By: Daniel Nardini
Something about the year 2012 that has some people, including leading scientists, speculating that the Earth could come into contact with extraterrestrials in the not-so-distant future. Some scientists are speculating that these “aliens” will be more or less humanoid (after all, this is the most likely form of intelligent life possible, right?) and they may not like what they see on Earth. In fact, some have speculated that they might try to destroy us because we are “damaging the planet’s eco-system” or “are too war-like.” Because of this, all governments “must prepare for the worst.”
This reminds me of the movie “It Came to Earth.” The last part of the film warned everyone to “watch the sky.” These three facts are known. First, even at the speed of light (sadly, our limited science knows nothing that can make objects go faster), it would take alien space craft to get to our Earth after decades. Second, we are assuming that because carbon-based life is the most likely possible that it is the only one. We have been learning recently that some bacteria on this Earth are not carbon-based life at all. It is therefore possible that other forms of intelligent life out there may indeed not be humanoid at all. Finally, the chances of Earth or any planet in this galaxy being over-runned by thousands of alien space craft is just plain BULL. If any alien space craft can get this far it will be no small miracle. I do not see an alien invasion at all, and certainly no threat to this world.
Since this planet of ours seems to be in an area of the known universe where no other intelligent life is known then it is highly unlikely that we will see anything anytime soon let alone be over-run and attacked into extinction. Scientists have also put any possible aliens into three categories—friendly, neutral and hostile. They may be intelligent enough that they may want to help or at least not harm us. They may take a neutral stance and just observe us. Or they may think we are dangerous or our planet has resources they need so they may be hostile.
Personally, I can add a fourth category—and that one is “of no interest.” We seem to be in an isolated part of a galaxy far away from all other forms of possible intelligent life, and in my view humanity seems to attach greater importance to itself than it may be seen to other forms of life. A highly intelligent form of life that is a couple of thousand years ahead of us may not want to take the time or resources to send any of their people to see who and what we are. And if they did they may simply see us as so primitive that they may simply pack up and leave before they really bother to make contact with us. Afterall, I suspect that super-intelligent aliens would love to have contact with super-intelligent aliens.
In their view humanity may be far from it. And since this may be the possible case, then why stay and make real contact? My evidence of this is largely anecdotal. If any of the UFO sightings of the last 100 years have any possible truth to them that one to two percent of them maybe, just MAYBE, actual alien contacts, then why didn’t they stay? They may have simply traveled here from wherever, seen this world, and just simply packed up their bags and left just as quickly. For them we probably would be no more interesting than a laboratory full of white mice. They may be just curious, but that is all. Then again this is all speculation on my part. We really do not know.
Humans may want to think that we are the center of the universe. Other life forms, if they are out there, may not think so. We may be too isolated, too primitive, and too different for them to accept that we “are life as they know it.” As we cannot all imagine a form of life based on, say, silicon, then a form of intelligent life may not believe that there is any real intelligent life based on carbon—it was proven “impossible” by their scientists. But I do not believe we have to worry about any real meaningful contact from another form of intelligent life anytime soon. We may not be seen as worth the effort for now. For now, humans should deal with the myriad of problems we have right here on Earth.
So the next time you might by happen stance see someone certainly not of this Earth, they may simply be lost trying to get to Andromeda. Be sure to give them directions.
Aliens Among Us?
By: Daniel Nardini
This reminds me of the movie “It Came to Earth.” The last part of the film warned everyone to “watch the sky.” These three facts are known. First, even at the speed of light (sadly, our limited science knows nothing that can make objects go faster), it would take alien space craft to get to our Earth after decades. Second, we are assuming that because carbon-based life is the most likely possible that it is the only one. We have been learning recently that some bacteria on this Earth are not carbon-based life at all. It is therefore possible that other forms of intelligent life out there may indeed not be humanoid at all. Finally, the chances of Earth or any planet in this galaxy being over-runned by thousands of alien space craft is just plain BULL. If any alien space craft can get this far it will be no small miracle. I do not see an alien invasion at all, and certainly no threat to this world.
Since this planet of ours seems to be in an area of the known universe where no other intelligent life is known then it is highly unlikely that we will see anything anytime soon let alone be over-run and attacked into extinction. Scientists have also put any possible aliens into three categories—friendly, neutral and hostile. They may be intelligent enough that they may want to help or at least not harm us. They may take a neutral stance and just observe us. Or they may think we are dangerous or our planet has resources they need so they may be hostile.
Personally, I can add a fourth category—and that one is “of no interest.” We seem to be in an isolated part of a galaxy far away from all other forms of possible intelligent life, and in my view humanity seems to attach greater importance to itself than it may be seen to other forms of life. A highly intelligent form of life that is a couple of thousand years ahead of us may not want to take the time or resources to send any of their people to see who and what we are. And if they did they may simply see us as so primitive that they may simply pack up and leave before they really bother to make contact with us. Afterall, I suspect that super-intelligent aliens would love to have contact with super-intelligent aliens.
In their view humanity may be far from it. And since this may be the possible case, then why stay and make real contact? My evidence of this is largely anecdotal. If any of the UFO sightings of the last 100 years have any possible truth to them that one to two percent of them maybe, just MAYBE, actual alien contacts, then why didn’t they stay? They may have simply traveled here from wherever, seen this world, and just simply packed up their bags and left just as quickly. For them we probably would be no more interesting than a laboratory full of white mice. They may be just curious, but that is all. Then again this is all speculation on my part. We really do not know.
Humans may want to think that we are the center of the universe. Other life forms, if they are out there, may not think so. We may be too isolated, too primitive, and too different for them to accept that we “are life as they know it.” As we cannot all imagine a form of life based on, say, silicon, then a form of intelligent life may not believe that there is any real intelligent life based on carbon—it was proven “impossible” by their scientists. But I do not believe we have to worry about any real meaningful contact from another form of intelligent life anytime soon. We may not be seen as worth the effort for now. For now, humans should deal with the myriad of problems we have right here on Earth.
So the next time you might by happen stance see someone certainly not of this Earth, they may simply be lost trying to get to Andromeda. Be sure to give them directions.