Loneliness in the universe and contacts with extraterrestrial intelligence

Pavel R. Amnuel SF writer, astrophysicist, Israel

Loneliness in the universe and contacts with extraterrestrial intelligence

Science fiction (SF) authors portray the most extraterrestrial civilizations as anthropomorphic up to the full indistinguishable from humans. Nonhuman characters also present in SF, but these characters are different from the men often form rather than content (f.e. novels by H. Clement [1], V. Vinge [2], O. S, Card [3], etc.). Completely unclear extraterrestrial intelligence is very rare, and contact is not possible (F. Hoyle [4], S. Lem [5], P. Watts [6], ets.). The last type of extraterrestrial intelligence is the most likely one to exist in reality, but, with few exceptions, far from the literature. Space is a different habitat, different evolution, different attitude to reality. All is different!

F. Drake in the sixties of the last century, derived a formula for estimating the number of advanced civilizations [7]. According to Drake turned out that millions of civilizations more or less similar to ours must exist in the Galaxy. On the other hand, we have estimates of the probability of origin of life, like ours. These numbers do not leave any chance for a human life. The probability of random occurrence of a living molecule from nonliving matter is so small that such a process needs time, many orders of magnitude greater than the lifetime of the Universe. In addition to this unlikely coincidence we need dozens of others that reduce the likelihood of a human life to almost zero. The origin and subsequent evolution of life on Earth needs a large number of different conditions, so the probability of repetition of this process elsewhere in the Universe is almost zero. Cosmologists call this the "fine tuning" and formulate a "strong anthropic principle": "the universe exists because we exist in it".

Two alternatives consequent of the strong anthropic principle. First alternative: the Universe is created by a God. Modern science offers a different alternative: our Universe is not the only one. There are many universes with different laws of nature, universal constants and initial conditions. No matter how small the probability of our Universe may be. This universe is certainly present in the infinitely varied set of worlds [8]. A similar conclusion comes to modern physics, based on other ideas and theories. Inflationary Big Bang model of the Universe involves continuous formation of new universes (chaotic inflation) [9]. String theory allows the existence of an infinite number of worlds, each of which is no less real than the others [10]. The many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics suggests the existence of a huge (possibly infinite) number of worlds, as much as the solutions of the Schrodinger equation are [11]. The theory allows for the existence of "parallel" worlds, but nobody can not observe them. In recent years, the concept has evolved. The results of physical experiments by Kvyat et al [12], Namekata N. & Inoue [13], Adonai [14] can be interpreted as the interaction of different physical realities. It's time to offer the idea, anyway crazy for science and SF. Almost all the descriptions of contacts with extraterrestrial intelligence sin of anthropomorphism and extensiveness. "Strength" of mind is determined by its energy capabilities. In 1964, Nikolai Kardashev [15] proposed a classification of intelligent civilizations. Type I civilization uses energy comparable to energy of the planet. Type II civilization is able to dispose of energy of the stars. Type III civilization disposes of energy of the galaxy. By this logic, there may be type IV civilization able to use energy of clusters and superclusters of galaxies, and type V civilization dispose of energy of the Universe. With this approach, the expansionist needs of civilizations grow to galactic sizes and inherent human needs to colonize new "lands", including via military intervention.

In my view, it is more correct to classify civilizations not extensive (energy), but intensive (new knowledge) grounds. Civilization means the ability to explain to the world and the ability to create new knowledge about the world and only then the civilization attempts to use this knowledge for practical applications. Type I civilizations believe their planet is the center of the world. Type II civilizations believe their star is the center of the world. Type III civilizations believe that they exist in a single Universe. Type IV civilizations know that many worlds (Multiverse) exists, but had not yet learned how to move from one world to another. Type V civilizations may carry the contacts with the worlds where the laws of physics are the same. Type VI civilizations are carrying out contacts with the worlds where the laws of physics are different. Type VII civilizations can change the laws of physics and create worlds under the amended law. Civilizations VIII, IX and the more advanced types possibly exist, but we now have no any idea about them. Once upon a time people believed that the Earth is the center of the Universe created by God (gods) specifically for humanity. Then humanity realized that the Earth is not the center, and placed the Sun in the center of world. Then humanity came the understanding that the Sun is not the center of the Universe, but just an ordinary star. There was a natural idea that a lot of intelligent minds can exist on multiple planets around many other stars. Turning to the next stage (type III civilization), people realized that the Galaxy is not the center of the world, there are billions of galaxies in the expanding universe. A modern idea about the physical Multiverse translates the Universe into the category of one of an infinite number of different universes. Our civilization is moved further away from the center of a non-existent universe, but returns (on the new turn of the spiral) to an understanding of that there are infinite number of intelligent minds. The problem, however, is that each civilization is in a separate universe. Humanity belongs to the transition type from the third to the fourth. In just five centuries our civilization has evolved from type I to type III. Type III civilization generates assumptions in the set of minds of a single Universe, looks for them and doesn’t find them and starts to think about improbability of the emergence of mind. When civilization transits to type IV (we are close to it), the vector of scientific research shifts, and the basic paradigm changes. Mind has to explain why he was alone in this Universe, and realized that the relationship with other branches of Multiverse not only possible, but inevitable. Then a long-awaited meeting with another mind (which is likely, too, is unique in its universe) takes place. A natural question arises: if we are only in our Universe and it is practically impossible to find us among the huge number of star systems in a large number of galaxies, how can we even be able to transit into another universe, find "brothers on mind" in their depths? I have no scientific answer to this question. It not yet made a discovery that allows our civilization to the next, the fifth type. But I am sure that such a discovery will be made, as there were made the discoveries to which mind has evolved from the first to the third type.

Suppose that our classification is correct, the reasoning is correct, and in the Universe there are no other civilizations besides our own. To establish contact with other civilizations, we must first understand and then explain, and then learn how to communicate between the different worlds in Multiverse. So, do we have to leave the attempts to reach distant planets and stars using existing technology? Of course not. It is impossible to come to a new qualitative leap, without going through all the previous stages of development. The faster we go all the current stage of research and technological development, the faster we come to discoveries that will change the evolution of our civilization. Only when the type IV civilization will make another Copernican revolution and discover an infinite number of universes, only then we can opt for the research worlds caused "in our image and likeness", the contacts with other civilizations will be possible, probable, and certainly occur.

References:

1 Clement, H., 1953, Mission of Gravity (novel) 2 Vinge, W., 1992, Fire Upon the Deep (novel) 3 Card, O., 1985, Ender's Game (novel) 4 Hoyle, F., 1957, The Black Cloud (novel) 5 Lem, S., 1961, Solaris (novel) 6 Watts, P., 2006, Blindsight (novel) 7 Drake, F., 1961, see http://www.astrobio.net/topic/deep-space/alien-life/the-drake-equation-revisited-part-i/ 8 Tegmark, M., Vilenkin, A., 2011, “The Case for Parallel Universes” 9 Goncharov, A., Linde, A., 1984, Phys. Lett., B 139, 27-30 10 Main, D., 2015, Newsweek, July, 9 http://europe.newsweek.com/there-may-be-infinite-universes-and-infinite-versions-you-330057?rm=eu 11 Everett H., 1957, “Relative State Formulation of Quantum Mechanics”, Reviews of Modern Physics vol 29, pp 454-462 12 Кwiat P., Weifurter H., Herzog T., Zeilinger A. & Kasevith M., 1995, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 74, No 24, 4763 13 Namekata N. & Inoue S., 2006, High-efficiency interaction-free measurements using a stabilized Fabry-Perot cavity, J. Phys. B 39, 3177 14 Adonai S., 2005, Generalizing Elitzur-Vaidman interaction free 15 Kardashev, N. S.. 1964, “Transmission of Information by Extraterrestrial Civilizations”, Soviet Astronomy, 8, 217.