Re: Life on other planets
well, then you should have mentioned the evolution of eyes. I don’t think the reason for having two eyes is because there was an absolute need for it. We evolved to have two of pretty much everything. It was so simply to be the stronger species, to have balance. It was natural selection at its best.
Mr. Theorist is neither like Fry nor like Brannigan. He is my Johnny Bravo.. 
j/k.. 
Did not you watch the second episode of cosmos? There was a whole segment that talked about how we evolved from blind beings living under dark seas to someone who can see in hi def.
Re: Life on other planets
^yes, I did. I just don't think having the other eye is that much of an advantage. It gave us an edge, sure! I don't think having a pair of eyes too close to each other is much of an advantage if we think about just vision itself. Depth perception is not a huge advantage, it must have been important for our ancestors. for us, It is just like having one more nostril, one more kidney, one more limb, or well..one more ball..-___-
You know what I mean. Then again, I have never been able to catch a ball so... Not that ball. Argh!
It is like an spare part. Two eyes are better than one, cover a greater field of vision. Having the overall bilateral symmetry is what actually helps us be as strong as we are. That is the actual advantage.
Re: Life on other planets
great great thread.. will reply in detail tmrw
but just think about the numerous times life must've started elsewhere in this uni(multi)verse and perhaps just never became as successful as life on earth n died out...everytime the right chemistry is achieved.. the result is life. but its easily destructible.
hmm now i wonder if life on other planets could have DNA? orr something along those lines..perhaps different bases.
man,what are we. who are we. :((((
grouphug everyone.
edit add: life startd on earth many times. our planet has all the necesarry conditions for carbon based life
No it's like having two ears which helps us to recognize the direction of the sound without looking. Two eyes not only give you depth perception but also widen your peripheral vision. You know those monkeys that jump from branch to branch - monkeys won't know how far to jump if they only have one eye.
Re: Life on other planets
im so sad now.
Re: Life on other planets
hehe i can tell the biologists from the engineers.
youre all supet smart. mA mA
Re: Life on other planets
No it's like having two ears which helps us to recognize the direction of the sound without looking. Two eyes not only give you depth perception but also widen your peripheral vision. You know those monkeys that jump from branch to branch - monkeys won't know how far to jump if they only have one eye.
yes
but there could also be forms and functions unknown to us on earth but that may have evolved or been selected for on other planets based on the selection pressures and conditions
Re: Life on other planets
we are not an endpoint on the evolutionary tree of life.
we are not the pinnacle.
we are perhaps the most evolved, yet
Re: Life on other planets
i think all the worlds money should go into research....
Re: Life on other planets
No it's like having two ears which helps us to recognize the direction of the sound without looking. Two eyes not only give you depth perception but also widen your peripheral vision. You know those monkeys that jump from branch to branch - monkeys won't know how far to jump if they only have one eye.
I edited my post. Reread it. You don't understand how lack of depth perception really affects normal functions. I can function normally though I am fairly clumsy because of my lack of depth perception. It is not a HUGE advantage at all. I can also watch 3D movies just fine but then I can't really compare to what a normal person sees. I have some trouble with driving but it is not major. I lost vision in my left eye when I was a baby, one year old! My brain still allows me to adapt to this disadvantage. Somehow I have depth perception. I wonder why that is if two points are required for depth perception.
According to the theory of probability, in an infinite system, if an event can occur once, then it’s going to occur multiple times. That means that in this infinitely large universe, there is a great chance, in fact almost certain that somewhere else, another tlk is typing this very response to another philosophy. Now when the chances of that unique incident is so bright to be repeatable, why can’t life just like us can repeat itself.
But you’re right about life failing to survive else where.
Re: Life on other planets
i see your point....and if the laws of science are applicable throughout time and space...damn.
theres another me in this universe and i really dunno how i feel about that.
Re: Life on other planets
theorist..individual s do not evolve..populations do.
Re: Life on other planets
just throwing that in there incase it means anything for the argument youre trying to make
Re: Life on other planets
theorist..individual s do not evolve..populations do.
I see, you watched the 2nd episode of Cosmos. I know individuals do not evolve but the change comes from one tiny mutation in one individual. My point is not whether or not we evolved two eyes to see better, my point is it was not as big of an advantage as we make it seem. It was good natural selection. Our brains are capable of compensating for the lack of vision from one eye if we are ever to lose the other eye or are born without it. That is my point. I am the standing proof for that and so are billions of other species.
Re: Life on other planets
lol actually ive known about that since sophomore year of college. everything on cosmos has been elementary so far.
and i agree with your point that its bilateral symmetry which is the big deal perhaps not two eyes itself
This is from answers.com
Answer
A human being has two eyes for several reasons:
I know that theorists seems to believe that number three is the most important reason, and it might be. But other reasons helped us to be the most advance specie on this planet. We cannot underplay them.
Re: Life on other planets
^I am not. Even with monocular vision your brain can compensate for what is lacking. There are other ways brain can measure depth perception and focus without the other eye. I already said it must have been a great advantage for our ancestors. Eyes evolved before our complex brains so you are right, the early species could not have depth perception or proper focus. You win! 
Re: Life on other planets
The life on other planets does not exist for human being but it could be possible for other creatures which do not need oxygen and water as these two factors need for the human existence on any planet as NASA has the prove about this thing but it will never disclose those classified images and documents about extra-terrestrial life.