet that is Earth-sized (not necessarily habitable for life) and is within 85 day orbit of its star.

 http://gizmodo.com/5974389/if-there-are-17-billion-earth-sized-worlds-in-our-galaxy-the-universe-is-bubbling-with-life

They have credible sources as far as I've seen

[Someguy63]

Fixed

I seriously found this funny

[Dragon Tamer]

There are two stars, one is 2 light years away, the other is 4 light years away. Both have planets orbiting their star within the habitable zone, though one is on the hot side, the other is on the cold side. They think that the cold one may have some form of life on it, though it may not be noticeable yet (because of how long it takes for life to evolve to a point where it can start to change the topography(?) of the planet. The hot one is tidally locked to it's star so the side towards the star is baking, the other side may have some kind of life though it was said that it's unlikely.

[MK-84]

Stop speculating and get to work.

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

More projects then just looking for little green men. I'm supporting research for the LHC.
http://home.web.cern.ch/topics/large-hadron-collider

[MiloMorai]

Why do these intelligent life forms have to be humanoid?

[Dragon Tamer]

Why do these intelligent life forms have to be humanoid?

They would most likely be bipedal, giving them the ability to move objects with their hands like we do. This is a critical part of a society evolving. The other details on the other hand are up in the air, and would most likely change depending on the environment of the planet.

[PR3D4TOR]

There are two stars, one is 2 light years away, the other is 4 light years away. Both have planets orbiting their star within the habitable zone, though one is on the hot side, the other is on the cold side. They think that the cold one may have some form of life on it, though it may not be noticeable yet (because of how long it takes for life to evolve to a point where it can start to change the topography(?) of the planet. The hot one is tidally locked to it's star so the side towards the star is baking, the other side may have some kind of life though it was said that it's unlikely.

A star two light years away? From Earth?

[mbailey]

Closest star(s) is the Alpha Centauri cluster.....  A   B    And Proxima    4 LY away...nothing within 2LY