Scientist says we live in a protected reserve

One thing that always comes to mind when this topic comes up is how much we are conditioned to describe aliens and their relationship to us in human-centric terms. The whole idea of a protected reserve implies very human activities and motives, much like we have protected reserves here on earth that are governed by humans where animals and plants are allowed to exist in their natural habitat free from intervention. But is there any reason to think aliens are this similar to us? I think much of it probably comes from the natural tendency to explain things in terms that we already understand. But with aliens, anything seems possible.
 
I've actually heard this on a few shows I've listened to. I believe there are at least two guests out there who have this theory.

Adding to this thought of us being held in a reserve, isn't there something to do with a certain boundary of radiation out there it's dangerous for us to cross?

The Van Allen Belt is probably what you are talking about. Basically, once you go past that you are outside of the protection of the planetary magnetic field that protects us from the worst parts of solar radiation. I believe that the various space stations all have to have a storm shelter so that when the radiation levels start to climb they can be protected. Open space is a very inhospitable place.
 
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The Van Allen Belt is probably what you are talking about. Basically, once you go past that you are outside of the protection of the planetary magnetic field that protects us from the worst parts of solar radiation. I believe that the various space stations all have to have a storm shelter so that when the radiation levels start to climb they can be protected. Open space is a very inhospitable place.
Thanks, Dan. That is what I was going for. The fact space is so deadly to us might be a clue that we need to stay home. With the lid on that jar for protection.
 
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Thanks, Dan. That is what I was going for. The fact space is so deadly to us might be a clue that we need to stay home. With the lid on that jar for protection.
Water is deadly but we learned how to deal with it and sail the seas relatively safely. If we as a species don't get off this rock it will eventually kill us and we will just be another extinct species that was wiped out by some extinction level disaster. Also, the asteroid belt will offer us unimaginable wealth and mineral resources. Most of the heavy metal minerals that we mine actually came here from meteorites that landed here after the crust had formed. Before that the heavy metal all sank into the core of the semi-liquid mass that was to eventually cool and become our planet. We will never get anywhere in space from Earth. We are sitting at the bottom of a huge hole trying to reach the sky. You don't build ships in the middle of a continent hundreds of miles from the ocean. The path to the stars will start on the moon.

While space is deadly man is adaptable. All we need is a reason to go there and we will find a way to do it. Columbus was trying to get to China and SURPRISE, he ran into the Americas. There is no telling what we will find once we get out of our little playpen planet...
 
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isn't there something to do with a certain boundary of radiation out there it's dangerous for us to cross

The Van Allen Belt is probably what you are talking about.

The Van Allen Belt is frequently cited by those who believe the moon landings were staged. They assert that the astronauts could not have survived passage through this radiation area. I'm not sure what to think. I do know that radiation exposure effects rest heavily on the type of radiation, its intensity and the duration of exposure. I think it also accumulates with repeated exposure. But I'm anything but an expert.
 
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The radiation levels outside of the protection of the Van Allen Belt is variable. The situation is a lot like the weather. Yes, hurricanes and tornadoes do exist BUT it isn't an everyday thing that you have to worry about. When we have people in space we are also closely watching the sun. The radiation storms can be predicted just like hurricanes because they are related to sunspot activity. That means that we can SEE the activity and have time to warn people to take shelter before the problem can get there. The light from the expulsion travels at the speed of light but the particles are moving much slower. The Apollo and Gemini capsules were shielded. The international space station has a storm shelter section. Astronauts are advised to leave sperm and egg samples in frozen earthside storage if they think that they will want any future children because of the increased risk of birth defects from the constant low-grade exposure. Even people just in airplanes that fly above 30,000 feet are exposed to increased radiation so it isn't just in space that this is true.

The exposure is sort of like getting X-rays at the hospital. Noye that the technician LEAVES before the picture is shot. The individual exposure is no problem but repeated exposures are going to eventually increase your risk for problems. As we spend more time dealing with problems we will find better ways to limit their threat to us. We mastered the seas of Earth and IF we decide to go there we will master the seas of space in our solar system and maybe eventually the greater oceans of interstellar space. Right now we are only slightly above the dugout canoe stage of travel. Imagine the threat that the early Polynesians faced to travel to and between the islands of the pacific and compare that to modern shipping.
 
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