Signs of Life
Review by Colter Smith
Normally scientists look for aliens by searching for radio waves. The idea is that if people on earth can emit radio waves, maybe other civilizations do too. Then newest project around this idea is called the Allen Telescope Array, which when complete will have 350 satellite dishes that act in concert. However many scientists think this is the wrong approach. Radios are becoming used less and less on earth, so a more advanced civilization could have stopped using radios altogether. A retired physicist has suggested a number of new ideas for finding intelligent life. The first is to look for pollution in atmosphere, such as synthetic materials that would be signs of industrialization or compounds that would mean life, such as a lot of oxygen in an atmosphere. Also, some civilizations may have been around for tens or hundreds of thousands of years. People theorize that a civilization this advanced may have built a shell around their central star to gather as much energy from it as possible, which we may be able to see on a telescope. Also, if the central star of a very advanced civilization began to turn into what is called a red giant, that civilization would try to stop that process if it could. The resulting star would look strange and we might be able to see it on a telescope.
If alien life were to be discovered, it would be the most important human discovery since farming. Intergalactic trade would usher in a whole new era of economic growth and prosperity and bring to this planet things we have never dreamed of. Alien ideas and concepts would blow our minds. Their technology could allow us to do things we had never imagined were possible and could make some of life’s most difficult tasks trivial concerns of the past. Finally it would show us that we are not alone in this vast universe.
I thought this article was quite good. It took fairly complex astrophysical ideas and presented them in a way that was understandable yet still interesting. This article also helped to show what a very complex Alien civilization might look like. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.
I thought Colter's article was interesting and informative. I enjoyed reading about the topic of potential communication with alien life. This is both a fascinating and relevant topic. I thought Colter's summary of the article was also very good, he incorporated a lot of interesting facts. His clear writing style also made the sometimes complicated topic relatively easy for people to understand.
ReplyDeleteI would not change much about this article, it is very well written. If I had to make a suggestion, it would be to include a little more on past accounts of forms of attempted communication with alien life. I also might include some more theories regarding finding alien life, some believe that alien life may not take a sophisticated, evolved form, but a very basic form.
Overall, I thought Colter's review of the article was excellent. I learned about the project of the Alien Telescope Array and the facts regarding this venture. I enjoyed reading about attempts to communicate with aliens. Colter wrote a well written and informative review.
The review for “Signs of Life” by Colter was a very interesting article to read and made me think of the possibilities of life existing throughout the universe. He wrote the review very clearly, so it was very easy to understand. Also, Colter explained the numerous ways for proof of life in the universe, such as pollution and synthetic materials in space. Also, another thing that he described well was the possibilities that open up if we did find life outside of Earth. For example, there could be trade, new technologies, and new ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe review could have explained more on why people are not using radio waves anymore, and why using them would be ineffective in space. Also, the review could have explained how we can see past our galaxy and how communication with these aliens can happen. The other life forms are light years away, and how can we get messages to the other side without taking years to send?
Before reading this review, I always believed that aliens were just part of sci-fi stories and dreams, but I never thought that scientists would put lots of effort to finding life outside of Earth. This is important to me because if we did find life outside of Earth, that can be a change in the way of life on Earth and other life-forms.
Colter did an excellent job reviewing his article, “Signs of Life.” It was well written and easy to understand. He did a very good job explaining the different approaches that scientists thought we’re necessary in these studies. He also did a great job explaining why a discovery like this would be so revolutionary.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Colter did a great job, he could have explained where scientists are looking to find these other races. Also he might have elaborated a little bit more on how we would even be able to communicate with these people, as they would most likely live light years away and not speak any language on Earth.
Overall Colter did an excellent job reviewing his article, and I think it is a fascinating concept that there could be people living on other planets in some place in the universe.
I really enjoyed reading colter's review. I think he definitely chose a good article. It is an opinionated article, which not very many people have written about, so I think it was interesting to see someone switch things up. As well, I think he depicted to two sides of the debate, so we could formulate our own opinions of how we might discover other life forms. He definitely included good information to support the two sides.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest to Colter that he might want to form his own opinion of how we might discover new life on other planets. As well, maybe Colter could've included more background on different approaches scientists have taken in the past and how we've learned from those to find new life.
The most interesting thing I learned from his review was the fact that radiowaves had become an outdated formula for detecting aliens. But the fact that other civilizations might find radiowaves outdated makes perfect sense in ones mind.
Colter’s review of the “Signs of Life” article was both interesting and well written. I found the topic of his article quite fascinating, alien life is always interesting to study. I also thought he included many relevant and interesting facts about the study. These details helped me further understand the topic. Colter’s writing was very simple and easy to understand as well.
ReplyDeleteI thought Colter’s summary was very well written. Therefore, I have few suggestions for improvement. If I had to suggest one improvement, it would be to elaborate a little more on previous attempts to contact alien life. Also, I would suggest, explaining more possible scenarios of what would happen if we actually contacted extraterrestrial life. This is in regards to finding either hostile or less advanced life forms. However, these are only minor improvements, for the review was quite good.
Through this review, I learned much about scientist’s efforts to communicate with alien life forms. Also, it discussed methods of locating advanced life, such as checking planets for pollution. I found the review extremely interesting, seeing as advanced alien civilizations are very fascinating topics. Overall, Colter’s review was thought provoking and very detailed.
I enjoyed reading Colter’s review of, "Signs of Life." I enjoyed it the most because he chose a unique topic and article to review. It's always fascinating to hear about what efforts we might put towards connecting with worlds outside our own. I also liked that Colter brought to my attention the benefits of alien connection such as new resources and perhaps even an economic boom.
ReplyDeleteWhat I thought Colter could have added to his review were just a few explanations. I wish that he could have told us how we planned on communicating with these aliens even if we were to find them. How could we possibly start thinking about trading ventures with aliens when we don’t even know if they exist? I think the review also should have included how we plan on funding projects like this and more about what sorts of technology is being put to the test.
Overall I think that Colter did an excellent job on his review because he provided a very interesting read that was easy to understand and enjoy. I find it incredible that men and women are being paid to find life-forms that may or may not exist.
Colter’s review of “Signs of Life” was an interesting read. He did a job explaining what scientists are trying to do in order to connect with outside worlds. I also liked how he explained how there was a lot of proof to support other lives in space such as pollution and synthetic materials. In addition, with the possibility of other life there could be trade, new technologies, and ideas.
ReplyDeleteI felt that Colter could have improved this review by addressing the questions as to why radio waves aren’t used anymore. I also believed he could have addressed the location of where the scientist are trying to find the specimens. Also, he should have included how we are planning to fund this project in the future.
Overall Colter did a great job reviewing this article. I felt it interesting how there is a possibility of life existing on another plant and how this could effect our lives. I also found it comical how people are being paid to find life-forms that may or may not exist.
Melissa Imperiale 4/23/10
ReplyDeleteMr. Ipplito Biology
Colter’s article, Signs of Life was very interesting. The article is regarding the idea of finding other life on different planets such as aliens. The article mentions several ways to discover other life forms on different planets. I thought Colter’s review was well done. I think the introduction with radio waves to the review was intriguing to the point where you wanted to read on and see what the article was really about. I also thought the article was well presented because it mentioned the few ways to find aliens and show the life of an other type of men. For example, how he mentioned radio-waves and telescopes. Additionally, it was well-presented in the fact that he discusses what would happen to the world if aliens were really in existence and how it’d be the ultimate discovery of human kind.
The article was very well done, but room for improvement is always noticed. I did like how he introduced the topic because it mentioned what radio-waves had to do with discovering other forms of life. But I do think he should have gone into more of a discussion regarding what radio-waves actually do and the functions that pertain in discovering different forms of life. Additionally, I also think another improvement could be made to enhance the review in the section were he discusses the Allen Telescope Array. He mentioned what it was in a concise manner and how scientists think it is the wrong approach. I just think he should have gone into more detail of what it actually was, so the readers would have a better understanding of the entire experiment and process.
I found this entire article and review very impressing! I have always known that people have had theories on discovering aliens, but I never knew much about. This review introduced me to the different types of ways that people were trying to discover aliens with. I found it all very interesting and informative and look forward in seeing how these experiments and ideas carry out.
This was a pretty cool artical in my opinion. I have seen many articals involving space but if theres one thing intrigues me about space is alien intelligence. I learned alot of new things from this, a new telescope with 350 satellite dishes? wow. I have to admit though, i cant help but agree with the scientists about the use of radio waves. If we, the people of planet earth, barely use radio waves anymore, then a civilization that would probebly be more advanced then us would not be using then anymore! "People theorize that a civilization this advanced may have built a shell around their central star to gather as much energy from it as possible, which we may be able to see on a telescope." now to me that sounds exciting, if we could see that central star would be like a dream come true. Just finding out that we could not be the only ones in the universe would deffenetly be the greatest discovery ever made.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about Colter's artical is the information. It was well put and greatly told, and thats what makes an artical interesting. Perhaps my suggestion is quotes directly from the artical. I think many of us would feel how important the artical is if we could hear quotes from scientists and such.
Overall this artical is a pieve of work haha, the artical introduced me to new theories of extra terrestrial life and about new space technology. Aliens are deffenetly a great mystery to us humans, and reading these types of articals deffenetly add fuel to the fire.
Colter’s review was very easy to follow and he did a great job of explaining what scientists are trying to do in order to connect with outside worlds. Throughout he's review i was impressed with the amount of proof that was available to support other lives in space. Also Colter went on to explain how this would benefit by new means of ideas and technology
ReplyDeleteI felt that Colter could have talked more about where the scientists are trying to find the specimens. Also, I would want to read more into depth of the proof that they were able to conclude on. Lastly I am very interested in this project and if they are going to be funded by any major organizations.
Overall Colter did a great job with his current event. I found it interesting how there is a possibility of life existing on another plant and how this could effect our lives. I think i am still not fully clear about the project because i would need more evidence or the means by which they could conclude that such a project was necessary.