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"Would you please tell us, as clearly as you can, and considering how long we will have waited for the answer, what you think is most important for us to know?"
No matter how they answer - with a joke, or a sermon or a scientific treatise, it'll tell us a lot about them.
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What do they want and why?
and
What do they eat for food? :band:
Why do everyone try to understand me when it only confuses them even more?
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have you visited us already?
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have we met before?
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Now, it takes 50 years to send a message, and another 50 years for the ET to send a response (speed of light limit), what would be the one question you would ask (since it would be the only one you get to ask within your lifetime)
Why, the same question I ask everyone that I get e-mail from but am unlikely to hear back from for 50 years:
"What's the address for your web page?" :;):
"We go big, or we don't go." - GCNRevenger
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Which way do you crack your eggs?
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Ether or Relativity ?
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In the spirit of taking over other creatures before they take us over, I would ask how strong their military is. Then if they reply that they are weak (would they even fall for it?), we factor in the evolution of science and cross our fingers that they will be weaker when our invasion fleet arrives. If they are stronger, then we smile nicely and try to be friends with them (until we steal their technology of course).
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Strong or weak by who's standards? America has a strong army compared to others on Earth, but I'm sure it's nothing to that of a space faring civilization (unless, as some hope, space faring civilizations have given up war).
I think humanity would do better trying to be friendly whenever possible. Conquering the galaxy isn't what I call a great future for us.Besides, it would be nearly impossible to go it alone like that and attempt to defeat the combined forces of everyone else.
Then if they reply that they are weak (would they even fall for it?), we factor in the evolution of science and cross our fingers that they will be weaker when our invasion fleet arrives.
Suppose they say they're weak as a bluff. Really they are confident they can destroy us when we arrive. A planet that so blatantly declares its militant intentions will not be trusted and may be considered a threat to dangerous to be allowed to survive. Also such a scenario would allow them to conquer us without being the aggressor.
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
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A good question is can you send plans to get to you.
If they cant then they probably aren't worth talking to.
If they can, then using the technology they provide will answer all other question we might have for them.
The universe isn't being pushed apart faster.
It is being pulled faster towards the clumpy edge.
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My question:
What do you know?
Seems like that gives us the most bang for our interstellar buck.
I agree. That is a great question to ask them.
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A good question is can you send plans to get to you.
Plans for a space ship or just a map? And what if they just say "Yes."
If they cant then they probably aren't worth talking to.
Don't bother trying to talk to those Earthlings.
Seriously, I think any extraterrestrial civ would be worth talking to. Unless we knew a lot anyway; then we might have to pick and choose, and your rule would work fairly well since those we can visit will probably be the most interesting.
My question:
What do you know?
Seems like that gives us the most bang for our interstellar buck.
I agree. That is a great question to ask them.
Sounds like a good idea. In the spirit of mutual cooperation we could then broadcast all the info we can think of about Earth, ourselves, our history, our ideas and philosophies, and our knowledge of the universe. If we receive a similar database of knowledge, likely a larger one, it will occupy us for centuries.
Two thoughts to apply generally to the idea of communication with extraterrestrials:
1) We should be very specific and perhaps even redundant. Even when we find a way of communicating complex ideas, that is develop a common language or learn each other's, different linguistic conventions could lead to misinterpretation especially where something is not meant literally.
2)Why send one message every 100 or whatever it might be years? Send one every day. After an initial delay we will also be getting one every day. Thus we will sort of have a constant dialogue; that is there will be a constant exchange of information.
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
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Can you please send pictures, videos, virtual reality environments, of your homeworld, it's species and your civilization?
Send them signal with similar information about Earth and Humanity (but not history or age of civilization).
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Mother!?! :shock:
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.
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Do you want us with fries?
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Is elvis with you?
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