In the first part, we concluded that it is not likely we have witnessed extra-terrestrial (ET) beings from the systems in our ‘neighborhood’－10-15 light-years (l.y.) or less away－because even at 10% speed of light, the closest system will take over 40 years for a one way trip and in addition our instruments would have been able to pick up the ‘smoking gun’ evidence of their existence within the zone. But what about multi-generational vessels travelling over many decades from farther than 10 l.y. distances at 10-20% of speed of light?
Systems farther than 10 to 15 l.y. would encounter the speed, thus time, limitations set by Einstein's special relativity. So either we would need some form of post-relativistic technology, or a multi-generational journey for Earth to witness ET visits. But in that case, the civilization would be so far more advanced than us that it would be difficult to imagine our instruments or equipment picking them up as we think we have done.
There is yet another possibility that we could witness ET visitors among us, and that would be civilizations farther than 15 l.y. or so sending spacecrafts harboring AI-endowed robots and self-replicators. Machines, not humans.
Such a solution would satisfy 3 conditions:
- The civilization be distant enough to not be detectable by our instruments;
- The solution would not need to break or overcome any limiting science (or factor), such as relativity; and
- Will be prone to being detected on accidental basis once in our vicinity, because the technology will not have to be overpoweringly superior to our current top line military and space technology.
So are we alone? The most acceptable scientific answer at this time would be «we don’t know.» At least as it concerns intelligent life. Any other answer, be it positive or negative, would emanate from some form of fictional science and pataphysics. A brief reminder of the 2 pataphysics axiomes makes it clear:
- The virtual or imaginary nature of a phenomenon, if detailed through the heightened vision of poetry or science or love, can be lived as real;
- Humanity has always looked at its existence as a struggle. Furthermore, when humans are desperate to believe in something, and that ‘thing’ is so important to them, they cling on to it. The line between what is real or not becomes blurred and in fact the realness of the ‘thing’ becomes irrelevant.
The scientific fact of the matter is that we have no evidence, but as it has been said about other matters: «absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.» Consequently, any current claims on intelligent ET sightings on Earth will have to be interpreted through the 2 axioms of pataphysics above.
But what if we are alone? What would that mean to the universe, and how would our Dual Cosmic Singularity explain and interpret it? We will address this point in a later post.
February 23, 2024, Cambridge,
Berta Seintan, PhD & Charlene Wardin, PhD