Comments on: The Search http://www.explainxkcd.com/2009/09/18/the-search/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:04:24 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: alexandre http://www.explainxkcd.com/2009/09/18/the-search/comment-page-1/#comment-82 alexandre Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:13:44 +0000 http://www.explainxkcd.com/?p=145#comment-82 I think you are getting it wrong: this is a direct blow at the SETI program that assumes that if there's intelligent life out there, we should be able to capture their radio transmissions. Assuming ET intelligence communicates through radio is like the ants assuming other intelligent life should communicate by use of pheromone trails. Because ants cannot see, they can't just look at the humans in the kitchen. In the other hand, the Kepler mission is looking for exoplanets, a more basic assumption that if there's life out there it probably lives in a planet not too hot (where most molecules become gas), no too cold (since life must need energy) and not too big (where the atmosphere reduces all complex carbon chemistry to simpler hidrogen compounds) It's as if the ants stopped looking for pherormone trails and looked tried to solve where all that food in the kitchen comes from... I think you are getting it wrong: this is a direct blow at the SETI program that assumes that if there’s intelligent life out there, we should be able to capture their radio transmissions. Assuming ET intelligence communicates through radio is like the ants assuming other intelligent life should communicate by use of pheromone trails. Because ants cannot see, they can’t just look at the humans in the kitchen.

In the other hand, the Kepler mission is looking for exoplanets, a more basic assumption that if there’s life out there it probably lives in a planet not too hot (where most molecules become gas), no too cold (since life must need energy) and not too big (where the atmosphere reduces all complex carbon chemistry to simpler hidrogen compounds)

It’s as if the ants stopped looking for pherormone trails and looked tried to solve where all that food in the kitchen comes from…

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.explainxkcd.com/2009/09/18/the-search/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Anonymous Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:05:19 +0000 http://www.explainxkcd.com/?p=145#comment-81 Also relevant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant#Communication Also relevant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant#Communication

]]> By: Michael http://www.explainxkcd.com/2009/09/18/the-search/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Michael Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:04:24 +0000 http://www.explainxkcd.com/?p=145#comment-80 I'd think it is more how the ants look for intelligences that they can understand - that communicate with pheromone trails, ignoring the fact that they could live a totally different life than ants, relying on sight and sound. In the same way, we are looking for intelligence as we know it, ignoring all other possibilities. I’d think it is more how the ants look for intelligences that they can understand – that communicate with pheromone trails, ignoring the fact that they could live a totally different life than ants, relying on sight and sound. In the same way, we are looking for intelligence as we know it, ignoring all other possibilities.

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