“Are We Alone?” series on the Science Channel

[frogmarch]

7. You’re absolutely right. (facepalm)

Astrobiology is certainly a science, and I'd say robotics is a combination of science and engineering.

But in the “First Contact” episode I didn’t see any discussion on the possibility of traveling vast distances to the far reaches of the Milky Way and beyond. We Earthlings presently lack the knowledge and technology to achieve this, but could an advanced alien species have mastered long-distance space travel? Theoretically, is there a way around the speed of light barrier (wormholes, or “black hole engines”? Could aliens have achieved what we so far haven’t? If not, would our alien visitors then be computers or computerized robots? These are some of the things I’d have liked to have seen discussed in “First Contact.” That aside, the segment showing how people might react at first contact was fun. When I saw those two guys standing there nonchalantly watching the descending alien craft coming closer and closer, I thought Yeah, right. No way would those guys be scared. I’d have been out of there.