Will we find aliens first or will they find us?

[Glassunion]

179. 98 to 99%

That's the percentage of genetic material we identically share with our closest relative primates. Are they intelligent? No not really. The best of them can muster what? Some sign language... An expression of basic emotions. That's cool I guess. But I've met toddlers who can do the same.

The only genetic difference that separates us is that 1 to 2%. There is something in that small percentage that industrialized the world, put humans on the moon, have launched probes who are just starting their journey outside of our solar system. 1 to 2% gave us global communications, vaccines for deadly diseases, and chocolate. That's it... Just a 2% difference. Hell I share about 90% of my genetic material with my cat, and 50% with a piece of fruit.

Now the most "amazing" thing that that primate can do, the vast majority of all of humanity can do before their second birthday. Now imagine if there was a species that had another genetic difference in the same direction that we are from chimps? How would they see us? We could put our best and brightest in front of them... I'm thinking Hawking... A person who can perform the most complicated of equations in his mind alone. This genetic superior would look at our most brilliant of abilities and say "oh look... How cute. My little Billy did the same thing. Look, here is his interpretation of quantum mechanics stuck on the fridge".

Imagine a civilization of people, only separated by a fractional difference in genetic material from ourselves. But a figurative chasm of evolution creating that difference. Where children can do advanced physics as easy as our children can use simple tools or construct a Lincoln Log cabin. Where string theory, or quantum mechanics are a native ability, like language.

What do you think a being like that would be capable of? I think they'd be capable of concepts that we can barely imagine, let alone perform. They could possibly have such a deeper understanding of physics that interstellar or even inter galactic travel could be possible, timely, and even not so energy intensive. They may be skipping along the surface of the water, while we are stuck down here not even aware that there is a surface at all.