So, Aliens...

[oskar]

I speculate that inter-solar-system travel by conscious entities has never happened. Biology is too primitive to do it, and by the time that biology has been taken over by machines, the machines have no desire to do it. If Earth created the most advanced AI technically possible, it wouldn't even bother looking at Jupiter. It would likely just be hardware floating somewhere, harvesting sunlight and raw materials and avoiding collisions, with software perpetually engaged in virtual reality of whatever purpose. If it has a human footprint, it has been uploaded

There is an obvious benefit to interstellar travel in the long run: survival. The fact that nobody is here yet could mean a few things. One of those would be that to a sufficiently advanced intelligence survival is no longer a priority. If I have any religious feeling it would be that an eternal mind would make itself mortal. I get bored watching re-runs of the simpsons. Imagine watching your billionth universe collapse.

But back on topic:
Aliens have buttholes. ebretta, if you want to suggest there are aliens without buttholes I am on the edge of my seat waiting for your idea how that contraption would evolve. And would it not spend a long time walking across the fields wondering why it kept getting larger.

[wufwugy]

There is an obvious benefit to interstellar travel in the long run: survival. The fact that nobody is here yet could mean a few things. One of those would be that to a sufficiently advanced intelligence survival is no longer a priority. If I have any religious feeling it would be that an eternal mind would make itself mortal. I get bored watching re-runs of the simpsons. Imagine watching your billionth universe collapse.

I think any entity within the universe experiencing anything not of the universe is a dream. The most advanced entity possible in this universe will not even see the death of this one because it will die before the universe does (universe death is a misnomer anyways, it's possible this thing will never technically end)

As for survival of advanced entities, I think that becomes easier and easier over time. Our distant artificial ancestors will survive for trillions of years. Trillions and trillions, likely. It will die in year trillion^trillion or whatever it is when all the stars die and the universe is nearing uniform absolute zero.

I do not think interstellar travel does anything for survival. That assumes biological forms that need earths for sustenance. I assume biology will be long dead in maybe 10k years (probably much sooner). I see no reason why our ancestors won't have quantum generators that create whatever raw material is needed just by manipulating the particles contained within it. I suspect distant life will just be floating through space, not worried about anything outside its hub except collisions that would smash its hardware

[oskar]

trillion^trillion

If I have learned anything from procrastinating, it is that no matter how long you postpone something, eventually it has to happen.

[wufwugy]

If I have learned anything from procrastinating, it is that no matter how long you postpone something, eventually it has to happen.

What if total death is an asymptote?

[a500lbgorilla]

There is an obvious benefit to interstellar travel in the long run: survival.

Benefits don't look ahead in biology, only behind. Citation: Anthropogenic Climate Change.

Life brute forces every solution but that doesn't mean it keeps trying everything.

[eberetta1]

But back on topic:
Aliens have buttholes. ebretta, if you want to suggest there are aliens without buttholes I am on the edge of my seat waiting for your idea how that contraption would evolve. And would it not spend a long time walking across the fields wondering why it kept getting larger.

My comment was not concerning holios. My comment was ... An advanced lifeform is able to float right thru walls, so a species may have no need for doors.

[oskar]

My comment was not concerning holios. My comment was ... An advanced lifeform is able to float right thru walls, so a species may have no need for doors.

What do you mean 'right thru walls'? Explain yourself! Why would that be a natrual progression? Why would it even be beneficial? You'd fall right through floors, too! You're talking absolute shit!

[eberetta1]

What do you mean 'right thru walls'? Explain yourself! Why would that be a natrual progression? Why would it even be beneficial? You'd fall right through floors, too! You're talking absolute shit!

It is not a natural progression. The species would be born with it. No intelligence needed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yW--eQaA2I