Aliens as FTL Humans: Scenario from Sci-Fi Novel

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of aliens being future humans who have traveled back in time and the potential paradoxes and implications of this theory. It also brings up the idea of reptilian shape-shifters and their possible connection to time travel and the stock market. The article referenced also delves into the concept of causality violations and the impact on timelines.
  • #1
EnumaElish
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What do you think of the following scenario*? Aliens are future humans who discovered faster than light travel. They propagated throughout the universe. In so doing they traveled back in time, to our time, or even earlier times.

*I read this in a popular space opera novel. It may have been Charles Stross or Alastair Reynolds. But I am not certain.
 
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  • #3
Thanks for the news article. Here's another thought - also thunk by someone else first. If aliens are future humans who flew back in time to teach us about pyramids so we can advance and eventually become them, travel back, and teach our ancestors ... and round and round ... *where* did the idea for pyramids come from in the *first* place?
 
  • #5
Any and all discussions about timelines that interact with themselves makes me think of this.
 
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  • #6
All grammar is relative?
 
  • #7
EnumaElish said:
All grammar is relative?
Relativistic.
 
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  • #8
Perhaps this explains why a certain high-up member of the conspiracy establishment has a thing about reptilian shape-shifters (who secretly rule the world). Perhaps they're just humanoid speculators from the future, hoping to make a killing on the stock market?
 
  • #9
Dr Wu said:
Perhaps this explains why a certain high-up member of the conspiracy establishment has a thing about reptilian shape-shifters (who secretly rule the world). Perhaps they're just humanoid speculators from the future, hoping to make a killing on the stock market?
Changes in the money flow would have a butterfly effect and eliminate the supposed beneficiaries of such changes.
 

1. Are aliens really capable of traveling faster than light (FTL)?

In the realm of science fiction, anything is possible. However, according to our current understanding of physics, it is not possible for any object to travel faster than the speed of light. This is due to the theory of relativity, which states that the closer an object travels to the speed of light, the more mass it gains, making it increasingly difficult to accelerate further. Additionally, the amount of energy required to reach the speed of light would be infinite.

2. How could aliens achieve FTL travel?

There are several theoretical concepts that could potentially allow for FTL travel, such as wormholes, Alcubierre drive, and quantum entanglement. However, these are all still highly theoretical and have not been proven to be feasible or possible. The laws of physics as we know them currently do not support the idea of FTL travel.

3. What would be the implications of FTL travel for the alien civilization?

If a civilization were able to achieve FTL travel, it would open up a whole new realm of possibilities for exploration and expansion. They would be able to travel to distant planets and potentially even other galaxies in a relatively short amount of time. This could also have significant impacts on their society and culture, as they would have access to a vast amount of resources and knowledge from other worlds.

4. Could humans ever achieve FTL travel?

As mentioned before, FTL travel is currently not possible according to our current understanding of physics. However, as technology and scientific knowledge continue to advance, it is not completely impossible that humans could one day find a way to achieve FTL travel. This would require a major breakthrough in our understanding of physics and the development of highly advanced technology.

5. What other challenges would aliens face in achieving FTL travel?

In addition to the laws of physics, there are also practical challenges that would need to be overcome in order for a civilization to achieve FTL travel. For example, the amount of energy required to power a spacecraft at FTL speeds would be immense, and finding a way to generate and store this energy would be a significant hurdle. There would also be potential dangers and hazards associated with traveling at such high speeds, such as collisions with interstellar objects or radiation exposure.

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