--- title: "20 Only Quotes By Seth Shostak" description: "20 Only quotes by Seth Shostak. Plus more from Seth Shostak and more Only sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/seth-shostak-2047_intelligent_if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not_2276591.png" --- > [If this is the only planet on which not only life, but intelligent life, has arisen, that would be very unusual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not-only-life-but-intelligent/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/seth-shostak-2047_intelligent_if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not_2276591.png) > [Typically, only about 2 percent of the American populace tunes in to PBS's 'Nova' series - the most successful science show on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/typically-only-about-2-percent-of-the-american-populace-tunes-in-to/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/seth-shostak-2047_about_typically-only-about-2-percent-of-the-am_3125590.jpg) > [It's the default premise in science: If you observe something in nature only once, you assume that what you've seen is typical.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/it-s-the-default-premise-in-science-if-you-observe-something-in/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/seth-shostak-2047_another_it-s-the-default-premise-in-science-if-y_2019667.png) > [About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here, they'd most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/seth-shostak-2047_about_about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to_153101.png) > [It bears mentioning that the Milky Way is only one of 150 billion galaxies visible to our telescopes - and each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/it-bears-mentioning-that-the-milky-way-is-only-one-of-150-billion/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/seth-shostak-2047_bears_it-bears-mentioning-that-the-milky-way-i_3133384.png) > [The limitless content of our universe might be only one instance of a large (and possibly infinite) number of other universes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-limitless-content-of-our-universe-might-be-only-one-instance-of-a/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/seth-shostak-2047_content_the-limitless-content-of-our-universe-mi_1476080.png) > [Humans have existed only for the last 0.001 percent of cosmic time. All of which says that - unless the Homo sapiens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0-001-percent-of-cosmic-time/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/seth-shostak-2047_beyond_humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0_2205316.png) > [The era during which only governments could put hardware on the Moon is coming to an end. There are 26 private teams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-era-during-which-only-governments-could-put-hardware-on-the-moon/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e09/seth-shostak-2047_awarded_the-era-during-which-only-governments-co_334411.jpg) > [Consider: The human genome consists of about 3.3 billion base pairs. Since there are only four types of pair, that amounts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/consider-the-human-genome-consists-of-about-3-3-billion-base-pairs/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/seth-shostak-2047_about_consider-the-human-genome-consists-of-ab_3137198.jpg) > [The stars look the same from night to night. Nebulae and galaxies are dully immutable, maintaining the same overall appearance for thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-night-nebulae-and-galaxies-are/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-shostak-2047_appearance_the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-ni_1892585.png) > [Are we the only members of the Galaxy that can actually understand what a galaxy is? Could Homo sapiens really be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/are-we-the-only-members-of-the-galaxy-that-can-actually-understand/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e8/seth-shostak-2047_actually_are-we-the-only-members-of-the-galaxy-th_2072937.jpg) > [Our computers double in capability on time scales of only a few years. It's hardly outrageous to believe that we will successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/our-computers-double-in-capability-on-time-scales-of-only-a-few-years/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/seth-shostak-2047_artificial_our-computers-double-in-capability-on-ti_248626.png) > [The next time you check your moves in the mirror and reflect on how special you are, consider that somewhere in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-the-mirror-and-reflect-on-how/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/seth-shostak-2047_another_the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-th_1336326.png) > [Hollywood usually guesses that extraterrestrials would only be interested in one of three things: (1) They want to breed with us, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterrestrials-would-only-be/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68a/seth-shostak-2047_because_hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterr_1748859.png) > [A century ago, scientists believed there was only one obvious stomping ground for alien biology in our solar system: Mars. Because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there-was-only-one-obvious-stomping/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/seth-shostak-2047_alien_a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there_496372.png) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg) > [The bottom line is that finding orphan planets - small, faint, and located who-knows-where - is not for the faint of heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-planets-small-faint-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/seth-shostak-2047_bottom_the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-p_2437719.png) > ['What was there before the Big Bang?' That's a question that both kids and adults love to pose to anyone who seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that-s-a-question-that-both-kids/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/seth-shostak-2047_adult_what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that_1989830.png) > [Consider: Life arose on Earth close to four billion years ago. Four billion years of slithering, swimming, and soaring life forms. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/consider-life-arose-on-earth-close-to-four-billion-years-ago-four/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06e/seth-shostak-2047_able_consider-life-arose-on-earth-close-to-fo_2974962.png) > [The thing to keep in mind is that we're still in the very early days when it comes to the search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-thing-to-keep-in-mind-is-that-we-re-still-in-the-very-early-days/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/seth-shostak-2047_back_the-thing-to-keep-in-mind-is-that-we-re_1711998.jpg) ## Other authors on Only ## More by Seth Shostak > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [If you could drive straight down, into a tunnel bored through the crust of the planet, you'd hit this molten mess in about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-you-could-drive-straight-down-into-a-tunnel-bored-through-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [While I have always thought that the motivation for looking for E.T. was both self-evident and patently worthy, it's possible that I'm a victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/while-i-have-always-thought-that-the-motivation-for-looking-for-e-t/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I studied Latin in high school, and I was reading stuff from Cicero. And that signal took a few thousand years to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/i-studied-latin-in-high-school-and-i-was-reading-stuff-from-cicero/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here, they'd most likely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [This plucky NASA telescope is able to find planets en masse. If you compare planet hunting to prospecting for gold, then Kepler is equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/this-plucky-nasa-telescope-is-able-to-find-planets-en-masse-if-you/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The most attractive habitats for synthetic sentience might be the vicinities of exceptional sources of energy - for example black holes, or even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-most-attractive-habitats-for-synthetic-sentience-might-be-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Buying insurance is no one's idea of fun. And it's especially easy to berate something as funky-sounding as writing checks to defend our neighborhoods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/buying-insurance-is-no-one-s-idea-of-fun-and-it-s-especially-easy-to/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Plate tectonics is not all havoc and destruction. The slow movement of continents and ocean floors recycles carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/plate-tectonics-is-not-all-havoc-and-destruction-the-slow-movement-of/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/seth-shostak/#itemlist", "name": "20 Only Quotes By Seth Shostak", "numberOfItems": 20, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If this is the only planet on which not only life, but intelligent life, has arisen, that would be very unusual.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not-only-life-but-intelligent/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/seth-shostak-2047_intelligent_if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not_2276591.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/seth-shostak-2047_intelligent_if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not_2276591.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/seth-shostak-2047_intelligent_if-this-is-the-only-planet-on-which-not_2276591.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If this is the only planet on which not only life, but intelligent life, has arisen, that would be very…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Typically, only about 2 percent of the American populace tunes in to PBS's 'Nova' series - the most successful science show on the tube. 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All of which says that - unless the Homo sapiens brain is the one-and-only instance of cogitating machinery - nearly all the intelligence that's out there is beyond our level. And that intelligence is more than just a little bit beyond.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0-001-percent-of-cosmic-time/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/seth-shostak-2047_beyond_humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0_2205316.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/seth-shostak-2047_beyond_humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0_2205316.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/seth-shostak-2047_beyond_humans-have-existed-only-for-the-last-0_2205316.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humans have existed only for the last 0.001 percent of cosmic time. All of which says that - unless the Homo…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The era during which only governments could put hardware on the Moon is coming to an end. There are 26 private teams competing for the $30 million Google Lunar X-Prize - to be awarded for sending a robotic spacecraft to this nearby world that can roam at least 500 meters, and send back data such as a photo.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-era-during-which-only-governments-could-put-hardware-on-the-moon/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e09/seth-shostak-2047_awarded_the-era-during-which-only-governments-co_334411.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e09/seth-shostak-2047_awarded_the-era-during-which-only-governments-co_334411.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e09/seth-shostak-2047_awarded_the-era-during-which-only-governments-co_334411.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The era during which only governments could put hardware on the Moon is coming to an end. 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Indeed, only the sun, moon and planets - together with the occasional comet, asteroid or meteor - seem dynamic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-night-nebulae-and-galaxies-are/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-shostak-2047_appearance_the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-ni_1892585.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-shostak-2047_appearance_the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-ni_1892585.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-shostak-2047_appearance_the-stars-look-the-same-from-night-to-ni_1892585.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The stars look the same from night to night. 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Could Homo sapiens…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our computers double in capability on time scales of only a few years. It's hardly outrageous to believe that we will successfully develop thinking machines within a handful of decades, or at most a century or two. If that happens, these artificial sentients will quickly leave us behind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/our-computers-double-in-capability-on-time-scales-of-only-a-few-years/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/seth-shostak-2047_artificial_our-computers-double-in-capability-on-ti_248626.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/seth-shostak-2047_artificial_our-computers-double-in-capability-on-ti_248626.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/seth-shostak-2047_artificial_our-computers-double-in-capability-on-ti_248626.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our computers double in capability on time scales of only a few years. 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Not only are we not special, we could be infinitely ordinary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-the-mirror-and-reflect-on-how/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/seth-shostak-2047_another_the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-th_1336326.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/seth-shostak-2047_another_the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-th_1336326.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/seth-shostak-2047_another_the-next-time-you-check-your-moves-in-th_1336326.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The next time you check your moves in the mirror and reflect on how special you are, consider that somewhere…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hollywood usually guesses that extraterrestrials would only be interested in one of three things: (1) They want to breed with us, because their own reproductive machinery is on the blink; (2) They want Earth's resources; or (3) They want the Earth. All of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterrestrials-would-only-be/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68a/seth-shostak-2047_because_hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterr_1748859.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68a/seth-shostak-2047_because_hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterr_1748859.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68a/seth-shostak-2047_because_hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterr_1748859.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hollywood usually guesses that extraterrestrials would only be interested in one of three things: (1) They…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A century ago, scientists believed there was only one obvious stomping ground for alien biology in our solar system: Mars. Because it was reminiscent of Earth, Mars was assumed to be chock-a-block with animate beings, and its putative inhabitants got a lot of column inches and screen time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there-was-only-one-obvious-stomping/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/seth-shostak-2047_alien_a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there_496372.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/seth-shostak-2047_alien_a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there_496372.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/seth-shostak-2047_alien_a-century-ago-scientists-believed-there_496372.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A century ago, scientists believed there was only one obvious stomping ground for alien biology in our solar…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 16, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been a nonstop torrent of TV specials. So if you're one of the many who believe the aliens are here, you really do have to admit this: They're the best houseguests ever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 17, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The bottom line is that finding orphan planets - small, faint, and located who-knows-where - is not for the faint of heart. The task is comparable to observing a match flame at the distance of Pluto. The WISE satellite, a hi-tech, space-based infrared telescope especially suited for such work, has found only a few.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-planets-small-faint-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/seth-shostak-2047_bottom_the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-p_2437719.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/seth-shostak-2047_bottom_the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-p_2437719.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/seth-shostak-2047_bottom_the-bottom-line-is-that-finding-orphan-p_2437719.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The bottom line is that finding orphan planets - small, faint, and located who-knows-where - is not for the…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 18, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'What was there before the Big Bang?' That's a question that both kids and adults love to pose to anyone who seems sympathetic. After all, if the universe has only been around for roughly 14 billion years, isn't it legitimate to ask what was in existence before the mother-of-all-events cranked up the cosmos?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that-s-a-question-that-both-kids/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/seth-shostak-2047_adult_what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that_1989830.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/seth-shostak-2047_adult_what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that_1989830.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/seth-shostak-2047_adult_what-was-there-before-the-big-bang-that_1989830.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'What was there before the Big Bang?' 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