Foundation Seminar 091-22 Problem Set #2

Due September 19, 2:30 pm.

In order to do this assignment you need to see:

The 'Genesis' segment from "Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan"
The prime numbers segment from 'Contact'
The introduction segment from 'Water World'

You will need to utilze Drake's formula from class.

Every claim made in your work should be referenced if it is not original. Everything that's not referenced is considered to be original. I DO expect 40-80% of the HW to be original.

Problem #1: In "Wrath of Khan" the `Genesis Project' started life from lifelessness. If indeed life could arise on barren planets, estimate the increase in number of planets inhibited by intelligent species if such device was available to all advanced civilizations. Assume NO interstellar travel is possible.

Problem #2: In "Contact" the heroine tracks a series of prime numbers and decides that the source must be intelligent. Think of other sets of numbers, such as an equal interval signals. Give 1-2 examples of possible sources for such signals (you don't have to be to specific, just explain the possible NATURAL motion of the source.

Problem #3: In "Water world" the ice caps have melted and all of the land masses have been flooded. Is this really possible? Device observations and experiments that will determine if the world will be flooded once the ice caps have melted.