DoubtingThomas wrote:Yes. You are right, but I doubt that planetary suicide is common in the universe.
I suspect any species in our universe has the same kind of laws of physics to tend with as we do, so things like natural selection, competition, etc will affect how they evolve over time.
Interstellar travel is achievable in our lifetime according to a physicist, but obviously we are not working hard enough for space travel.
I doubt it will happen in regards to sending humans outside of our solar system. We know too little about what is out there yet and the time to travel is so long. Better to just send A.I. out to investigate for us until we know more and have better ways to travel. While I think we should be putting resources into space travel, the vast majority should be put into figuring out ways to protect the only livable planet we have.
Themis wrote: I suspect any species in our universe has the same kind of laws of physics to tend with as we do, so things like natural selection, competition, etc will affect how they evolve over time.
Yes, but is there any reason to suspect that most civilizations commit planetary suicide?
Themis wrote: I doubt it will happen in regards to sending humans outside of our solar system. We know too little about what is out there yet and the time to travel is so long. Better to just send A.I. out to investigate for us until we know more and have better ways to travel. While I think we should be putting resources into space travel, the vast majority should be put into figuring out ways to protect the only livable planet we have.
DoubtingThomas wrote:You are right, but it is possible to make an educated guess.
No one has the education on this one, so it's just guessing why we have not found evidence of intelligent species yet. Like I said before, it wouldn't bother me if we are the only ones in our galaxy. If we ever develop enough to start inhabiting the galaxy it would be much less of a problem not having another intelligent alien species to potentially compete with. Especially if they have developed before us.
DoubtingThomas wrote:When was the last time humanity was close to committing planetary suicide?
Humanity has not been in a position until this last century to be able to commit planetary destruction, and we know of at least a couple of times this could have happened. Environmental destruction is something that happens over a long period of time, and atm humans are not doing a good job of protecting the environment we depend on for life.
Themis wrote:Humanity has not been in a position until this last century to be able to commit planetary destruction, and we know of at least a couple of times this could have happened..
Modern humans survived the last super volcanic eruption, so I doubt that a nuclear war can destroy all humanity on earth.
Themis wrote:Also if we don't change how we do things we could change our environment to such an extent in the long term that life on earth for humans is all but impossible. There is a reason no one is considering putting humans on Venus.
Yes, but it would take thousands of years to transform Earth to a Venus-like planet.