# Enterprise Civilization Spoiler **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306 "2001-11-14T14:06:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/41 "2001-11-17T14:11:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Sounds from space-Didn’t she say something about a “sonic probe”? Maybe I missed that part, I assumed they were using orbital sensors. The laser thing might be somewhat plausable, assuming the beam didn’t diverge too much. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/42 "2001-11-17T14:19:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cleophus \* > \*\* assuming the beam didn’t diverge too much. \*\* And that the listenees had glass. ^:)^ ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/43 "2001-11-17T18:31:42Z")
Nah. In the absence of glass, you just do it off somebody’s eyeball. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/44 "2001-11-17T19:02:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\* do it off somebody’s eyeball. \*\* Cool! ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/45 "2001-11-17T20:09:53Z")
Ack! No! Do not shine lasers into anyone’s eyeball! I meant it as a joke! And if you do, don’t try to get out of it by saying, “But I was just trying to listen in on your conversation.” ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/46 "2001-11-17T20:19:44Z")
> [@](#): > > posted by carnivorousplant: > **Sounds from space-Didn’t she say something about a “sonic probe”?** > [@](#): > > posted by Cleophus: > \*\*Maybe I missed that part, I assumed they were using orbital sensors. > The laser thing might be somewhat plausable, assuming the beam didn’t diverge too much. \*\* They called it an “acoustic relay” – which for all we know was some kind of lander with microphones. If so, or in the case of a laser detector, why does Hoshi have to sort thru dozens of inputs, including different languages from around the planet? Why not just pick ONE? Shortly after this scene, I had to quit watching the show. That makes two episodes in a row I could not finish because of mounting aggravation. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/47 "2001-11-17T20:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheeGrumpy \* > \*\* Why not just pick ONE? > \*\* Perhaps she was monitoring several locations at the same time. Wow, you \*really{/I] don’t like this show, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306/48 "2001-11-17T20:36:35Z")
Or maybe she was listening to someone who was flipping through the channels on TV. Or maybe, I don’t know, being a linguist, she might actually be interested in the variety of languages on the planet? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-civilization-spoiler/93306.md?page=2)