Yesterday I had an astonishing thought: Opinion in the science community is that we will definitively discover the traces of life in space at some time in the not too distant future. I think it was a Michio Kaku book I read that puts the date between 2025 and 2030; because all of the many initiatives looking for it (including the SKA) will have had time to return dividends. My money is on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_spectroscopy delivering the first conclusive proof. Now... heres the fabulous thought that struck me: Lets say we find that life in our cosmic back yard... within, say, 1,000 light years.... Well That signal well collect and analyze has *already* been traveling to us for 800, 900, 950... maybe 980 years... Of course... its washing over us even as I type this, but we dont yet have the technology or method to collect it - but the leading edge of that information that we can analyze is already on its way. I find that idea immensely exciting. I cant wait for the day.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 09:04:58 +0000
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