Hello from a young, slightly confused geek

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jgrabham

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<p>Hello all</p><p>Just thought Id write a quick intro - Im 15 (16 next month...), live in the UK, and I know Im a huge geek.&nbsp; I mess around with Linux, take apart computers etc, and want to work in IT in a couple of years.&nbsp; I sit in science (not biology - I sleep through that, only Physics and occasionally Chemistry) questioning what the teachers tell us (I hate dumbed down GCSE science) - I pipe up with things like "A wave CANT just be a disturbance in matter - how do we get light from the sun, through space - essentially a big vacume if it has to go through matter" or "Can you have a negative number of electrons in an atom". Anyway, as my teachers always come up with "Its not important, "Do A-level Physics"or "You dont need to know that" I generally learn things from wikipedia.&nbsp; Anyway, recently, Ive been getting more and more interested theories behind extra-terrestrial life, as well as composition of planets and phenomenon like Black holes etc.&nbsp; I don't really care about stars or constilations - "ooh look its nuclear fusion - a big ball of burning hydrogen and helium" but Ive been reading up on Titan recently, and thinking about the possibility of colonolisation - the huge deposits of hydrocarbons look like a great source of energy, the nitrogen would help with plant - life - It looks like earth a couple of billion years ago - the -180 degree temperatures are only a small problem XD.&nbsp; Ive been reading the SETI website, and I run SETI@home, and I really do think Extra-terrestrial is possible, and probable, although thinking like that probabally makes me "crazy".</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Anyway, I'm considering uying a telescope at some point this summer, but I dont know If I'll be able to afford one which will let me look at Jupiter and Saturns moons - I have no idea how powerful It would have to be for that.&nbsp; ut Ill worry about that when I get some money.&nbsp; In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone can reccomend some magazines on sale here in the UK which might be of interest to me.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.</p> </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Ive been reading the SETI website, and I run SETI@home, and I really do think Extra-terrestrial is possible, and probable, although thinking like that probabally makes me "crazy".</DIV></p><p>If so, you certainly aren't alone.&nbsp; I wouldn't say that believing it is "possible" is crazy at all.&nbsp; The basic building blocks of life have been around for billions of years and exist in many early galaxies.&nbsp; The real questions you have to ask yourself is whether we are likely to find "intellgent life" and what higher form of life would consider a warring species like human beings "intelligent" enough to introduce themselves?&nbsp; My "guess" is that many forms of simple life forms exist in the universe, but what we think of as intelligent life may not exist around any of the stars in our local neighborhood.&nbsp; That doesn't mean they don't exist somewhere, but the vast distances of space pretty much preclude intergalactic travel, so if you ever expect to shake hands with any friendly aliens, they'd have to be from our galaxy. </p><p>Sorry I can't help you with UK magazines since I live in California, but welcome to space.com.&nbsp;&nbsp; Trust me when I say it safe to assume that the locals around here won't think you're anywhere near as "crazy" as me, and I have actually come to enjoy their company a great deal. :)&nbsp; You'll fit in fine around here. </p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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jgrabham

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>what higher form of life would consider a warring species like human beings "intelligent" enough to introduce themselves?&nbsp; </DIV></p><p>&nbsp;We could get Zephren Cockren to travel past warp one, and attract the attention of the Vulcans - oh, wait, thats not for another 48 years (Yes, I watch too many sci-fis)</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;And thanks, Ill check out those links.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.</p> </div>
 
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