What Are the Implications of Being the First Intelligent Life in the Galaxy?

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In summary, the conversation in Goldbarz thread discusses the concept that humans may be the first intelligent life to mature in the galaxy and have the ability to colonize it before any other species appears. However, it is also mentioned that this idea may not be as optimistic as it sounds as there is a possibility that humans may destroy themselves before colonization can occur. Some participants in the conversation suggest that humans may have been beaten to the punch by other species, while others believe that it is unlikely for human-equivalent intelligence to evolve on other planets. The discussion also raises the question of whether the colonization of space is a futile effort or not, and its potential political implications.

Are we the first species with the itch and ability to colonize this galaxy?

  • we are the first potential colonizers to mature, let's go for it

    Votes: 6 18.8%

  • we don't have the potential, or maybe don't really want to

    Votes: 1 3.1%

  • we aren't the first, colonization by others has begun but is not detected

    Votes: 11 34.4%

  • a different possibility is more likely

    Votes: 14 43.8%
  • Total voters
    32
  • #36
Chronos said:
The effects of acceleration on the crew is another consideration. 1g would obviously be tolerable. I think a constant acceleration of 3g would surely be intolerable. 2g might be marginally tolerable for a very fit crew. This would also apply to the braking phase of the journey. I haven't crunched the numbers [which is not terribly difficult], but am guessing we might be talking on the order of a century to reach alpha century.
If the astronauts were underwater in some sort of tank with the right density, they could withstand at least 10-20+ g's.
 
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  • #37
That is just plain wrong, Warren. The water also succumbs to g-forces. You still get squashed against the sides of the vessel. Inertia is an unforgiving mistress.
 
  • #38
Chronos said:
That is just plain wrong, Warren. The water also succumbs to g-forces. You still get squashed against the sides of the vessel. Inertia is an unforgiving mistress.
Are you sure? I came across this idea in an Arthur C. Clarke novel, and he usually knows his stuff.

It's like that old homework problem: if you're making a left turn in an automobile, in which direction will a helium balloon move? (It moves to the left.) If the density was too high, you would be forced to the surface, and if it was too low, you would get squashed on the bottom. But if the density was just right, you wouldn't get squashed--you would just float. Granted, the pressure would increase, and might require some decompression time to avoid the bends.

So, a 30-g acceleration would be the equivalent of being 1,000 feet underwater. Humans have free-dived down to 1-km of ocean. That would be the equivalent of a wopping 100-g acceleration.
 
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  • #39
Sorry Chronos.

What water does is balancing the pressure on the body against the blood pressure. So if there is a high g load in the vertical axis, the blood wants to drain into the legs, whilst lowering the pressure in the head. Now, the surrounding water reacts the same way, increasing the pressure in the lower parts, balancing the pressure on the body and countering the tendency of the blood to sink.

So yes, in the water the effect of g-force is less indeed. There are water-filled g-suits.
 
  • #40
So, at 100 g's, and ignoring relativity, one could get to .9 c after a 76 hour burn. Thus, one could get to Alpha centauri in about 5 or 6 Earth years, but for the astronauts, it would only seem like 2-3 years.
 

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