Gee whiz! Thanks for the thoughtful, informative answer. Didn't expect it.

The questions were rhetorical, fun to think about, not sure there were answers, yet.

I didn't realize, should have guessed, the genetic traces of the greater apes including Man had been correlated. It's interesting that the development of brains is not as dependent upon genes, as such, but their expression. I'm convinced the "junk" DNA is not archetypal, but involved somehow in timing and expression. That's from someone who wouldn't know a double-helix from a spiral staircase.

Hadn't thought about it, but the abilities of some birds and apes is remarkably similar. Have seen some work on bird intelligence which demonstrates an ability to think in some basic abstract way. And, they are playful, personable the way apes are. A little tougher to imagine as an ancestor, though.

It makes sense to me that as sentient beings we are not alone in the Universe, and will never know for sure. The speed of light and the length of time to extinction are the limiting factors on finding out. I'd give the odds of finding there had been life on Mars as 3 or 4 to one.

I doubt there are many species which have had the length of time necessary to develop into electromagnetic manipulators before their own asteroids do 'em in. I think we have a great neighborhood.

Thanks again.

Arf