Aliens, Are we alone in this Universe? Options

[vivekpm]

Aliens!!! This is the topic which intrigues me everytime I ponder upon it...

I used to run SETI sometime back hoping that I would some day help in making contacts with extra-terrestial creatures .

Would like to invite talks on this topic. One thing that I have always wondered is why have most, if not all, research on aliens concentrated in finding possible places in universe which can support life, that is, which has water in some form, sustainable temperatures etc...? Is it not possible that the definition of life can be different for aliens? I mean they may not require water at all. They may sustain only at 1000+ temperatures or at sub-zero temperatures. Why is this not possible? After all, the notion that to sustain life we need favourable conditions like presence of water etc., is concieved by us. For aliens, "favourable conditions" may be different.

Would request anyone who has done some reading on this to please throw more lights and possibly supply pointers to good research material...

Cheers,
Vivek...

PS: Thanks NimmiJi for this new forum...

[Mandrake]

If they are extinct, tough luck.

But if they are not, just imagine...

They sent us a signal/s hundreds of years back, when they were already advanced. Today, if they receive our reply, and they still exist, they will be far more advanced.
So they can understand our reply, decipher it, locate us, and reach us - in a way that is still beyond us, as our space travel abilities are far too primitive.

FYI, NASA has beamed out a coded signal since 1975 (or around that time), indicating our location, our (man's) existence and our technological ability. It is coded, and not obvious, for 2 reasons:
1. If there is a more intelligent species out there, they may be able to interpret it and try and respond.
2. If the species is predatory, the assumption is that they may not be intellectually advanced. This MIGHT avert the possibility of them searching us out with the intention of attacking us.
It is assumed that if an alien species has the ability to find us, reach us and attack us, we may not have the wherewithall to defend ourselves.

I don't need to tell you, but this signal communication between two species on different planets is termed 'encounter of the first kind'.