Universal Translator failure: why humans may never speak with an alien species (science video).
We often assume that any intelligent alien species that we might encounter could communicate with us in some way, muses Tim.
After all, we are all intelligent beings, and it seems logical that we could find some way to understand each other. However, there are several reasons why this might not be the case, and humans may never speak to aliens.
One of the biggest obstacles to communication between humans and aliens is the fact that our species have evolved on different planets under different conditions. As a result, our physical and biological makeup is likely to differ vastly from that of any alien species. For example, humans can hear and produce sound, which is how we communicate with each other. However, many alien species may not can hear sound at all. For instance, spiders do not have ears and cannot hear sound. An alien spider species, therefore, could not communicate with us using sound.
Another reason humans may never speak to aliens is the fact that our languages and forms of communication are likely to be completely different. Humans have developed complex languages and forms of communication over thousands of years of evolution. These languages are based on the physical abilities of our species, such as our ability to produce and hear sound. However, an alien species may have evolved completely different physical abilities, and as a result, their language and forms of communication would be completely foreign to us. It is unlikely that we could understand or communicate with such a species.
Besides these physical differences, there is also the issue of cultural and societal differences. Humans have developed a complex set of cultural and social norms over the course of our evolution. These norms dictate how we interact with each other and are an integral part of our society. However, an alien species may have developed completely different cultural and social norms. As a result, it is unlikely that we could understand each other, even if we could communicate using the same language.
Overall, while the idea of communicating with aliens is an exciting one, it is unlikely that humans will ever be able to speak to them. The differences between our species, in terms of both biology and culture, are likely to be too great for us to overcome. We may exchange information with aliens using technology, but true communication between our species is unlikely to ever be possible.
