What if humanity is the most advanced species in the galaxy?

A few days ago I posted this:

http://diversitytomorrow.com/thread/878/2/#post19036

Since then I've been thinking of SF story possibilities. There aren't that many to be found, surprisingly.

Asimov had humanity as the most advanced species in the galaxy in his combined Robots/Empire/Foundation series. But also as the only sentient species, so there were no implications thereof. There was one short story set here involving a second sentient species, but it has no long term ramifications.

In better well known universes like Star Trek or Star Wars, humanity is at or near the top, with only occasional exceptions (ie the Borg). In Babylon 5 (well known?), humanity clearly lags behind the other major races, but again this has few implications (ie Sheridan using the Minbari White Star Fleet to fight the Shadows), though it sets the tone for Earth's mood and actions for decades to come (ie IPX and the course of the Earth-Minabri war).

Taking a joke from old Trek, though, here's what I fuzzily, ass yet, envision:

McCoy once joked he'd like to show up at a planet and announce "I'm the Archangel Gabriel!" Ok. Suppose humanity were so advanced over even sophisticated, star-faring species that they regarded us as gods.

More as it develops.

Unless the God-myth is actually true, I doubt any intelligent being on another planet would know who the "Archangel Gabriel" is…

And to answer your question of "What if humanity is the most advanced species int he galaxy?" — I weep for the galaxy

Quote: aceofspades

Unless the God-myth is actually true, I doubt any intelligent being on another planet would know who the "Archangel Gabriel" is…

That would be evidence, though ;)

Quote:

And to answer your question of "What if humanity is the most advanced species int he galaxy?" — I weep for the galaxy

Why?

Quote: Nareed

That would be evidence, though ;)



Why?

Well, considering we cannot even get more than a couple of people at a time off of the planet into "outer space", it would not seem that we are all that technologically advanced.

Quote: aceofspades

Well, considering we cannot even get more than a couple of people at a time off of the planet into "outer space", it would not seem that we are all that technologically advanced.

At the estimated 400 billion stars in the Milky Way whether or not there is any other life outside of earth that sure gives us bragging rights in the 'hood.

Once we reach 8 billion, the aliens are coming back for the harvest.

Wouldn't it be pathetic if we were the
most advanced? Still trying to kill each
other over silly religions? Doesn't sound
very advanced to me..

Quote: aceofspades

Well, considering we cannot even get more than a couple of people at a time off of the planet into "outer space", it would not seem that we are all that technologically advanced.

I'll have you know the Soyuz can take as many as three people up at once. Three is more than a couple. Therefore your argument falls by its own casual way of being made ;)

Seriously, I do agree: the state of space transportation is woefully backwards as compared to other forms of transportation and freight.

Still, there are points to be understood. For example, rockets are so efficient that it's hard to make efficiency gains. Most of the progress is in the design of the engines, pumps, tubing and body, where the goal is to make things as light as possible. these very light things must also withstand high forces like acceleration, aerodynamic stresses, very high temperatures, very low temperatures (hey, the fuel goes from -40 C in the storage tank to +hundreds of Cs when it burns), etc.

All this spells: expensive systems.

Then, too, the space has been slow to open up to private industry. While Boeing, Rockwell, and the others who build NASA's toys are private firms, they make their money, in space, mostly through government contracts. This makes the expensive systems even more expensive.

Now that private firms are stepping up with costs savings in mind, things will slowly begin to change. IMO, we'll have cheap access to space only when we can build a Space Elevator, or someone finds out how to counteract gravity (which isn't as impossible as it once seemed given the possible existence of Dark energy, whatever it is).

Quote:

Aliens May be Out There, but Too Distant for Contact

“On average, you’d expect the civilizations to be separated by at least 1,000 light-years in the Milky Way. That’s a large distance, and for communication purposes you need to allow for twice the travel distance, so you’re talking about civilizations that have to be around for at least a few thousand years in order to have the opportunity to talk to each other,” Garrett said.

http://news.discovery.com/space/alien-life-exoplanets/aliens-may-be-out-there-but-too-distant-for-contact-141002.htm

Quote: Evenbob

Wouldn't it be pathetic if we were the
most advanced? Still trying to kill each
other over silly religions? Doesn't sound
very advanced to me..

Exactly Bob, exactly