This weekend I was gifted with a visit from my dad and step-mom. In addition to the obvious things, (renaissance faire, pool party, martini fueled late night conversations) we went to the planetarium.
We caught a show powered largely by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This is my favorite new survey, way better than a telemarketing based one. It got me to thinking about visiting with the nearby alien civilizations. Let's discuss, but first some facts.
The Milky Way is about 100,000 light years across. In perspective, if our whole solar system was the size of a grain of sand, the Milky Way would be bigger than a football field. It contains at least 100 billion stars.
The nearest star is about 24 trillion miles away. The fastest currently proposed space vessel should hit 450,000 miles per hour. By my math, that means a trip there would take 6088 years. I am unlikely to live that long.
Keeping just to the local neighborhood (which I will call within 16 light years or a quick 24,000 years at best current speed) there are 64 stars and four brown dwarf stars. This local area is key, if you ask me. It seems reasonable that these stars would be approximately the same age as our sun. This means solar systems with similar metal and element content. Carbon, iron- the good stuff.
Molten iron gives me a magnetic field around my planet which is great for reducing radiation. Just ask Mars. Iron carries oxygen in my blood and makes an industrial age considerable more likely. Not that dolphins aren't smart, but I would like to meet an alien which has conquered fire. Yes, it is a prejudice.
Stop asking why we aren't hearing these local aliens with SETI. If they exist and are a mere 100 years behind us, radio is invented but not very powerful. If they are 1000 years behind us, they are enjoying the Middle Ages. 10,000 years (a galactic blink of an eye) and they are developing agriculture. If they are ahead of us, radio is outdated.
But still we need a warp drive. Particularly if we need to expand our search to the nearest 100 stars. Or 1000. So essentially I am saying, can we quit talking about Honey Boo Boo, Jesus on a grilled cheese, and McMonopoly long enough to fund and innovate faster than light travel? The aliens are starting to think we are immature, violent little jerks anyway.
It will be very good for the economy. I promise. (Then we can show the aliens who the jerks are!)
No comments:
Post a Comment