If, in the future, aliens from a solar system with the same history as ours (starting from the Big Bang) ....?

Question

visit us on earth, when they arrive would their technology be more advance or less advance?

The key assumption here is that everything, their galaxy formation, their sun formation, ... technology, etc. evolved in the same way for them as for us.

You need to consider the effect of relativity. Everything is exactly the same at each location, but, once they get into the ship and accelerate, they have a different time.

Also, since it happens in the future, the fact that we do not have the technology now is irrelevant.

Also, if every thing is *exactly* the same, two spaceships will meet in the middle, but still you must consider the situation when they arrive on earth.

mattmakesart: Hey! This should be a great motivation for space travel! It also means that, if we ever see aliens, it would be a proof that their history was not the same as us and somehow they were lucky and got to be at the required level for space travel much before us.

But I do understand that, if we come back on earth, we would see a planet earth that would have progressed even more than us. Yet, why should one wants to come back?

Anyway, I am curious how close or far from the reality is this uniformity assumption, but this is a different question.

Answer 1

The technology of the people on each ship would be less advanced at the time of their arrival to the planets. Those traveling aboard the ship would experience time slower while the planets would be experiencing time at normal pace and advancing their technology during that time-span.

Answer 2

There is no way of knowing if the race will be more or less technologically advanced.

Pick any two random people, here on Earth. Their history begins with the same, "big bang," formation of elements, star systems, even to being born on the same planet.

What prediction could you make about whether one individual or the other will be more technologically advanced? You CAN'T. There are too many variables, just among humans. You couldn't even do it if you assumed the two people were from the same country, or state, or city, or even the SAME FAMILY. Every individual develops separately. (How many identical twins have EXACTLY the same attitudes, intelligence, education and thoughts?)

Why would you assume, then, that two races, evolved from two different planets would have to have even similar technologies to compare? What if the other race had more than two genders? How would that affect the technology? What if the other race evolved from primitive ant or bee-like species? What comparisons would apply to humans?

You artificially set up limitations such as your key assumptions, like "technology ...evolved in the same way for them as for us." And then, ask which technology would be more advanced. You answered your own question. You said they would be the SAME.

My answer is that YOUR scenario is improbably unlikely. They WOULDN'T be the same.

Answer 3

This is a great question. Right now, scientists have found a galaxy that is in a double Einstein cross, that is eight images of the same galaxy coming to us from around some massive foreground object. Your question might be reformed to: "If we see eight images of the same galaxy that came to us with separate paths, will all of those paths be the same?" A likely answer is "NO" because each would have a different length. The history visible in each image would bring us to a different time in each galaxy image's past so any world would be at a different point in their development.

Now, to answer your question. If the history is different for the same galaxy along eight different paths, what are the chances of two worlds having exactly the same history. I would venture that such a circumstance is impossible. Even if their history were two identical time lines, the chances of us encountering both time lines in exactly the same spot in the development of the creatures would be almost nil.

Answer 4

What mattmakesart says plus consider the travel time. If they are exactly the same as us in technological level then while they are traveling they are not advancing technologically but we here on Earth are. So when they get here they will be behind us. Unless they have a way to communicate instantaneously and a way to upgrade their ship/equipment. Then they could call home and get the latest stuff.

Answer 5

Has it occurred to you that if they get here,
their technology MUST be a hell of a lot
more advanced than ours?
Otherwise, we'd be getting there. - D'OH.

Answer 6

screw the big bang GOD made the Earth!!