starship-design: Re: Aliens, why haven't they contact us?

[TLG.van.der.Linden@tip.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

Kelly,

>>As far as I know they are quite good at detecting, only finding the
>>"antidote" before it is too late can be a problem. However antibiotics
>>usually can help quite a lot.
>
>You can't use an antibiotic on alien microbes.  They work by suttle
>disruption of celular chemistry.  I.E. something that will kill them, but not
>us.

Well, these chemicals make certain important biological chemical reactions
impossible. Unless the alien bacteria use very different ways to stay alive,
they may not be influenced. This is possible, but likely means that the
bacteria cannot survive in the climate of our body (which provides only
chemicals that are in a specific biological cycle that needs the climate of
our body).

>>And even if we were not immune to alien bacteria, would we be able to spot
>>it? Likely there are more Earthly bacteria that kill people than Space
>>bacteria.
>
>No way to know.  Can't even know anything basic about their celular
>construction or chemistry.

Well of course we can't be sure about their chemistry, but in my discussions
I assumed that they where based on DNA like we. If not, than all bets (from
me) are off. I know too little about the possible chemical reaction-cycles
in other systems.

>>Well, that's why I didn't mention it the other discussion :)
>>
>>To get back to the point: Why would alien bacteria survive better than Earth
>>bacteria?
>
>Each taken out of its eco-would tend to react radically.

Yes.. they radically die.
We never hear about the millions of strange bacteria that don't survive
their visit to local cousins. Only the few that are stronger will leave a
noticable fingerprint. It's hard to make conclusions when you've seen only
one side of the story.
I'd think that one could easely research this question. Just dump a few
strange bacteria in a huge colony of "normal" bacteria and see what happens.
If the strange bacteria turn out to survive all the time, then indeed you
are right, but I strongly doubt that. My guess is that in most of the cases
the local bacteria will survive over the foreign bacteria. The locals are
usually much better adapted to the local climate (=temperature, chemicals,
enemies, friends).
I bet that only a few foreign bacteria will have a sufficiently high
evolution that they can prosper in a new environment.

>So I expect earths microbes or vermine would be as deadly
>there as alien stuff would be here.  Course the microbes are more hardy, so
>they should survive better.

Huh, this seems to be a paradox. If our bacteria kill theirs, than that
would mean our bacteria are stronger. So then, how can their bacteria kill
ours when they meet here?

>>Which "cultures with magical technology" do you mean. I can't recall when WE
>>encountered them before. True other cultures did, but I thought they usually
>>believed in magic.
>
>We as in humans.  Obviously the current dominent cultures are to recent.
>But the Japanise in the late 1800's to the abos walking out of the jungle
>today give plenty of data sources.

Hmmm, didn't most of them believe in supernatural rather than in facts?

>>Why then contact us and give us the data? Just for the fun to see what
>>happens?
>
>What else do they have to trade?  Besiodes, exploreres usually have to give
>gifts to the primatives.  Helps prevent becoming dinner.  ;)
>
>Seriously thou.  To them it would be the equivalent of tossing out a handfull
>of beeds.  <Oh, yeah, fusion.  Heres a description from our history files.>

Kelly, I see where this discussion is going. We've dozens of these in our
private letters. We're likely not to agree about this question soon, our
"fundamentals" (=my ideals and your reality) are still far apart (though the
do come closer).

>>What good is destroying your test subject if your only example?
>
>What good is exploring if you never take a look at anything?  If you don't
>interact with the natives, you might as well stay home.

Oh, you may interact with them, but they first have to grow to the fact that
they are not alone out there. Like I wrote you before, one can't force
people into new developments.

Timothy