Comments on: Trapped http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/ A web entrepreneur creating value through social media Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:06:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Brent Waggoner http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/comment-page-1/#comment-6107 Brent Waggoner Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:44:52 +0000 http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/#comment-6107 I'm way, way late in responding to this post, but there are some exciting developments in physics, most notably string theory, that may lead to travel possibilities far beyond what we're currently capable of. I’m way, way late in responding to this post, but there are some exciting developments in physics, most notably string theory, that may lead to travel possibilities far beyond what we’re currently capable of.

]]> By: Ryan W. http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/comment-page-1/#comment-4431 Ryan W. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:29:15 +0000 http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/#comment-4431 Thanks for the comments, and I agree that there are a lot of mysteries right under our noses that wait to be solved, but I have faith that we'll solve those eventually. The problem with the universe at large is that the scale is so big that our species won't be around for the billions of years necessary to travel to those distant galaxies, let alone explore them all. And in terms of the odds, it's virtually certain that there's life on those other worlds. The observable universe contains about 3 to 7 × 10^22 stars (30 to 70 sextillion stars), organized in more than 80-100 billion galaxies. It's also estimated that there is roughly one habitable planet per star in the universe. This mind-numbingly large estimate also ignores two things: 1. "Habitable" comes from our frame of reference on what life needs to exist: water, carbon, specific temperature range. Life in other parts of the universe might find other environments habitable, raising the estimate. 2. The observable universe may be all there is, or it may be 1 billionth of 1 percent of the universe, which might be just one of billions of universes. Or this universe could be infinite in size, and be one of an infinite number of universes. We simply don't know. In light of all that, it seems laughable to assume we're the only life in the universe. Good video to give you an idea of the scope: http://www.5min.com/Video/Overview-Of-The-Universe-1383218 Thanks for the comments, and I agree that there are a lot of mysteries right under our noses that wait to be solved, but I have faith that we’ll solve those eventually.

The problem with the universe at large is that the scale is so big that our species won’t be around for the billions of years necessary to travel to those distant galaxies, let alone explore them all.

And in terms of the odds, it’s virtually certain that there’s life on those other worlds.

The observable universe contains about 3 to 7 × 10^22 stars (30 to 70 sextillion stars), organized in more than 80-100 billion galaxies. It’s also estimated that there is roughly one habitable planet per star in the universe. This mind-numbingly large estimate also ignores two things:

1. “Habitable” comes from our frame of reference on what life needs to exist: water, carbon, specific temperature range. Life in other parts of the universe might find other environments habitable, raising the estimate.

2. The observable universe may be all there is, or it may be 1 billionth of 1 percent of the universe, which might be just one of billions of universes. Or this universe could be infinite in size, and be one of an infinite number of universes. We simply don’t know.

In light of all that, it seems laughable to assume we’re the only life in the universe.

Good video to give you an idea of the scope:
http://www.5min.com/Video/Overview-Of-The-Universe-1383218

]]> By: Nate http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/comment-page-1/#comment-4429 Nate Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:47:41 +0000 http://ryanwaggoner.com/2009/06/trapped/#comment-4429 It might cheer you up to imagine that, in all likelihood, there isn't life on those other worlds, and that most of them are pretty boring. We're already on the most awesome planet in the universe. Plus, you don't have enough time in your life to explore and know everything here. That's what puts me off, that there are mysteries to life hidden right in front of our noses that we'll never understand. It might cheer you up to imagine that, in all likelihood, there isn’t life on those other worlds, and that most of them are pretty boring. We’re already on the most awesome planet in the universe.

Plus, you don’t have enough time in your life to explore and know everything here. That’s what puts me off, that there are mysteries to life hidden right in front of our noses that we’ll never understand.

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