Human Zoos MATHIS GASSER
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Lecture-29 (PDF)
Life in the Universe Orin Harris and Greg Anderson Department of Physics & Astronomy Northeastern Illinois University Spring 2021 c 2012-2021 G. Anderson., O. Harris Universe: Past, Present & Future – slide 1 / 95 Overview Dating Rocks Life on Earth How Did Life Arise? Life in the Solar System Life Around Other Stars Interstellar Travel SETI Review c 2012-2021 G. Anderson., O. Harris Universe: Past, Present & Future – slide 2 / 95 Dating Rocks Zircon Dating Sedimentary Grand Canyon Life on Earth How Did Life Arise? Life in the Solar System Life Around Dating Rocks Other Stars Interstellar Travel SETI Review c 2012-2021 G. Anderson., O. Harris Universe: Past, Present & Future – slide 3 / 95 Zircon Dating Zircon, (ZrSiO4), minerals incorporate trace amounts of uranium but reject lead. Naturally occuring uranium: • U-238: 99.27% • U-235: 0.72% Decay chains: • 238U −→ 206Pb, τ =4.47 Gyrs. • 235U −→ 207Pb, τ = 704 Myrs. 1956, Clair Camron Patterson dated the Canyon Diablo meteorite: τ =4.55 Gyrs. c 2012-2021 G. Anderson., O. Harris Universe: Past, Present & Future – slide 4 / 95 Dating Sedimentary Rocks • Relative ages: Deeper layers were deposited earlier • Absolute ages: Decay of radioactive isotopes old (deposited last) oldest (depositedolder first) c 2012-2021 G. Anderson., O. Harris Universe: Past, Present & Future – slide 5 / 95 Grand Canyon: Earth History from 200 million - 2 billion yrs ago. Dating Rocks Life on Earth Earth History Timeline Late Heavy Bombardment Hadean Shark Bay Stromatolites Cyanobacteria Q: Earliest Fossils? Life on Earth O2 History Q: Life on Earth How Did Life Arise? Life in the Solar System Life Around Other Stars Interstellar Travel SETI Review c 2012-2021 G. -
A Direct Communication Proposal to Test the Zoo Hypothesis
Space Policy 38 (2016) 22e26 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Space Policy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/spacepol Viewpoint A direct communication proposal to test the Zoo Hypothesis Joao~ Pedro de Magalhaes~ Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Room 245, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK article info abstract Article history: Whether we are alone in the universe is one of the greatest mysteries facing humankind. Given the >100 Received 3 March 2016 billion stars in our galaxy, many have argued that it is statistically unlikely that life, including intelligent Accepted 16 June 2016 life, has not emerged anywhere else. The lack of any sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, even though on a Available online 26 July 2016 cosmic timescale extraterrestrial civilizations would have enough time to cross the galaxy, is known as Fermi's Paradox. One possible explanation for Fermi's Paradox is the Zoo Hypothesis which states that Keywords: one or more extraterrestrial civilizations know of our existence and can reach us, but have chosen not to Active SETI disturb us or even make their existence known to us. I propose here a proactive test of the Zoo Hy- Astrobiology fi Fermi's Paradox pothesis. Speci cally, I propose to send a message using television and radio channels to any extrater- Messaging to extraterrestrial intelligence restrial civilization(s) that might be listening and inviting them to respond. Even though I accept this is METI unlikely to be successful in the sense of resulting in a response from extraterrestrial intelligences, the possibility that extraterrestrial civilizations are monitoring us cannot be dismissed and my proposal is consistent with current scientific knowledge. -
Livre-Ovni.Pdf
UN MONDE BIZARRE Le livre des étranges Objets Volants Non Identifiés Chapitre 1 Paranormal Le paranormal est un terme utilisé pour qualifier un en- mé n'est pas considéré comme paranormal par les semble de phénomènes dont les causes ou mécanismes neuroscientifiques) ; ne sont apparemment pas explicables par des lois scien- tifiques établies. Le préfixe « para » désignant quelque • Les différents moyens de communication avec les chose qui est à côté de la norme, la norme étant ici le morts : naturels (médiumnité, nécromancie) ou ar- consensus scientifique d'une époque. Un phénomène est tificiels (la transcommunication instrumentale telle qualifié de paranormal lorsqu'il ne semble pas pouvoir que les voix électroniques); être expliqué par les lois naturelles connues, laissant ain- si le champ libre à de nouvelles recherches empiriques, à • Les apparitions de l'au-delà (fantômes, revenants, des interprétations, à des suppositions et à l'imaginaire. ectoplasmes, poltergeists, etc.) ; Les initiateurs de la parapsychologie se sont donné comme objectif d'étudier d'une manière scientifique • la cryptozoologie (qui étudie l'existence d'espèce in- ce qu'ils considèrent comme des perceptions extra- connues) : classification assez injuste, car l'objet de sensorielles et de la psychokinèse. Malgré l'existence de la cryptozoologie est moins de cultiver les mythes laboratoires de parapsychologie dans certaines universi- que de chercher s’il y a ou non une espèce animale tés, notamment en Grande-Bretagne, le paranormal est inconnue réelle derrière une légende ; généralement considéré comme un sujet d'étude peu sé- rieux. Il est en revanche parfois associé a des activités • Le phénomène ovni et ses dérivés (cercle de culture). -
Aliens on Earth. Are Reports of Close Encounters Correct?
Aliens on Earth. Are reports of close encounters correct? Pawel Sobkowicz pawelsobko@ gmail. com (Dated: April 1st, 2012) Popular culture (movies, SF literature) and witness accounts of close encounters with extrater- restrials provide a rather bizarre image of Aliens behavior on Earth. It is far from stereotypes of human space exploration. The reported Aliens are not missions of diplomats, scientists nor even invasion fleets; typical encounters are with lone ETs (or small groups), and involve curious behav- ior: abductions and experiments (often of sexual nature), cattle mutilations, localized killing and mixing in human society using various methods. Standard scientific explanations of these social memes point to influence of cultural artifacts (movies, literature) on social imagination, projection of our fears and observations of human society, and, in severe cases, psychic disorder of the involved individuals. In this work we propose an alternate explanation, claiming that the memes might be the result of observations of actual behavior of true Aliens, who, visiting Earth behave in a way that is then reproduced by such memes. The proposal would solve, in natural way, the Fermi paradox. I. EXISTENCE OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL based on increased ratio of planet detection based on mi- CIVILIZATIONS crolensing [9], puts this ratio at close to 1 (estimating number of planets as close to the number of stars in the A. Drake equation Galaxy). Applying this correction to Franck et al. esti- mates gives us much larger number of Earth-like planets The two major problems faced today by scientists in- – about 50 million. Discussing temporal aspects of the Drake equation, terested in extraterrestrial civilizations are: how many ´ such civilizations exist today or existed before in the Cirkovi´c[10], stresses the importance of the longevity Milky Way? Provided the positive answer to the first of civilizations. -
Colonial Exhibitions, 'Völkerschauen' and the Display of the 'Other' by Anne Dreesbach
Colonial Exhibitions, 'Völkerschauen' and the Display of the 'Other' by Anne Dreesbach The term 'Völkerschau' became common in the 19th century and denoted the exhibition of members of particular ethnic groups, above all for commercial reasons. The term is primarily used in scholarly research to distinguish Hagenbeck-in- fluenced exhibitions from those that came earlier. Between the founding of the Reich and the 1930s, there were about 400 'Völkerschauen' in Germany. Each exhibition followed a certain presentation model, which drew upon the stereo- types about the various populations being depicted. In a recursive 'cycle of stereotypes', the exhibition affirmed and ac- tivated the visitors' already ingrained prejudices and encouraged them to form new ones. In the wake of talking films and, later, long-distance tourism, 'Völkerschauen' disappeared from the German public eye in the 1930s. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Beginnings 2. The structure of a 'Völkerschau' 3. Advertising and mode of presentation 4. 'Völkerschauen' and colonial propaganda 5. 'Völkerschauen' and science 6. The end of the 'Völkerschau' 7. Appendix 1. Sources 2. Bibliography 3. Notes Indices Citation Beginnings The practice of putting 'exotic' people on display began in Europe in the early modern period, when European explor- ers (ᇄ Media Link #ab) made their way to every corner of the globe. Sailors brought people with them from the newly explored areas, much as they might present foreign objects, plants and animals to prove the exoticism and wealth of previously unknown countries.1 These 'exotic' people were then exhibited by their 'discoverers' at royal courts or public fairs. Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) (ᇄ Media Link #ac) himself brought seven 'Arawak Indians' of the West Indies (ᇄ Media Link #ad) home to Europe from his first trip (ᇄ Media Link #ae). -
Maquetación 1 04/08/14 10:23 Página 47
Secuencias, 38 (p. 47-64):Maquetación 1 04/08/14 10:23 Página 47 EL ESPEJO TELEVISIVO DE CLAUDE. ESTÉTICA, CIENCIA Y FICCIÓN EN BLACK MIRROR Claude’s Television Mirror. Aesthetic, Science and Fiction in Black Mirror LAURA PoUSAª CES Felipe Segundo - UCM RESUMEN A través del estudio de la primera temporada de la serie televisiva Black Mirror (Charlie Brooker / Zeppotron, 2011-) exploramos una tipología de ficción contemporánea que, desde su particular e identificable definición británica, crece en modos y se expande convirtiéndose en un nuevo referente de creación audiovisual internacional. Asimilados los límites dramáticos y estéticos de la era del drama y de la post-televisión, y superada la vinculación cine / videoarte, televisión / publicidad, Black Mirror adopta una perspectiva cultural del progreso científico y tecnológico que determina su drama. El análisis específico de sus tres dispares capítulos –«The National Anthem», «Fifteen Million Merits» y «The Entire History of You»– nos llevará por un camino comparativo con el objetivo de identificar su valor narrativo y su aportación artística, desde una metafórica vinculación conceptual con el espejo oscuro y el clasicismo pictórico de Claude Lorrain. Palabras clave: Black Mirror, ciencia, ficción, drama, televisión, pantallas, realidad virtual, futuro, «The National Anthem», «Fifteen Million Merits», «The Entire History of You». ABSTRACT Through the study of the first season of the TV series Black Mirror (Charlie Brooker / Zep- potron, 2011-) we explore a typology of contemporary fiction that develops from its particular and identifiably British definition into a new referent for international audiovisual creations. Assuming both the dramatic and aesthetic boundaries of the era of drama and of post-televi- sion, and the established connections between film / video-art, television / publicity, the plot of Black Mirror is determined by its adoption of a culturally-specific perspective on scientific and technological progress. -
The Ancient Aliens Guy, His Hair, and Extraterrestrial Imperialism
The Ancient Aliens Guy, His Hair, and Extraterrestrial Imperialism Proposal by Stephen Few, English 102 At some point during the past few years, you may have tuned into The History Channel in hopes of seeing Pawn Stars or a new documentary. Instead of finding what you were looking for, you may have come across a show called Ancient Aliens. When watching Ancient Aliens, it becomes evident very quickly that the show is trying to convince viewers that extraterrestrials have visited Earth in the past. It is obvious that many people begin watching the show for a good laugh once they realize this, because the show is continually made fun of on the Internet and in pop culture. Some people don’t watch long enough because Giorgio Tsoukalos and his crazy hair make the show appear silly and incredible. The odd thing is that some of the ideas are logically possible. The Ancient Astronaut Theory, for example, is a very interesting explanation to many historical mysteries, though it is not taken seriously as a scientific theory. Tsoukalos and his team’s theories on aliens visiting Earth in the past are theoretically possible, so we should consider the implications if their theory is true. What effects will alien visitors have on environmental issues, world religion and cultures, and political organizations around the world in the future? What kind of preparations need to be made by the world in order to prepare for the next alien visitation? Giorgio A. Tsoukalos doesn’t have the college credentials of a world-famous archeologist; as a matter of fact, his body building hobby and sports medicine degree are far from archeology. -
Why SETI Will Fail ‡
Why SETI Will Fail z B. Zuckerman1 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. The union of space telescopes and interstellar spaceships guarantees that if extraterrestrial civilizations were common, someone would have come here long ago. PACS numbers: 97.10.Tk arXiv:1912.08386v1 [physics.pop-ph] 18 Dec 2019 z This article originally appeared in the September/October 2002 issue of Mercury magazine (published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific). Why SETI Will Fail 2 1. Introduction Where do humans stand on the scale of cosmic intelligence? For most people, this question ranks at or very near the top of the list of "scientific things I would like to know." Lacking hard evidence to constrain the imagination, optimists conclude that technological civilizations far in advance of our own are common in our Milky Way Galaxy, whereas pessimists argue that we Earthlings probably have the most advanced technology around. Consequently, this topic has been debated endlessly and in numerous venues. Unfortunately, significant new information or ideas that can point us in the right direction come along infrequently. But recently I have realized that important connections exist between space astronomy and space travel that have never been discussed in the scientific or popular literature. These connections clearly favor the more pessimistic scenario mentioned above. Serious radio searches for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) have been conducted during the past few decades. Brilliant scientists have been associated with SETI, starting with pioneers like Frank Drake and the late Carl Sagan and then continuing with Paul Horowitz, Jill Tarter, and the late Barney Oliver. -
(Re)Presentation in the Toronto Zoo's Canadian Domain By
Walking the Noble (Savage) Path: The Didactics of Indigenous Knowledge (Re)Presentation in the Toronto Zoo's Canadian Domain By Danielle Lorenz A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In The School of Canadian Studies Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario ©2012 Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-91558-5 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-91558-5 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. -
2005 – Building for the Future
2005 – 2006 2005 – Building for the future Working with communities is an important part of ZSL’s effort to involve local people in the welfare of their wildlife Reading this year’s Living Conservation report I am struck by the sheer breadth and vitality of ZSL’s conservation work around the world. It is also extremely gratifying to observe so many successes, ranging from our international animal conservation and scientific research programmes to our breeding of endangered animals and educational projects. Equally rewarding was our growing Zoology at the University of financial strength during 2005. In a year Cambridge. This successful overshadowed by the terrorist attacks collaboration with our Institute of in the capital, ZSL has been able to Zoology has generated numerous demonstrate solid and sustained programmes of research. We are financial growth, with revenue from our delighted that this partnership will website, retailing, catering and business continue for another five years. development operations all up on last Our research projects continued to year. influence policy in some of the world’s In this year’s report we have tried to leading conservation fields, including give greater insight into some of our the trade in bushmeat, the assessment most exciting conservation programmes of globally threatened species, disease – a difficult task given there are so risks to wildlife, and the ecology and many. Fortunately, you can learn more behaviour of our important native about our work on our award-winning* species. website www.zsl.org (*Best Website – At Regent’s Park we opened another Visit London Awards November 2005). two new-look enclosures. -
ASTR 380 the Fermi Paradox ASTR 380 the Fermi Paradox If We Are Not Unique in Developing a Technological Society in the Galaxy…
ASTR 380 The Fermi Paradox ASTR 380 The Fermi Paradox If we are not unique in developing a technological society in the galaxy….. Where is everyone else? The simple statement of the Fermi Paradox is: Planets are common Earth–like planets are likely to be common Life is likely on them Intelligence is a natural adaptation Many civilizations should exist…. Where are they? Paradox is named after Enrico Fermi – a famous physicist. Let’s explore this in some more detail Reminder • Course evaluations now open • Go to www.CourseEvalUM.umd.edu • Can fill out through December 14 • Please do fill in; even if you don’t like this course, I’d appreciate knowing why! Announcement • Last day of class, Thurs, Dec 11 • Will be course review • I will go over 10 major points in class, then the rest will be entirely driven by your questions • As before, no variant of “what will be on the exam?” will be answered • Answer: final is cumulative (i.e., everything in course), more focus on material after midterm • Format of final is same as midterm, homeworks Colonization of Milky Way • Our galaxy is 100,000 light years across • Right now we can travel nearly 30 km/s, or 1/10,000 of speed of light • Thus takes only 10,000x100,000=1 billion years to go across galaxy But Milky Way is >10 billion years old • Therefore, plenty of time! Problems With Argument? • Can’t reach every star in a straight line! • Santa Claus problem: circling Earth is okay in a night, but not visiting every house • Total interstellar distance is >trillion light years • Have we solved the Fermi Paradox? http://flashyourstache.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/santa_claus.jpg Strategy for Colonization • No, that “disproof” doesn’t work • Start out with one planet • Send exploration to two planets • Those two send to two each, for four • Next round: 8, then 16, 32, .. -
Black Mirror, Un Espejo Oscuro De Nuestro Aquí Y Ahora
Revista de Culturas y Literaturas Comparadas, volumen 10, diciembre 2020. ISSN: 2591-3883 Nuevas subjetividades, continuidades y rupturas en las tendencias distópicas en el siglo XXI: Black Mirror, un espejo oscuro de nuestro aquí y ahora Valeria Engert, Eugenia Marra y María Luz Revelli [email protected] Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto Córdoba, Argentina RESUMEN Las obras distópicas forman una larga tradición de continuidades, con sus oscuros universos que escenifican futuros de pesadilla en los que protagonistas infelices se ven atrapados en sistemas de poder extremadamente agobiantes. Dichos universos ficcionales se erigen como espacios fundamentales de exploración profunda de los grandes cambios sociales y políticos del devenir del hombre. Desde la transformación industrial y el impacto del mundo fabril a los grandes cambios tecnológicos del siglo XXI, cada época ha soñado sus propios mundos utópicos y distópicos. Con el cambio de milenio, la revolución 2.0 ha marcado una nueva era que impacta en la manera de vernos, ver al otro y ver el mundo. La serie británica Black Mirror problematiza las nuevas subjetividades, exteriorizadas, influenciadas por el uso de dispositivos digitales (Sibilia 1999, 2008, 2012) y hace de la reflexión en torno a la cuestión hombre-tecnología un oscuro espejo donde mirarnos, en nuestro aquí y ahora. Palabras clave: distopía- nuevas subjetividades del siglo XXI- Black Mirror ABSTRACT Dystopian works have a long-standing tradition in our culture. Their gloomy universes are persistent scenarios for the nightmarish stories they tell, where unhappy protagonists are caught in extremely suffocating power systems. Such fictional worlds stand as fundamental domains to explore the greatest social and political changes experienced by men.