Is there life in the universe, and if so has it visited Earth?

[the pro]

If you don't know anything about the subject, then please read the UFO Napster before commenting. The last time that I checked, Christians don't have any RADAR data showing Jesus ascending into heaven. Nor am I aware of any military jets chasing angels [or maybe they do!].

There are also the issues of quantity and quality. While we have no scientific evidence for ET, we do have highly compelling evidence that the UFO phenomena is far more than an illusion - far more compelling evidence than we find associated with any religion.

It grows tiresome debating with people who aren't willing to learn a little bit first. Pseudoscience includes the practice of arriving at conclusions while having no real knowledge of the subject.

no there where many before jesus many others and there are many old civilisations that proves the ancien aliens theory sorry for my english there is 1 the piramide of gizis the egypts have siad that it was build in 23 eyers and if yes u need to put a stone every 9 sek that's imposibel i think aliens exist why not why shoud we only be in the glaxy or univers

 

[DaveC426913]

no there where many before jesus many others and there are many old civilisations that proves the ancien aliens theory sorry for my english there is 1 the piramide of gizis the egypts have siad that it was build in 23 eyers and if yes u need to put a stone every 9 sek that's imposibel i think aliens exist why not why shoud we only be in the glaxy or univers

English aside, Forum Rules require an attempt at clear communication: spelling, punctuation, grammar.

It is extremely difficult to follow what you are saying because your sentences all run into each other.

 

[ideasrule]

How is it that in a court of law a witness can make or break a case when in the instance of a sighting or report of an unusual event they are pretty well considered unbelievable?

That the jury places so much emphasis on eyewitness testimony is a major problem in the legal system. Countless times, witnesses have lied, exaggerated, or had good intentions but unreliable memories. Actually "unreliable memories" is a redundant phrase; the human brain was not designed to gather information just to store it away, and there are studies where participants are shown a mysterious crash site, led to believe it was a UFO crash, and, when interviewed weeks later, claim all sorts of details they never saw.

 

[CEL]

That the jury places so much emphasis on eyewitness testimony is a major problem in the legal system. Countless times, witnesses have lied, exaggerated, or had good intentions but unreliable memories. Actually "unreliable memories" is a redundant phrase; the human brain was not designed to gather information just to store it away, and there are studies where participants are shown a mysterious crash site, led to believe it was a UFO crash, and, when interviewed weeks later, claim all sorts of details they never saw.

Complementing what you say: The testimony of several eyewitnesses can be superceded by a single DNA testing.
Scientific evidence is allways better than anecdotes.

 

[baywax]

Because extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The more extraordinary the claim made, the more extraordinary the evidence need be.

Yes, I guess you're right. Its odd because there are extraordinary claims made by some witnesses like psychics and so on that actually break and close certain cases. Yet their claim is that they had premonition about the finest details of the case. But your right because usually the premonitions are later confirmed by hard evidence. That's why the cases are completed.

On the other hand, if a witness claims to have seen anti-gravity devices with skinny aliens, the jury and others need to have the device and the visitors as evidence this has happened. Just like the psychic detective has a murderer and a victim as evidence of their claim. Thanks.

 

[kpax]

I think the bulk of unexplained sightings can be attributed to classified military aircraft. The SR-71, which still holds aviation records for speed and altitude (wink), was developed from a design proposed in 1959! The F-117 "Hopeless Diamond" design was proposed in 1975! That begs the question, what have the boys at Groom Lake come up with during the past 30 years? My guess is something radical. They don't call it "Dreamland" for nothing.

 

[baywax]

I think the bulk of unexplained sightings can be attributed to classified military aircraft. The SR-71, which still holds aviation records for speed and altitude (wink), was developed from a design proposed in 1959! The F-117 "Hopeless Diamond" design was proposed in 1975! That begs the question, what have the boys at Groom Lake come up with during the past 30 years? My guess is something radical. They don't call it "Dreamland" for nothing.

If they're genetically engineering humans so they fit in their aircraft... that would explain a number of claims.

 

[jreelawg]

What I have noticed is that there are plenty of crackpot believers and plenty of crackpot skeptics.

 

[jhooper3581]

That would suck if one of those aliens just come to this Earth one day and steal our paper copies of grand theories of physics.

 

[BigFairy]

It would be worse if they actually wrote the bible... lool

 

[baywax]

It would be worse if they actually wrote the bible... lool

They're genetically engineered to look like books. That was the beginning of the end of humanity.

 

[kpax]

If they're genetically engineering humans so they fit in their aircraft... that would explain a number of claims.

They're genetically engineered to look like books. That was the beginning of the end of humanity.

Wait. You may be onto something here. lol

 

[Bob_for_short]

I do not know. I have no idea.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I do not know. I have no idea.

Great answers.

It is sad and disappointing that we don't get more answers like yours.

 

[Bob_for_short]

Great answers.

The poll should contain this option too but it does not.

 

[jreelawg]

Do Reptilians count, if they've always been here but come from other dimensions?

 

[qraal]

Do Reptilians count, if they've always been here but come from other dimensions?

No. They're evolved Saurians from a parallel Earth. They're not 'aliens'.

 

[Lamented_Soul]

I do believe that "Aliens" have visited earth. There are Architectual Wonders that absolutely cannot be explained logically. I believe in the Ancient Astronaut Theory. But then again, the evidence for anything can be interpreted a lot of different ways. Idk, I do believe that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. But, the Parameters for sustaining life do not have to be consistent throughout our entire Universe. It is possible that life could exist in an environment that does not suit our requirements for living. The concept that life has to exist the same way everywhere in the entire plane of existence itself, is extremely conservative.

 

[DaveC426913]

I do believe that "Aliens" have visited earth. There are Architectual Wonders that absolutely cannot be explained logically.

Such as?

I believe in the Ancient Astronaut Theory. But then again, the evidence for anything can be interpreted a lot of different ways.

True. This is where Occam's Razor comes in. The answer that introduces the fewest new entities is probably the likeliest.

Another platitude: if you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras.

But, the Parameters for sustaining life do not have to be consistent throughout our entire Universe. It is possible that life could exist in an environment that does not suit our requirements for living. The concept that life has to exist the same way everywhere in the entire plane of existence itself, is extremely conservative.

How does this illuminate the question though? Who is claiming aliens have to be just like us?

 

[mikelepore]

This is where Occam's Razor comes in. The answer that introduces the fewest new entities is probably the likeliest.

Is this really what Occam's Razor says? I thought it makes no claim about what is likely true. There's no reason to use an explanation that contains unnecessary entities. If additional entities don't add predictive power, there's no reason to include them. Whatever may be true is another story.

 

[Lamented_Soul]

How does this illuminate the question though? Who is claiming aliens have to be just like us?

The Statistics used to state the probability of intelligent life elsewhere are based on what we know about life here on earth. Basically, science (Generalization of it, anyways.) deems life in conditions different than our own, impossible, until a discovery that proves otherwise is made. So, what I'm saying is that if you were to tell a biologist that complex, intelligent life could exist on a planet with a carbon monoxide based atmophere, he/she would tell you that you're wrong. But, you're right. It really has nothing to do with the question. Forgive me, I tend to rant. Lol.

 

[qraal]

I do believe that "Aliens" have visited earth. There are Architectual Wonders that absolutely cannot be explained logically. I believe in the Ancient Astronaut Theory. But then again, the evidence for anything can be interpreted a lot of different ways.

I'm yet to see a credible case for Ancient Astronauts being involved in ancient architecture. Anything in particular that strikes you as so glaringly anomalous?

Idk, I do believe that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. But, the Parameters for sustaining life do not have to be consistent throughout our entire Universe. It is possible that life could exist in an environment that does not suit our requirements for living. The concept that life has to exist the same way everywhere in the entire plane of existence itself, is extremely conservative.

I'm not sure anyone is so naive as to think Life can only be based on RNA-DNA, but many feel that RNA-DNA style genetics is an inexorable end-point of biochemical evolution. I'm not sure I agree, but water-based ecosystems will very probably be very prevalent - oxygen and hydrogen are too common for them not to be. However there might be life on planets with more carbon than oxygen, so there might be worlds with oceans of liquid carbon dioxide or crude oil for example. Alternatively there might be seas of two different liquids - water on top and carbon dioxide below. Or more exotic mixes.

 

[DaveC426913]

Basically, science (Generalization of it, anyways.) deems life in conditions different than our own, impossible, until a discovery that proves otherwise is made.

Impossible within science life as we know it.

So, what I'm saying is that if you were to tell a biologist that complex, intelligent life could exist on a planet with a carbon monoxide based atmophere, he/she wsould tell you that you're wrong.

No they wouldn't. They would say "life as we know it". They would then make clear that any further discussion about other types of lifes would be completely speculative.


The "life as we know it" is pretty much the default premise, since most scientists spend their days dealing with what is not with what might be.

But that does not mean it's a unilateral state for all scientists all the time. Just grant the scientist the freedom to speculate.

 

[baywax]

Impossible within science life as we know it.

No they wouldn't. They would say "life as we know it". They would then make clear that any further discussion about other types of lifes would be completely speculative.The "life as we know it" is pretty much the default premise, since most scientists spend their days dealing with what is not with what might be.

But that does not mean it's a unilateral state for all scientists all the time. Just grant the scientist the freedom to speculate.

So far the idea that "there (is )life in the universe and if so it (has) visited earth" is purely speculation. I'm not sure about the disciplines involved but, I'm sure the speculation came about on lunch or over beer and the science it takes to prove such a claim takes place on summer holidays and around Thanksgiving... with the acceptation of the work at SETI.

I guess its healthy to speculate since it leads to studies that would otherwise never be studied. What do you think?

 

[mikelepore]

I do believe that "Aliens" have visited earth. There are Architectual Wonders that absolutely cannot be explained logically. I believe in the Ancient Astronaut Theory.

I think it would be even more illogical if some beings who are so advanced technologically that they have interstellar travel were to come here, and they want to give humans the benefit of advanced construction methods, and then the only construction method they teach them is how to assemble piles of stone blocks.

 

[Count Iblis]

I think intelligent lifeforms will last only for a short period in a biological form. Organisms with a large enough brain to develop a civilization will very soon develop intelligent machines. These machines will then take over control of the planet.

 

[DaveC426913]

I think intelligent lifeforms will last only for a short period in a biological form. Organisms with a large enough brain to develop a civilization will very soon develop intelligent machines. These machines will then take over control of the planet.

Why would these beings with giant brains build machines that would turn on them? That seems dumb.

 

[Pattonias]

My Iphone has been looking at me kind of strange lately.

 

[qraal]

Why would these beings with giant brains build machines that would turn on them? That seems dumb.

The machines don't have to do that. Instead they just do everything better and humans reap the benefits and otherwise. Eventually - with infinite patience, they'll take the long view - the machines will remain and humans will be either extinct or merge with the machines. As large mammals our tenure is tenuous at best.

Personally I think merger is more likely than either side becoming extinct.

 

[DanP]

Why would these beings with giant brains build machines that would turn on them? That seems dumb.

Aint it obvious ? Beings with giant brains are dumb.