In current science news the name of Avi Loeb, Harvard Astronomer, has got much attention on his contention that ET is out there and probably in our Milky Way galaxy. The recent entry of OUMAMUA, that cigar shaped asteroid (???) that sailed through our solar system and out very quickly, seemed to have stirred him to be so openly positive of ET’s presence — out there.
Well, “out there” is a very interesting “lottery” kind of place. The odds of winning the Mega Lottery are, roughly, 1 in 259 million and the Power Ball in 1 in 292 million. Scientists have recently moved their estimates of galaxies from 200 Billion to perhaps 2 Trillion. Our own Milky Way Galaxy seems to have the 200 Billion — or more — planetary systems with some ( by today’s count ) 3,926 habitable-zone planets discovered, but potentially some 11 Billion to 40 Billion are habitable. And … the number of “rogue planets” could number in the trillions. That’s just our galaxy. Somewhere the odds of an Earth are set at 1 in 700 Quintillion, at least 1 in such a grouping. The science of Astrobiology has all these stats along with sites such as Space.com.
Seems Loeb and the Russian billionaire, Yuri Milner (offering $100 Million), met a couple years ago to initiate the design of “humanity’s first interstellar” quest. Seems the late Hawkings, Zuckenberg, and SETI were/are all on board. Two telescopes currently involved: Green Bank, WV and Parkes of Australia. This quest is called — BREAKTHROUGH INITIATIVES.
Well, based on our human experience with winning odds and all the calculations of the scientists, it would seem, INDEED, that more planetary-galaxy bang-bang collisions would free-up another star-system or two very similar to our own — atmosphere-water-sunlight . . .plus the right kind of collisions to shake things into life– way back in time. However, there’s another set of odds that relates to our ever experiencing such ET worlds. Given the magnitude of light-year distances between star-systems and galaxies and this ever-expanding existence of universe(s) — it seems highly unlikely we’ll meet. But there are Jackpot-Mega-Powerball winners with just one ticket. Well, Loeb and the mathematicians will continue to calculate/cultivate potential. There are some odds that predict Planet Earth will Breakdown before any Breakthrough occurs. — So, statistically speaking, ET’s out there, but we may never meet. But, the Quest is underway. Ancient writers– before the afterlife-immortalists took over — saw the quest to reach and preserve our mortal home to be the goal. Also, says this writer, this Quest is, again, a mortal one to perhaps advance our concept of being at HOME. Given our need to protect-preserve-perpetuate life on our planet Earth, we are ever engaged in a BREAKTHROUGH INITIATIVE…..to increase our own odds as we voyage around our sun-star. The BI is now telescoping from an AI world. We are adjusting our lens and upping our odds again. Globalization’s the win-win over Galaxilization here at home.
While I, with Avi, wave at ET, with one foot in WV and one in Australia, I trust we Earthlings can deepen our vision of HOME — and to adequately comprehend the Breakthrough Initiative now, again, before ET– Earth’s Team. As always, from Hermes to Oumamua, the message has arrived.
mdok–2/5/19