I hear that we will NEVER be able to communicate effectively with other life forms because the time it would take for a signal to complete a roundtrip to a chosen destination would be too long for any of us or our descendants to grasp.
2006-09-13 07:54:58 · 6 answers · asked by Prince Auggie 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It´d take even longer to send a device in strategic spots than to send messages at the speed of light. At the current rate of our technology, it would take hundreds of thousands of years to get to alpha centauri, and that is so close to us that it´s not even considered neighborhood in relation to the size of the galaxy. It´s in the same house.
2006-09-13 07:58:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If communication is limited by the speed of light, then outposts don't help---they will just make the round-trip distance a little longer.
Maybe there are wormholes. If so, then having wormhole terminations at various places in the Galaxy would help a lot.
The nearest extraterrestrial life could be close enough for your lifetime---if it's near one of the hundred or so stars within 15 lightyears, the round-trip message time would be 30 years.
2006-09-13 15:03:53 · answer #2 · answered by cosmo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same would be the issue no matter how many outpopsts you place or where. Light travels at the same speed regardless, so it will always take a given amount of time to go from point A to Point B, no matter how many positions are listening along the way.
That is, if there is anything out there to communicate with. Or willing to communicate with a backwoods bunch of hicks like ourselves
2006-09-13 15:05:39 · answer #3 · answered by lowflyer1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming we could get these galactic relays in place, there is still a fundamental problem...
It would take just as long to bounce a signal from relay to relay as it would to send it directly to the destination. Either way, the signal is traveling at the speed of light. The only advantage to having relays is they would be able to boost the signal so it's 'loud and clear' at the receiving end of the transmission.
2006-09-13 15:04:26 · answer #4 · answered by Jared Z 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if the outposts are maned. Even then, It would be a local call. ;-)
2006-09-13 15:03:14 · answer #5 · answered by S.A.M. Gunner 7212 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Something for the future, It has been said while someone says it can't be done someone else is busy doing it.
2006-09-13 15:04:13 · answer #6 · answered by doktordbel 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋