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According to AI, an equivalent would be roughly when Google maps shows you 10mi/20km reference scale. Turning off the labels, aliens would probably assume that
by mekdoonggi 2mo ago
According to AI, an equivalent would be roughly when Google maps shows you 10mi/20km reference scale.
Turning off the labels, aliens would probably assume that the world is naturally full of green stuff that is dealing with some strange grey infestation.
- HPsquared 2mo agoOn that scale, we really do look like mold.
- peddling-brink 2mo agoSpectral analysis at that resolution would be much more telling.
- dTal 2mo agoEven on that scale, major roads and agricultural grids are clearly visible. The mark of abstract intelligence is unmistakeable.
- somenameforme 2mo agoThis reminds of me canali : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_canals#Interpretation_as_engineering_works https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_canals#Interpretation_...
- rurban 2mo agoWell, they would see the I-35 out of Houston, but that would show them no sign of intelligence. Just signs of corruption
- dTal 2mo agoHeh, your flip remark leads to an interesting observation: I think the most obvious signature of "abstract intelligence" is suboptimality. An alien would look at an agricultural grid and wonder, what possible natural process would divide something into squares rather than hexagons? Even without knowing what they are or how they form, it's hard to imagine anything that would prefer such a high energy configuration. Such stupidity implies a system oddly bounded in its ability to optimize, which implies a feeble biological brain trying to do something "on purpose" rather than a natural process.
- rurban 2mo agoEvery civil engineer would find non-square grids stupid and expensive. Biology and maths may find hexagons better, but everyone else not.
- stephenhuey 2mo agoThe most powerful observational tool in the universe would not show 35 anywhere near Houston.
- rurban 2mo agoYup, mixed it up with the I-10. That's the widest road/band on earth. Much easier to see than the Chinese wall. https://supercarblondie.com/widest-highway-in-the-world-houston-texas-26-lanes-katy-freeway/ https://supercarblondie.com/widest-highway-in-the-world-hous...
- embedding-shape 2mo agoI wonder if there are conscious ants and similar small infrastructure-builders running around on the ground with the exact same ideas. "Of course the big-beings-in-the-sky recognize our tracks here are major roads and agricultural areas, they must understand we're intelligent"
- dudinax 2mo agoMaybe we do
- andrewflnr 2mo ago> aliens would probably assume that the world is naturally full of green stuff that is dealing with some strange grey infestation. I think they would draw the correct conclusion, actually. I know it's popular to compare humans to mold or cancer or whatever these days, but this kind of thing is both unrealistic and insulting to the aliens, who by the definition of the scenario are at least as smart as we are, quite probably more.
- hparadiz 2mo agoOur nighttime view of the planet has dramatically changed in the past 100 years and is increasing. They would instantly see us using electricity and could possibly see our satellites.
- hansmayer 2mo ago[dead]
- mmooss 2mo ago> According to AI But what is the actual source?
- biggc 2mo agoTurning off what labels?