> 'gene writes:
> >Where are the artefacts? Where are the global signatures (IR holes in the
> >skies)?
>
> In my model, they may not stay around long enough to build visible artifacts.
I buy this for pioneering autoreplicators, but 1) due to mutations,
they will spawn off squatters 2) squatters are soon to follow
pioneer's footsteps, anyway. A single squatter can amplify a single
galaxy scale within a few 100 kYears, resulting in stellar-scale
artefacts as a side effect of its metabolism. If life is to maximize
computation, it will restructure matter accordingly, starting with
kinetically most accessable resources first. In any case should pretty
drastic system-scale effects become observable on the 0.1-1 kYear
scale.
ciao,
'gene