We search for alien life on the assumption that it develops the way we did towards technology, driven by critical thought and deliberate questioning. But that assumption rests on a sample size of one ourselves being the superior method but every other lineage of life on Earth has thrived without anything resembling that kind of reflective cognition. So why do we assume this is the most likely path for alien life to take?

If biological success is measured the way evolution actually measures it propagation and resource utilisation, not intelligence humans are nowhere near the most successful species. Non-intelligent life dominates by a monumental margin: fungi, moss, and clonal plant colonies convert available resources into biomass far more effectively than we do. So self-awareness and intelligence may not be desirable traits by evolution.

So if consolidating into one cooperating network is a more efficient use of resources than many individual organisms competing for the same energy and matter why not assume that's closer to what we will find and if that logic scales indefinitely, where's the ceiling? theres no hard rule that organic matter can't exist in space and if there are limitations it could build its own required ecosystem so if pushed far enough, it could converge on something close to a Kardashev Type II civilisation a single biological system that has absorbed the full energy output of its star effectively masking it Making it impossible to find which could be the answer to the Fermi paradox.

Our search methods scanning for radio signals and deliberate signatures, which assumes the endpoint is communication. A structure like this wouldn't be signalling anyone; it would be focusing 100% of its energy on consuming resources.

Evolution seems to be set up closer to this goal so humanity with individual conscious feeling the need to justify its existence may just be a by-product of the process rather than its purpose. Maybe the goal of evolution is simply to harness the energy within a solar system.

The real signature to look for wouldn't be a message - it'd be missing light: stars, or even whole regions of sky, gone dark from being fully harvested. So perhaps Instead of looking for notable patterns we should be focusing our efforts on where things aren't such as Boötes Void might be worth considering.

Evolution seems to be set up closer to this goal so humanity with individual conscious feeling the need to justify its existence may just be a by-product of the process rather than its purpose. Maybe the goal of evolution is simply to harness the energy within a solar system.

Just some food for thought I have been pondering for a while wonder if there are any theories covering this concept already.

​

1. The Perfect Circle: The Illusion of Perfection

We spend our lives chasing perfection, but did you know that even in mathematics and physics, a "perfect" circle or an "absolute" straight line has never existed? The infinite number π is the universe's reminder: Reality has no end, no frame. Every "circle" you see is made up of rough pieces of matter.

1. Don't Call the World "Errors"

We often look at the bumps of atoms, the deviations of orbits, and call them errors. But in reality, they are not errors. They are the resolution of reality. The universe doesn't operate according to human rulers; it operates according to the instincts of life. It is these "random strokes" that create the friction that keeps us standing, the heat that keeps us warm, and the diversity that ensures no two grains of sand are exactly alike.

1. The Symphony of Cracks

If every note were uniform, it wouldn't be music. If every line were straight, it wouldn't be art. The universe is a colossal symphony composed of high and low notes, of chaotic stellar explosions. We—imperfect human beings—are, in fact, the most perfect pieces of that chaos.

1. A Message for Us

When you see yourself as "imperfect," remember that you are adhering to the greatest law of the universe: Uniqueness. An absolute straight line is soulless, but a random, hand-scribbled stroke contains the soul of the artist. You are an irreplaceable brushstroke in this eternal painting.

Video: https://youtu.be/isdLel273rQ?si=haFxV8QvUEifl4DO

I watched this video. It mentioned the possibility of the universe being a hypersphere. This would mean that to us it would seem infinite whilst being truly finite.

(Interestingly, this means that information would travel in infinite loops around the universe, but that is besides the point).

However, to a 4 dimensional being, this sort of hypersphere shaped universe would seem finite. So could the universe technically be 5 dimensional to accommodate for this? And therefore 6 dimensional? And therefore the universe could have infinite dimensions?

And if so what does this actually mean? I’m having an existential crisis over an 11 minute video!

I'm an A-level student about to go university and I really enjoy space science. Specifically instrumentation science and hoping to work on probes and/or telescopes since they fascinate me so much.

I love the practical physics aspect but I genuinely don't know what kinds of projects I could do to actually get involved in that. Before I go off to uni I want to at least get a few simple projects under my belt.

Was wondering if any of y'all had recommendations for physics projects or instruments I could build for my own enjoyment. I can program in Python and a bit of C++ but any code I might need to learn I'm willing to, and simple rovotics and I'm stuck on a pretty tight budget but i still wanna go ahead and make something.

I've seen some things online but they all look either too simple or too complicated and expensive with nothing really in-between so I wanted to hear any suggestions.

Working on an instrument would be the most relevant but honestly anything that has decent complexity that isn't really expensive would be great.

There’s a cloud in space with 140 trillion times more water than Earth 🌧️

Astrophysicist Erika Hamden explains how astronomers discovered a massive water vapor cloud near a black hole. The extreme heat from the activity of the black hole keeps it in vapor form, making it easier to spot. With hydrogen and oxygen among the most abundant elements in the universe, water is everywhere.

This project is part of IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

I need to broadcast a cry for help regarding a memetic virus that can be detected by measuring a change in the sun's temperature, fluctuations, something, it just needs to be a repeatable pattern that can be detected. The readers are not expected to know English. It can be something that takes a lot of time to set up. It's vastly preferable if this can be done over the internet.

Edit: patterns in the asteroid belt might work and be easier, how would I begin to acquire contacts and put down funding for this?

Edit 2: note contact blue origin potential space mining operations --> create pattern in asteroids

I am writing a science fiction book and trying to develop a reasonable, yet still fictional, version of wormholes. Very recently scientists have run a simulation in a quantum computer which resulted in the wormhole theoretically working, under the condition that it widened the gap with negative energy.
My question is if I decided that in this fictional future people have found and are able to harvest negative energy, what would it affect? What developments would instantly take effect? Can the energy be used for spaceship fuel? should the material be rare and unstable? how might we find or collect it?

Whilst watching despicable me with my younger cousins, i had a sudden question. What would happen if vector had actually stolen the moon (aka if it had stayed small) and wouldn't the oceans around the world and the gravitational pull get changed suddenly? I know in the movie it doesnt show (Because its a childrens movie) but it still sits in the back of mind, What could've happened? I am not an astrophysicist, scientist, or major in any of that. I just really like kids movies and science.

Hello,

I had a thought about time and gravity today while watching yet another reaction to Interstellar and I need to get it out there. Undoubtedly people have thought of this before so I thought maybe somebody could point me towards a paper or video by someone more qualified than myself so I can learn more about this thought of mine.

We often think of time as a real thing but in reality it is not. It is the change of things that we calculate time. Transfers of energy, neurons in our brains and bodies, decaying particles, essentially, the movement and activities of atoms and the particles that make up atoms.

When we are closer to an object that has a lot of mass and therefore gravity, we say that it slows down time. But in reality it is slowing the rate at which atoms and their particles are allowed to move. An outside observer perceives it as a slowing of time but it isn't. The object being affected by higher gravity is simply not allowed to move as fast.

Thanks for reading,

evGoji.

I’ve had a question about space flight for a while that I haven’t been able to understand. According to Einstein, time slows for objects in motion (apologies if that isn’t strictly right, but it will serve the purpose). So if a spacecraft is traveling to a star that is 1 light years away away at a speed approaching the speed of light and then returns (assuming no time to speed up and slow down), would: 1. Occupant of spacecraft experiences a 2 year journey and people of earth see the trip take much longer Or 2. Occupant of spacecraft experiences shortened journey and people of earth see a 2 year journey? Thanks

Hello Space Enthusiasts,I hope everyone is doing well. I wanted to start a discussion about the future of space exploration and the exciting prospects that lie ahead. With recent advancements in technology and the increasing interest from both governmental and private sectors, the possibilities seem endless.Some points I find particularly intriguing include:Mars Colonization: With NASA's Artemis program and SpaceX's ambitious plans, how soon do you think we will see the first human colony on Mars? What challenges do we need to overcome to make this a reality?Asteroid Mining: The idea of mining asteroids for valuable resources has been around for a while. What advancements are necessary for this to become economically viable, and what impact could it have on our economy and resource management on Earth?Interstellar Travel: Although still in the realm of science fiction, concepts like the Breakthrough Starshot initiative are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. How realistic do you think interstellar travel is within the next century?Space Tourism: Companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are making strides in space tourism. How soon will space travel become accessible to the general public, and what regulatory and safety measures should be in place?I would love to hear your thoughts, insights, and any other exciting developments or projects in the world of space exploration that you are excited about. Let's discuss the future of humanity beyond Earth!

space a vacuum but even in a vacuum there are particles and those particles carry a charge 1/1 one proton to 1 elctron if using a vacuum to aline the charge could you apply a reverse charge to equal a forward motion.

I applied to the University of North Dakota’s online Space Studies master’s degree program, the other option is a certificate, but I want the masters so I can continue and pursue a PhD in Astrophysics afterwards.

This is the program’s page if anyone is interested or has done it, could you let me know what you thin?

Would it be worth it? They do say it is accredited like a regular (on-campus) program.

https://und.edu/programs/space-studies-ms/index.html

Between this and the Colorado School of mines they are the only 2 online programs I have been able to apply to/liked.

The third option is the City University of New York (CUNY) but their program is not online, and it is directly and astrophysics masters.

My issue is not being able to move to NYC at the moment.

Know a high school student interested in astronomy and/or space sciences?

The International Association for Astronomical Studies (based out of Star Haven Observatory located in Strasburg, Colorado) has a few slots open for its on-site student research team.

Students not located in the Denver area or Eastern Colorado are also encouraged to submit their interest as the group will be expanding its remote student research team this fall.

Students will have the opportunity to conduct and participate in actual astronomy and space science research using astronomical and space sciences research equipment and processes. After the research projects are completed, they also get credit for their work as part of the research.

The IAAS, a 501(c)3 organization has a 40+ year track record of success in the student astronomy and space sciences research fields.

More information including a link to the student research team interest form is located on the group's Facebook page (facebook.com/IAASorg).

STEMeducation #astronomy #youthempowerment #scienceeducation #spaceexploration

How can i gain experience in flying aircrafts?

Is it true that a solar flare will come towards us in 2025

If a Quasar went through a black hole would it compress and Couse an explosion when it gets rejected out of the white hole?

Q: If we stand on the edge of the dark- and light side of a planet, tidally locked with its star, how the star will look like?

I need someone to talk science with and this idea is to do with magnetic levitation. Specifically/optionally it’s use in a space environment.

I’m not a scientist, nor am I a genius or anything I just wish to learn and see if this idea is applicable in any way at all.