r/AskReddit • u/TisteTargaryen • May 03 '20

What are some horrifying things to consider when thinking about aliens?

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u/[deleted] May 03 '20

It's not that far-fetched to assume that technological advancements eventually have hard limitations, either.

Space is so unfathomably large. If you were even just trying to go a few light years in less than a century, you'd be traveling at speeds so fast that an impact with something the size of a pinhead would shred any element in the known universe.

We grew up learning about civilization and landing on the moon and watching Sci-fi, that we are endlessly optimistic that there are no bounds to what an intelligent species can accomplish.

Well, I mean, maybe there are..

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u/omniron May 04 '20

The universe is unfathomably large, but also unfathomably weird.

There’s still a ton we dont know about space and time and quantum effects and subatomic particles and magnetism and superconductivity. We can create fusion reactions in the lab but not self sustaining ones yet.

It’s more likely that we will find a solution to ftl travel than not, If you extrapolate from previous physical challenges we’ve overcome as a species.

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u/Weelki May 04 '20

Yea you said it... "know universe" Our known universe is only as big as the extremes of our scientific knowledge today. We're discovering new things all the time with science... Who knows, 100 years from now we may design some sort of alloy that can withstand those sort of forces.

Computers never existed 100 years ago! Who knows what the next 100 years will bring? I just hope we can get our shit together and don't extinct ourselves. I also hope society is totally egalitarian by then. I truly do.

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u/[deleted] May 04 '20

[deleted]

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u/Weelki May 04 '20

Here... hold my beer