GeekSpeak – Is there a civilization around Tabby’s Star? Join the discussion on Saturday April 1 at 12pm SLT

 

There are rumors that there may be alien megastructures around Tabby’s Star, which is about 1500 light years from Earth.  Other explanations have been suggested for the variation in the light from the star but none of them fit all the data.  So it is possible that a Kardashev type 2 civilization is ruling over that area of space.

The Kardashev scale measures how much energy is used.  Type 1 uses the energy of the home planet, Type 2 the energy of the solar system, Type 3 the energy of the galaxy.  To build huge structures around stars a Type 2 would be needed.

How would these cultures work?  How do they build such huge structures and why?  Will we ever be able to send messages to them?  Do they know about us?  Should we be scared?

Join us at GeekSpeak on Saturday at noon SLT to talk about Tabby’s star.  Bring all your alien friends!

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday in the GeekSpeak auditorium, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

 

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GeekSpeak – Is it time to revise the Drake Equation? Join the discussion February 8th at 12pm SLT

It has been many years since Drake produced his equation about how many intelligent, technological aliens there could be in the universe.  In 1961 we had not discovered a single exoplanet.  And we now have a much broader definition of life.
On the other hand, we now know of many more ways in which a civilisation can destroy itself. 
So is it time to review the Drake Equation?  Or the Fermi paradox? (Why don’t we see them?)  We are eager to discuss which of the 2, Drake or Fermi, will be dominant in our universe.  Come and join us and bring all your alien friends.

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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GeekSpeak – reaching a Kardashev Type 1 civilization. Join the Discussion on Saturday, August 31st at 12pm SLT

Reaching level 1 on the Kardashev scale means storing and using all the energy that the earth gets from the sun.  We will reach this when we increase our energy production about a million-fold.  Can we ever get there?  Will we need to hollow out the earth and use all the asteroids around?

What will happen if we do not reach it?  Will we fall back to stone age energy levels, or is there a middle way?

What will life be like if we do reach it?  Imagine spending a terawatt for your morning breakfast!

Come and discuss our energy future on a long timeline.  Bring your friends.

IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for new subjects.

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GeekSpeak – what if we had to restart civilisation?

Imagine being one of a hundred people suddenly stranded in a forest, maybe on a strange planet, while all the rest of humanity has disappeared along with all technology.

Would your small group be able to restart a civilization?  How long would it be before you could use electricity again?  How long before you had metal? Would a lot of knowledge just get lost over the generations before it could be used?

What would be the first technology you would reinvent?  Would you think of fire, clothes, houses, watermills, hunting skills?  What legal system, what stories, what songs would you preserve?  Would there be anything we have now that you would want to forget, anything you would never tell your descendants about?

Would the new history of humankind take a totally different route or would it all work out in the same way whatever you do?

Come and discuss how you would restart civilization.  Or maybe you think civilization is best forgotten?

IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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