Posted by Cygnus [Cygnus] on November 22, 1999 at 14:44:34 {k/.KBikg62xIIZ2NrMC6L4bdfUTIaI}:
In Reply to: the Wild Card posted by metatron on November 18, 1999 at 12:48:52:
I believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life forms about as much as I believe in supernatural life forms. Which is to say, I don't, but I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised by their detection.
However, I think your enthusiasm is a little misplaced. Say some ETs somewhere evolve into something resembling humanoid, physiologically and mentally. The chances of such a species being able to communicate over vast space, even within our galaxy, is incredibly immense. Particularly if we consider that the earth is and has been (how shall we say..) "just right" for our species to thrive. Consider just this one factor: If the dinos weren't killed off by the meteor crash, there'd have been no mammal explosion and perhaps homo sapiens would never have evolved.
There are simply too many factors weighing against intelligent extraterrestrial life existing out there somewhere. And even if it did, it is far-fetched to believe that it could somehow communicate with us.
Better to stick to that "immortality biology" science, metatron. :-)