Term
| What characteristic of life is SETI looking for? |
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Definition
| TEcnologically advanced life |
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Term
| Why do we only search within our galaxy? |
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Definition
| Because signals weaken over distance and the time it take sto send and receive messages takes too long outside of our galaxy |
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Term
| For each factor of the rake equation, be able to defien it and give reasons to estimate high or low |
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Definition
Nhp * flife * fciv * fnow
Nhp: number of habitual planets in our galaxy. Several hundered billion stars, there could be about 100 billion or more habital planets.
Flife: Fraction of habitable planets that actually have life. Close to 1 because life begins os early on earth or Close to 0 because earth is "lucky"
Fciv: Fraction of life bearing planets on which a civilization capable of interstellar communication has at some time arisen.Close to 0 because it took 4 billion years four us to reach this point. 1/2 of the stars in our galaxy are older than ours, which must mean that we are 1/2 way through our life.
Fnow: Fraction of civilization planets that exist and are transmitting right now. Impossible to estimate. We do not know how long we will last. We wont know till we die. |
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Term
| What major flaws are associated with the drake equation |
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Definition
| We dont know the value of any of the terms |
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Term
| What is the difficulty associated with calculating the lifetime of a civilization? |
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Definition
There is little basis to guess
Technological adept civlization
how to measure biology and technology |
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Term
| give reasons why intelligence might be rare |
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Definition
Biology = widesrpead
technology = rare (technological intelligence)
it took a logn time to reach this stage
combrian explosion = environmental change
K-T event = mamals florished
Evolutionary pressure = increase in intelligence |
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Term
| What reasons does evolution give that might make intelligence common? |
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Definition
There is a tendency of organisms of different evolutionary background that occupy similar ecological riches to come to resemble eachother.
Intelligence would be just as likely to emerge as any other generally useful adaption. |
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Term
| How is EQ used to measure intelligence? |
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Definition
Encephalization quotient - brain mass to body mass
EQ = 1 average intelligence for mass
EQ < 1 less mentally agile
EQ > 1 more mentally agile (intelligent) humans have a EQ of 7 |
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Term
| How are science and technology related to intelligence? |
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Definition
Technolgoy is requried for intelligece. You can be intelligent, but you ahve to able to manipulate complex tools.
Science: Greece led to modern science. "Lucky" or accident or was it inevitable that some culture would develop modern technolgoy? |
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Term
| What was the error in early radio seraches? |
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Definition
| Low frequency radio waves reflect off our own ionosphre keepign the signals strictly on earth. |
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Term
How was teh frequency of radio searches selected?
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Definition
| 1420 MHz - frequency emitted by neutral hydrogen gas in teh interstellar medium |
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Term
| What are the 3 kinds of singals and which ones are likely to be detected by SETI? |
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Definition
1. tv & radio signals used for ommunication on teh planet where they live
2. Signals used to communicate between a civilization's home world and osme other site.
3. International signal becons colonies on distant world or spacecraft. This would be the most likely to be dectected by SETI |
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Term
| What other methods besides listening to signals might still inform us of intelligent life? |
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Definition
Left thing behind.
Calling cards - lagrange poitns of earth and moon. Gravity cancels. Fuel used
Fuel used by space crafts - follow the bread crumbs.
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Term
| What is a lagrange point and why is it useful? |
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Definition
Points on earth and moon - where gravity cancels.
Calling card can be there. |
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Term
| Explain the 3 types of civilizations and how we might recognize them |
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Definition
Planetary (type I) civilization: uses resources of their hoem star - earth
Stellar (Type II) civilization: corral the resources of their home star - infrared object Dyson Sphere: collect energy from stars.
Galactic (Type III) Civilization: Emply the resources of their entire galaxy.
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Term
| How is rado being used to search today? |
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Definition
Radio received by a radio telescope and then sliced into band-width to study.
2 types of searches:
1. targeted seraches - individual stars
2. Sky servey - sweep across the heavens. |
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Term
| How is optical used for searches? |
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Definition
Visible light is absorbed by interstellar dust so it is less desirable for long distances, but searcehs of 1000 light eyars is possible and likely sufficent.
visible light can be focused
look for short pulses light capable of outshining the host star - like a flash light turning on and off. |
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Term
| What are the implications of SETI success? |
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Definition
A signal detecton would need to be thoroughly verified by continued observations both at the discovery telescope and at other observatories.
it may take weeks of careful work by excited astronomers befor etheya re fully confident of a genuine detction.
once a dection is verified teh news would be released to the outside world. this step must be takin with some care.
SETI research group must follow a protocol know as the declartion of principles concerning activites follwoing the dection of extraterrestrial intelligence. reasonable course of action.
astronomers around the world would be notified.
government and public would be informed directly.
sending a reply |
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Term
| What evidence has been presented to show tha talians are already here? How could you counter this ? |
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Definition
UFO's: 90% solved adn 10% unexplained
Flying saucers: meterors
Crash aliens in Roswell: Weather ballons
Crop Cricles: ropes and boards
Aliean abduction: Sleep paralysis
Ancient visitations: ancient artwork |
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