regenera on Nostr: Physical travel between stars is so slow, it'll only happen once - the first wave of ...
Physical travel between stars is so slow, it'll only happen once - the first wave of colonists spreading outwards from some origin will be von Neumann-like probes. Unlike popular conception of these probes as big machines, I believe they would be nanomachines traveling at substantial fractions of light speed, launched using synchrotrons [Liu's "Three Body Trilogy"]. They only need a way to slow down at their destinations. After a brief pause to establish themselves, they "reproduce" and set out for the next star systems [Hanson's "grabby aliens"] pretty much spreading at close to the speed of light.
Subsequent travel between colonised star systems need not be physical, but merely information and AI programs transmitted at light speed between established outposts and probes in transit [also explored elsewhere in the TV show Altered Carbon].
Also implicit in this future are Drexler style nanomachines, likely merged with biological systems with no obvious boundaries between mechanosynthesis and biochemistry.
Also implied: an earlier AI "apocalypse" as machines replace/merge with humans (or biological aliens elsewhere in other star systems) at rapid rates upon achieving sentience (possibly even as quickly as overnight). [Yudkhowsky et al]
A possible scenario for alien contact is initial establishment of contact remotely through radio, followed by negotiations of terms for trade, terms of surrender, merger etc, and finally updates to the source codes of both civilisations. No space battles or other kinetic "negotiations", except in rare cases of a communication breakdown (or where one side refuses to negotiate for some reason?).
Subsequent travel between colonised star systems need not be physical, but merely information and AI programs transmitted at light speed between established outposts and probes in transit [also explored elsewhere in the TV show Altered Carbon].
Also implicit in this future are Drexler style nanomachines, likely merged with biological systems with no obvious boundaries between mechanosynthesis and biochemistry.
Also implied: an earlier AI "apocalypse" as machines replace/merge with humans (or biological aliens elsewhere in other star systems) at rapid rates upon achieving sentience (possibly even as quickly as overnight). [Yudkhowsky et al]
A possible scenario for alien contact is initial establishment of contact remotely through radio, followed by negotiations of terms for trade, terms of surrender, merger etc, and finally updates to the source codes of both civilisations. No space battles or other kinetic "negotiations", except in rare cases of a communication breakdown (or where one side refuses to negotiate for some reason?).