Re: Re: starship-design: RE: Bugs again

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/25/98 1:22:01 PM, rmarlin@network-one.com wrote:

>> > I do not have in mind our "normal" broadcasts:
>> > first, they are undirected and low power (as others pointed out,
>> > practically undetectable at interstellar distances), and they are
>> > at most 50 ly away now, so we have still some time left
>> > to work of being more fit...
>> > I thought about intentional, narrow-beam broadcasts
>> > (using our radar equipment) aimed at particular stars,
>> > especialy close ones. I consider it silly,
>> > equally as putting a plaque on Voyagers with coordinates
>> > of our solar system
>
>Why is that silly? For roughly 3500 million years, light leaving the solar
>system has been "tagged" with the spectral signature of water vapor and free
>oxygen, as well as methane and ozone.  Any space faring civilization capable
of
>interferometry would have known by now that we are prime real estate. A radio
>transmission would only prove that the animals here can use tools, and
perhaps
>participate in a mutually beneficial exchange of biological and cultural
>information.
>
>As for conquering a distant K1 civilization, why resort to killing one or two
>when you can kill off everything? An overly hostile and paranoid group of
aliens
>(there are probably a few), might decide to launch nanotech spores or von
>Neumann devices that seek and destroy planets like Earth. By now, we would
have
>been overrun.
>
>Speaking of vN, there are probably a few drifting around in some quiet part
of
>the Sol system right now.

Well now there an image that will keep us up at night.  ;)

Seriously thou it does raise questions.  Even one such paraniod race could
devastate large tracks of the galaxy.  Hope we don't go out there and find
were in a galactic war?

Kelly