Do you think that humans exist on distant planets?

[squealpiggy]

People tend to think of humans as the pinnacle of evolution, as the be-all and end-all of all organisms. This is just chauvinism.

Let's put it another way: Anatomically modern humans have existed for around 200,000 years. Tyrannosaurus Rex was around for about a million years prior to extinction. Five times as long.

Remember that T. Rex and humans have a common ancestor that set in the basic body pattern of four limbs we still have from lobe fish and bifurcated and cephalised we still have from flatworms. And even with this common ancestor a single species of dinosaur outlived us fivefold.

There is no reason to believe that an alien would be human shaped. An intelligent alien species would evolve under its own set of selection pressures.

[New England]

i tend to doubt that some anatomically / genetically identical species is out there. i could be wrong.


i don't doubt that there's life out there. it's a virtual certainty. the universe is HUGE.

[876arrow]

i tend to doubt that some anatomically / genetically identical species is out there. i could be wrong.

Actually there are scientists who say that the universe is so large, with so many solar systems & galaxies, it's possible that YOU have already existed, in some other part of the universe. Wish I could find the article/video I saw this in.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

Actually there are scientists who say that the universe is so large, with so many solar systems & galaxies, it's possible that YOU have already existed, in some other part of the universe. Wish I could find the article/video I saw this in.

Not only do they say that, but the universe is so large that you existed and have lived the same exact life you do now.

There's no doubt in my mind life exists somewhere else in the universe. It's too fukin big for this measly planet to be the only one.

On another note, anyone catch the new Cosmos with Neil DeGrass Tyson last night? Great show they are bringing back and I thought they went in hard against the religious believers.

I remember watch that show as a kid and loving it.

[BostonGuy]

Not only do they say that, but the universe is so large that you existed and have lived the same exact life you do now.

There's no doubt in my mind life exists somewhere else in the universe. It's too fukin big for this measly planet to be the only one.

On another note, anyone catch the new Cosmos with Neil DeGrass Tyson last night? Great show they are bringing back and I thought they went in hard against the religious believers.

I remember watch that show as a kid and loving it.

Yes, caught it last night. I liked his 'cosmic calendar' analogy. According to the theory he was presenting; we, humans, have only occupied one second in the last hour of December 31 if the universe was only 1 year in length

Also, noticed that the show didn't pull any punches in its refuting of religion. Was kind of ironic that one of the commercials was a movie trailer for biblical story "Noah."....

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

Yes, caught it last night. I liked his 'cosmic calendar' analogy. According to the theory he was presenting; we, humans, have only occupied one second in the last hour of December 31 if the universe was only 1 year in length

Also, noticed that the show didn't pull any punches in its refuting of religion. Was kind of ironic that one of the commercials was a movie trailer for biblical story "Noah."....

I was very surprised as to how hard they went in against the church. The story of Copernicus and Giordano Bruno was amazing. I loved the way they did it in animation mode and how he stood by his principles.

Carl Sagan has always been one of my hero's man, and the story of Sagan taking in Tyson when he was a kid and signing the book he gave him was incredible.

If Sagan was alive today to see how Tyson is now taking over his role in the U.S I'm sure he would be so proud.

[┌∩┐(◕_◕)┌∩┐]

this thread makes me want to smack kanye west around the back of his head

[I Love Jesus!]

People tend to think of humans as the pinnacle of evolution, as the be-all and end-all of all organisms. This is just chauvinism.

alien species would evolve under its own set of selection pressures.

I never heard anyone pretentious say that before

[TBear]

Humans as we know them, unlikely. Carbon based life forms, possible.

[talip bin osman]

I was very surprised as to how hard they went in against the church. The story of Copernicus and Giordano Bruno was amazing. I loved the way they did it in animation mode and how he stood by his principles.

Carl Sagan has always been one of my hero's man, and the story of Sagan taking in Tyson when he was a kid and signing the book he gave him was incredible.

If Sagan was alive today to see how Tyson is now taking over his role in the U.S I'm sure he would be so proud.

carl was lucky though... he was (as far as I know) the only "science guy" except perhaps for hawking and that guy from CSICOP (martin gardner?)...

today tyson has kaku, krauss, greene, nye, and those guys from cyberspace with their youtube channels and podcasts...