The difficulty of interstellar travel

[Valka D'Ur]

But when the instruments malfunction, you can always navigate by smell.

(yes, I know that odors cannot travel through the vacuum of space. And yes, Mr. Spock, that was an extremely little joke -- Trouble With Tribbles reference)

My SF-reading self wants to keep faith that we'll discover FTL. But my RL scientific self must remain skeptical and realize that we're not capable yet of out-smarting Einstein.

 

[Gigaz]

I think it might be a good thing when Einsteins equations are so fundamental that in no way we can break them. They make interstellar war nearly impossible. If only one in a thousand galaxys has intelligent life there would still be 100 million species in the visible universe (and maybe an infinite number beyond) that could attack the earth with their superior technology

 

[GoodSarmatian]

(yes, I know that odors cannot travel through the vacuum of space. And yes, Mr. Spock, that was an extremely little joke -- Trouble With Tribbles reference)

Of course odors can travel the vacuum of space, provided the molecules are stable under the conditions of space: extremely low pressure and temperature and lots of radiation .
I wouldn't recomed to stick your head out of the window and try to smell them, but it could be possible to equip the spaceship with chemical sensors and indeed smell the bacon.
However a bacon beacon would have a very low range and accuracy and unlike a radio signal the smell doesn't travel at the speed of light, so you'd lose a lot of time and like Perfection pointed out waste a large amuount of bacon for which there are certainly better uses.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

So you support the idea of interstellar strips of bacon floating around out there? That begs the question of where the space pigs come from...

 

[GoodSarmatian]

No, I do not support it because it is inefficient and a waste of bacon. The technology could be refined during the next decades but I think future Muslim astronauts will boycott it.

 

[History_Buff]

I think it might be a good thing when Einsteins equations are so fundamental that in no way we can break them. They make interstellar war nearly impossible. If only one in a thousand galaxys has intelligent life there would still be 100 million species in the visible universe (and maybe an infinite number beyond) that could attack the earth with their superior technology

Ah, but you have assumed that there is a more advanced civilization than Humanity. Perhaps we shall be the race to build giant death robots that will only be stopped by a deadly alien virus and grenades planted within by a guy with a $1500 haircut.

 

[taper]

Or you could just use bacon.

Don't forget to write your congressmen about increasing the pork in NASA's budget.

 

[Mise]

No, I do not support it because it is inefficient and a waste of bacon. The technology could be refined during the next decades but I think future Muslim astronauts will boycott it.

Saddam: "Why are there no Muslims in Star Trek?"
Bush: "Cos it's set in the future."