SETI and THE BIBLE
(Investigator 98, 2004 September)
The senior
astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute in
Mountain View, California,
predicts we'll detect other intelligent life in our galaxy – if it
exists –
within 20 years. (New Scientist, 2004, July 24, p24)
Seth
Shostak used the formula proposed in 1961 by Frank
Drake (Investigator 94 p16) and calculated that between 10,000 and
1,000,000
alien civilizations in our galaxy might be transmitting radio signals.
In coming up
with 20 years Shostak estimates that computer processing power will
keep on
doubling every few years and radio telescope technology will also
advance.
In Investigator
71
"Anonymous" explained
why an all-powerful God who loves us humans – if such a God exists –
would let
humans suffer so much.
From the explanation it apparently followed
that: “Alien
civilizations, therefore, either don't exist or if they do exist they
would be
at peace with God and therefore forbidden from contacting us and
telling us."
(p35)
Detection of
aliens versus no detection – opposing predictions!
This looks like
a major showdown between science and the Bible except for one problem –
if
science loses the defeat is already explained.
New
Scientist
(2004, August 14, p4)
says, "broadcast television services are giving way to technologies
that do not
leak radio signals into space." Similarly, if alien civilizations
exist, their
planets might not be emitting detectable radio signals!
(BS)