One of the standard themes in science fiction has been that of “Alien Invaders.” So far, this has not happened, at least not in the form of overt military conquest. But it could, couldn’t it?
Perhaps so, but before losing any sleep over it, perhaps we should ask, why? Why would a technologically advanced alien civilization attack us? What do we have that they could hope to acquire?
Water? According to some science-fiction portrayals, that would attract every thirsty alien in the galaxy (and beyond). Planet Earth has abundant water. With proper purification systems, and adequate conservation, we have enough water to supply an entire alien planet for many millions of years.
No. Water is a molecule composed of hydrogen which is the most abundant element in the universe, and oxygen, which is in plentiful supply. Even if the oxygen supply runs low on Planet Zadar, the Zadarian technology, if advanced enough to attack us, is also advanced enough to make its own oxygen, and then combine it with hydrogen by lighting a match. Voila, Zadar could swim in alien water. They don’t need us for that.
Okay, then what about food? Yes. Aliens have to eat, and with six billion humans available---no. The aliens can synthesize water in which to boil us, and they can also synthesize food, the exact food that will best suit their needs and desires. Why would they eat us? Yuck.
Likewise with gold, silver, uranium and any other element or
molecule they could wish for, they can produce them.
Alright, then, how about our planet itself? Real estate. Surely the aliens look upon earth as the perfect habitat in which to raise their mini-alien offspring.
While the aliens might consider that as a reason for stealing our planet, there are some reasons why they would be better off designing and building their own habitats. Is our gravity comfortable for them? Is our atmospheric pressure and composition suitable? And what about the kazillion other factors that make Earth just right for us, but possibly not for them? Yes, they could likely transform our planet to suit their needs, and that might give them a reason to kill us off, but if they can transform other planets instead, they might prefer to do so, and leave Earth alone.
That is not merely wishful thinking, because we do have one set of things that no alien technology can manufacture. Aliens could very well find it worthwhile to study us. We have our history, our cultures, our philosophies and religions, literature and arts. These might seem like things that no alien civilization would find worth preserving, but it is more likely that they would. After all, if we humans find it useful and intellectually enriching to analyze foreign ways of thinking, then why would aliens not at least place some level of value on doing the same?
It should give us some comfort, then, that no alien armies have yet invaded us, despite millions of years in which they (in theory, at least) could have. That in itself should indicate that they have found no reason to do so. With their enormous technological superiority, they have no reason to fear us, no reason to preemptively attack us. All in all, we are safe.
Let us then turn our attention to the possible benefits that alien technologies might offer us. By using the word, “offer,” we need not imply that the aliens will come to us and show us their wares. We are an inventive species, and we can produce our own technologies. It gives us a great incentive, however, if we are convinced that the next invention is possible—indeed, if we believe it has been done.
So, for example, if we observe a very distant star, and conclude that a Dyson Sphere has been constructed around it, by aliens, then we might thereby be encouraged to undertake such a project ourselves, or at least to work toward it. Such a star exists—if our observations are accurate and properly interpreted. Even if not, we might give it a try, just because maybe, just maybe, the aliens did it. Maybe.
In any case, the first step in making a practical invention is to imagine it, based on what we already know. With that in mind, here are five technologies which we can reasonably suppose that alien civilizations have invented, which might have an impact on our own technological progress.
1S Synthesization of elements
2. Anti-gravity
3. Artificial gravity
4. Faster-than-light communication
5. Faster-than-light travel
(1) Synthesization of elements
We can make water out of hydrogen and oxygen, but we can make neither hydrogen nor oxygen from scratch. Okay, hydrogen basically makes itself, so to speak, because it has one proton (and sometimes one neutron), but oxygen is a whole different thing. It has eight protons and eight neutrons. The universe creates oxygen through a series of thermonuclear reactions inside stars, but the details are not fully understood. In other words, we cannot make oxygen atoms out of eight hydrogen atoms.
But in theory, it can be done (after all, the universe does it), and therefore, we can and should consider it likely that space-faring aliens have found a way to do it.
By extension, we can and should consider it likely that space-faring aliens have found a way to make any element from hydrogen, that is, from protons and neutrons and electrons. They can make gold and silver and uranium. They can make aluminum and iron and copper. Given that, they can combine atoms to make any molecule such as water, salt, and any food they can desire.
That power would enable them to conquer other civilizations (including ours). It would also make it unnecessary. Our only worry, then, would be aliens who conquer and destroy just for fun. It seems, however, that that has not happened, perhaps because there is good reason for them not to do so.
(2)
Anti-gravity
Many science fiction authors find it necessary, or at least convenient, to include anti-gravity in their stories. It saves on gas (or petrol). Some see no other way that the Pyramids could have been built. It also comes in handy to launch mega-sized spacecraft off of any planet.
While we have never found any practical anti-gravity force in nature, scientists do claim to have found dark energy, a sort of anti-gravity field that permeates the universe, causing the expansion of the universe to pick up speed, to accelerate. If that assessment is correct, then it is sort of a proof-of-concept phenomenon that allows efforts to develop anti-gravity generators to proceed.
Dark energy is, however, such a mystery to science that some scientists claim that it does not exist. Even if they are right, however, anti-gravity might still exist. If it does, the aliens almost surely have it.
(3)
Artificial gravity
Unlike as with anti-gravity, actual gravity does indeed exist. Furthermore, the effects of gravity can be artificially simulated with centrifugal force by spinning. But it’s not the same; it’s artificial, but it’s not really gravity. Actual gravity is a property of the way mass interacts with (and bends) space. Wow, that almost sounds like I know what I’m talking about, even though (I assure you) I do not.
We feel gravity as a force, but relativity tells us that it is not a force acting at a distance, but instead, that space-bending thingy. I think that idea is wrong, but I’m wrong on a lot more than just that.
Getting to the point, science-fiction writers need artificial gravity to keep Captain Kirk from floating out of his space-ship command-chair when the Romulans attack. In more practical terms, our experience with the orbiting space-station has shown that there are adverse long-term health effects for astronauts who spend a lot of time in zero-gravity. These can be partially compensated with certain exercises, but the only truly effective remedy is actual gravity—or in the context of this commentary, artificial gravity.
Artificial gravity in a space-ship would consist of either a very large centrifuge (astronauts living inside a gigantic spinning wheel), which would be possible but would pose its own problems—or a flat platform which would gravitationally pull everything straight down along a planar surface. The latter is presently not possible, but it would make small space-craft more ergonomic for astronauts.
The aliens must have this. Surely, they must.
(4) Faster-than-light communication
It’s not possible. Einstein proved that. The very fabric of the universe makes the transmission of information (in any form) utterly impossible. Forget it. End of discussion.
Except that it makes science-fiction almost impossible to write. How would Galactic Headquarters know that the Romulans are attacking in Theta Sector in time to react—or at least in time for the evening news?
Well, information cannot travel faster than lightspeed—inside our own universe. It would rip the fabric of space-time.
But what if there are parallel universes in which we could take a shortcut?
Think about it. How else could ET phone home?
(5) Faster-than-light travel
If information cannot travel faster than lightspeed, then there ain’t no way in heck that we could. Oh yeah, smarty-pants? I’ll bet that the aliens have it figured out. So there.
The only way in which the aliens have developed faster-than-lightspeed travel is if they have discovered fundamental laws of nature that we may not suspect exist. Might they have done so?
One of the most exciting things any young physicist can say, is the phrase, “new physics.” They hunger for it. Examples include theories of dark matter and dark energy, and by contrast, theories that claim those do not exist, but that something equally strange (or more so) might exist instead.
New physics may also include things that only recently have been considered to be a part of physics, such as theories of consciousness. Given that consciousness is the only known phenomenon that observes itself, and that it does so from within itself, we may even be on the cusp of a paradigm shift, one which may force physicists to recognize that there is more to physicists than can ever be explained by physics.
I am simply not smart enough to say whether physicists are wrong. I cannot say with any reasonable degree of certainty whether aliens exist. Maybe they don’t. Maybe we’re it, and there ain’t no more.
But if there are aliens, I’m pretty sure that they know more
than we do.
