Assuming ET arrives 1 billions years from now

[cloudyday2]

Let's say that human civilization collapses in 20 years and humans gradually go extinct in 100,000 years. Now fast-forward 1 billion years to the arrival of explorers from an extraterrestrial civilization. Would there be any evidence of humans?

(1) what would plate tectonics do to the traces of our civilization over 1 billion years?
(2) would the lunar landers survive intact under a coating of moon dust?
(3) any other thoughts?

 

[Chesterton]

Would there be any evidence of humans?

Keith Richards will be here to greet them.

 

[Tanj]

Let's say that human civilization collapses in 20 years and humans gradually go extinct in 100,000 years. Now fast-forward 1 billion years to the arrival of explorers from an extraterrestrial civilization. Would there be any evidence of humans?

(1) what would plate tectonics do to the traces of our civilization over 1 billion years?
(2) would the lunar landers survive intact under a coating of moon dust?
(3) any other thoughts?

Why use thoughts when you have wikipedia?
Future of Earth - Wikipedia

 

[thecolorsblend]

Let's say that human civilization collapses in 20 years and humans gradually go extinct in 100,000 years. Now fast-forward 1 billion years to the arrival of explorers from an extraterrestrial civilization. Would there be any evidence of humans?

(1) what would plate tectonics do to the traces of our civilization over 1 billion years?
(2) would the lunar landers survive intact under a coating of moon dust?
(3) any other thoughts?

Kang- "What a strange civilization inhabited this planet."
Kodos- "It is true. What manner of species creates small ornate plastic monuments as tribute unto itself?"
Kang- "My research indicates those were called 'Star Wars action figures'. Apparently they were in high demand at one point."
Kodos- "Foolish earthlings!"
Kang and Kodos- "Hahahahahahahahahahahh!"

 

[jovanovic]

The giza pyramids will always stand.

 

[timewerx]

1. totally erased
2. Lunar landers would be mostly be eroded by micrometeoroids. Few indistinguishable parts may survive under the loose dust like the rocket bells (these would look like metal pots after 1 billion years). The moon could also leave Earth's orbit (postulated).
3. Our space probes in Mars could survive though but buried under sand dunes. If these aliens have means to find buried items, they could find these. Of course, assuming Mars is still intact by then (not yet destroyed by asteroids or comets)

If we manage to put up something quite massive and self-sustaining structure in space in solar orbit, that could survive 1 billion years too. Of course, this structure has to be sustained by Artificial Intelligence (AI). And this structure would be capable of self repair and gather resources from other planets and if possible, interstellar travel.

Pretty much a working AI could do a lot of things....Carrying the human legacy for practically an eternity is one of those things.

 

[juvenissun]

Let's say that human civilization collapses in 20 years and humans gradually go extinct in 100,000 years. Now fast-forward 1 billion years to the arrival of explorers from an extraterrestrial civilization. Would there be any evidence of humans?

(1) what would plate tectonics do to the traces of our civilization over 1 billion years?
(2) would the lunar landers survive intact under a coating of moon dust?
(3) any other thoughts?

What is the reason of not putting God into your imagination? In terms of science, the idea of God is not any worse than what you imagined.

 

[DogmaHunter]

What is the reason of not putting God into your imagination? In terms of science, the idea of God is not any worse than what you imagined.

That's not true.

We know of at least one planet where an organism exists that is capable of space travel. Not interstellar travel, but still - it's a precedent. So to imagine an organism with more advanced technology on another planet is not THAT much of a stretch.

There's no such thing for god(s).

 

[juvenissun]

There's no such thing for god(s).

There is no such thing as alien. (not any worse than what you "imagined")

 

[DogmaHunter]

There is no such thing as alien. (not any worse than what you "imagined")

But there is such a thing as living things that create technology allowing for space travel.

 

[cloudyday2]

The giza pyramids will always stand.

Not if the Egyptian crust has drifted over 1 billion years and collided with some other crust. Probably the once level ground of the pyramid foundation would become a tilted mountain side and the stone blocks would topple and begin scattering. Erosion from one billion years of rain (or even sand) would probably make the blocks look like natural boulders (?). Another piece of crust might slide on top of them or lava flows might cover them (?)

 

[cloudyday2]

The moon could also leave Earth's orbit (postulated).

I've never heard of that possibility. If you have a link that would be interesting to read about.

3. Our space probes in Mars could survive though but buried under sand dunes. If these aliens have means to find buried items, they could find these. Of course, assuming Mars is still intact by then (not yet destroyed by asteroids or comets)

That is a good point. I suppose there is enough atmosphere on Mars to protect from the smaller meteorites. Of course that atmosphere might not last for 1 billion years (?)

Also I wonder about the Voyager and Pioneer probes. I wonder where they will be in 1 billion years or if they will be intact at all?

 

[DogmaHunter]

Not if the Egyptian crust has drifted over 1 billion years and collided with some other crust. Probably the once level ground of the pyramid foundation would become a tilted mountain side and the stone blocks would topple and begin scattering. Erosion from one billion years of rain (or even sand) would probably make the blocks look like natural boulders (?). Another piece of crust might slide on top of them or lava flows might cover them (?)

Indeed.

Over the course of such time periods, an inumerable amount of things could happen which could potentially make any and all traces of these structure disappear, without leaving any evidence that they were ever there.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Let's say that human civilization collapses in 20 years and humans gradually go extinct in 100,000 years. Now fast-forward 1 billion years

I believe God will destroy the Earth way before that time comes.

And they are so concerned regarding global warming. Oh yes, there will be some warming all right.
M-Bob

 

[timewerx]

I've never heard of that possibility. If you have a link that would be interesting to read about.

Sorry, I can't remember where I saw it, try google.

That is a good point. I suppose there is enough atmosphere on Mars to protect from the smaller meteorites. Of course that atmosphere might not last for 1 billion years (?)

I think by the time the atmosphere of Mars is gone, the probes would have been completely buried by sand which could still offer very good protection from micro meteorites.

In case of the moon, the landers would be eroded quite considerably by the micro meteorites before getting buried by the dust from these impacts.

However, there is some hope for the Lunar landers if the "Lunar dust storms" do exist. Floating dust was once posulated / possibly observed when lunar dust would levitate due to electrostatic charging of the surface by the Solar wind. The landers could but possibly be buried in these "sandstorms" before they get eroded by micrometeorites.

Also I wonder about the Voyager and Pioneer probes. I wonder where they will be in 1 billion years or if they will be intact at all?

They would be considerably eroded by interstellar dust by then. If anything remains, they would be hard to distinguish from ordinary space rocks.

Ironically, it might be a good idea to be on the lookout for asteroids that may display quite unusual properties as they may actually be remains of ancient derelict probes or spacecraft built by anything other than our modern civilization.

It's also a good idea to place a back up placard in a spaceprobe in the middle of it, in the hopes the placard / memory discs can survive millions of years of erosion.

 

[cloudyday2]

It's also a good idea to place a back up placard in a spaceprobe in the middle of it, in the hopes the placard / memory discs can survive millions of years of erosion.

I wonder if the semiconductors would be useful to alien archaeologists that might find a space probe such as Curiosity? It seems that they could take any logic chips and reconstruct the algorithms and there are probably some non-volatile memory chips. There might even be human text in some of the memory chips for diagnostics?

 

[cloudyday2]

I believe God will destroy the Earth way before that time comes.

And they are so concerned regarding global warming. Oh yes, there will be some warming all right.
M-Bob

What do you believe about extra terrestrial life? The Bible portrays the Earth and humans as the center of Creation. Do you believe it is possible for intelligent life to exist and come to visit Earth? If they visit us someday before the Second Coming would you hope for them to become Christians? Or would you imagine that they are not fallen? Or would you expect that God has a different means of reconciliation for the aliens?

 

[DogmaHunter]

I believe God will destroy the Earth way before that time comes.

And they are so concerned regarding global warming. Oh yes, there will be some warming all right.
M-Bob

See, these kinds of beliefs are actually a real threat to society and human kind. Not to mention the planet itself and every living thing on it.

Your comment, to me at least, reads like "why should we care about pollution, global warming, destroying the environment? I mean, god will burn the place anyway so who cares!"

When people ask me why I am concerned about people believing in religions... well, this is one of the many reasons. This is how blind belief, can make empires crumble and destroy everything. I find it truelly worrying.

The other day I had an argument with another christian (not on this site) who was talking in really hostile terms about the situation in Israel and the tension with its neighbours. It made me feel as if he didn't actually want a solution and that he would prefer all out war.

After a while, it became clear why...

He actually believes there needs to be some kind of apocalyptic war there, because it is one of the criteria in his opinion that needs to be met before Jesus will return. And he wants Jesus to return - preferably in his own life time.

If he could push a button which would set fire to the entire middle east and have nukes flying in all directions - he most certainly would. As he feels like that would be a fullfilment of prophecy. He WANTS that to happen. And his motivation for it comes from his religion, for the full 100%.


To quote the late great Hitchins: "Religion poisons everything"

 

[Strathos]

What do you believe about extra terrestrial life? The Bible portrays the Earth and humans as the center of Creation. Do you believe it is possible for intelligent life to exist and come to visit Earth? If they visit us someday before the Second Coming would you hope for them to become Christians? Or would you imagine that they are not fallen? Or would you expect that God has a different means of reconciliation for the aliens?

What if they show up afterwards? They'll be wondering what happened...

 

[Ophiolite]

The moon could also leave Earth's orbit (postulated).

Not if our calculations are correct. The moon is receding from the Earth at a measurable rate that matches what it should be from theory. The tidal interaction between the Earth and the moon transfer angular momentum from the Earth (lengthening the day) to the moon, increasing the diameter of its orbit. However, this process ceases once tidal lock is achieved (the Earth's rotation matching the orbit of the moon). Escape is not possible.