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A thought exercise regarding the upcoming Pluto flyby
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:27 am
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:27 am
Next week the New Horizons probe will make its closest approach to Pluto and take the first ever detailed images of the surface. The images won't be completely downloaded for several months after the encounter.
As a hypothetical, imagine that the probe snaps pictires showing artifacts of a civilization, an existing civilization, or some other evidence of life. A return trip with a probe would probably take 20-30 years, and we can't take detailed pictures from Earth. How would humanity deal with that partial information during the intervening years?
As a hypothetical, imagine that the probe snaps pictires showing artifacts of a civilization, an existing civilization, or some other evidence of life. A return trip with a probe would probably take 20-30 years, and we can't take detailed pictures from Earth. How would humanity deal with that partial information during the intervening years?
13
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:29 am to weagle99
An aliens board
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:29 am to weagle99
Arms race to deal with beings capable of surviving at absolute zero?
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:29 am to weagle99
I thought they took Pluto away?
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:31 am to weagle99
We probably already know their are aliens there. That's why we took away their planet categorization. Psychological warfare.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:32 am to Sir Drinksalot
quote:
thought they took Pluto away?
Exactly. There is no Pluto anymore so this "thought experiment" doesn't make sense.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:35 am to weagle99
We'd probably have to upgrade back to planet status. It would only seem right.
Is there any way to put the brakes on New Horizons to keep it there? I know they have a limited amount of fuel for course corrections because they're sending it after those Kuiper Belt objects next but is it enough (or is it possible) to use that fuel to park it in orbit?
Is there any way to put the brakes on New Horizons to keep it there? I know they have a limited amount of fuel for course corrections because they're sending it after those Kuiper Belt objects next but is it enough (or is it possible) to use that fuel to park it in orbit?
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:39 am to Walking the Earth
New Horizons can't stop at Pluto. Would have required an incredible amount of fuel and a very large thruster.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:41 am to weagle99
finding even long dead ruins on Pluto would shake humanity to the core unlike any other event in human history. It would at the same time make the VAST majority of humans question their deepest held beliefs, while at the same time generate incredible excitement, and incredible fear for some.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:48 am to TigerFanatic99
quote:
humans question their deepest held beliefs
asteroid hits earth, sends chunks of rock flying into space carrying organic life, lands on inhabitable place, etc, etc..
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:50 am to weagle99
If anything even remotely indicative of civilization on Pluto was discovered during this flyby, the vast majority of humanity would never know about it.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:55 am to weagle99
quote:On Pluto? I guess, in a universe, anything is possible, but that ain't gonna happen.
a civilization, an existing civilization, or some other evidence of life
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:56 am to weagle99
quote:
How would humanity deal with that partial information during the intervening years?
Will be split between believers and deniers with the deniers saying it's some sort of government conspiracy to thwart business.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 10:58 am to HaveMercy
quote:
If anything even remotely indicative of civilization on Pluto was discovered during this flyby, the vast majority of humanity would never know about it.
This as well. I believe firmly that the government would cover this shite up most fricking ricky tick, and probably already has mock photos prepared just in case.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 11:00 am to HaveMercy
quote:
If anything even remotely indicative of civilization on Pluto was discovered during this flyby, the vast majority of humanity would never know about it.
This is the correct answer.
But if we pretend that they shared the information with us, many people would go ape shite. it would be highly politicized and debated by the commoners.
Meanwhile, the governments and billionaires of the world would throw everything they have at getting back out there as fast as possible. It would be a space race like we have never seen before. They'd probably have better equipment out there in 10 years and an astronaut on site within 25 years.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 11:17 am to Asgard Device
I don't think NASA and the government would release any info showing there is or was life on another planet.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was already proof of life elsewhere. They would not release that information to the general public.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was already proof of life elsewhere. They would not release that information to the general public.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 11:40 am to Buck Dancer
I think people clearly over rate the capability of NASA or the US government to keep secrets in the age of the internet.
Posted on 7/6/15 at 12:04 pm to weagle99
Pluto is not planet hard
Posted on 7/6/15 at 12:08 pm to Buck Dancer
quote:
I wouldn't be surprised if there was already proof of life elsewhere. They would not release that information to the general public.
Why not?
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