Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?
Poll
Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?
Just out of curiosity, who believes in extraterrestrial life?
Scroll to see replies
I believe that it's extraodinarily likely given the scale of the universe and the number of habbitable planets. It seems ludicrous that of all the countless trillions of worlds, this is the only one on which self-replicating life exists. However, without empirical evidence, believing life exists elsewhere is a matter of faith, and I've never been one to accept claims on faith. I therefore voted 'don't know'.
ASTRONAUTS
"I believe that these extraterrestrial vehicles and their crews are visiting this planet from other planets which obviously are a little more technically advanced than we are here on Earth." — Colonel Gordon Cooper, Mercury & Gemini Astronaut
"I happen to be privileged enough to be in on the fact that we have been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomenon is real. It has been covered up by governments for quite some time now." — Captain Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut
"...I've been asked [about UFOs] and I've said publicly I thought they [UFOs] were somebody else, some other civilization." — Astronaut Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17 Commander
"Mission control, we have a UFO pacing our position, request instructions." — Astronaut Cady Coleman
"I was testing a P-51 fighter in Minneapolis when I spotted this object. [...] It looked like a saucer, a disk. About the same time, I realized that it was suddenly going away from me - and there I was, running at about 300 miles per hour. I tracked it for a little way, and then all of a sudden the damn thing just took off. It pulled about a 45 degree climbing turn and accelerated and just flat disappeared." — Captain Donald Slayton, Mercury Astronaut
"Statistically it's a certainty there are hugely advanced civilizations, intelligence, life forms out there. I believe they're so advanced they're even doing interstellar travel. I believe it's possible they even came here." — Dr. Storey Musgrave, NASA Astronaut
"For nearly 50 years, the secrecy apparatus within the United States Government has kept from the public UFO and alien contact information." "We have contact with alien cultures." — Astronaut Dr. Brian O'Leary
"In my official status, I cannot comment on ET contact. However, personally, I can assure you, we are not alone!" — Charles J. Camarda (Ph.D.), NASA Astronaut
NASA, CIA, ARMY, AIR FORCE ETC
"Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFOs come from and what their purpose is..." (1)
"Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about the UFOs. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe that unknown flying objects are nonsense." (2)
— Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter, first Director of the CIA, 1947-1950
"We had a job to do, wether right or wrong, to keep the public from getting excited." (2) — Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Scientific consultant for Air Force Project Blue Book
"Of course UFOs are real, and they are interplanetary. The cumulative evidence for the existence of UFOs is quite overwhelming and I accept the fact of their existence."
— Air Chief Marshall Lord Hugh Dowding, Commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force during WWII "Let there be no doubt. Alien technology harvested from the infamous saucer crash in Roswell, N.Mex., in July 1947 led directly to the development of the integrated circuit chip, laser and fibre optic technologies, particle beams, electromagnetic propulsion systems, depleted uranium projectiles, stealth capabilities, and many others. How do I know? I was in charge! I think the kids on this planet are wise to the truth, and I think we ought to give it to them. I think they deserve it."
— Colonel Philip Corso, Former head of the Foreign Technology Desk for United States Army Research and Development, National Security Council member, Eisenhower Administration.
"We must insist upon full access to disks recovered. For instance, in the La case the Army grabbed it and would not let us have it for cursory examination." — J. Edgar Hoover, first Director of the FBI
"We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit humanity... anything you can imagine we already know how to do." — Ben Rich, former Head of the Lockheed Skunk Works "This 'flying saucer' situation is not at all imaginary or seeing too much in some natural phenomena. Something is really flying around. The phenomenon is something real and not visionary or fictitious." — General Nathan Twining, US Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1955-1958 "Unidentified Flying Objects are entering our atmosphere at very high speeds and obviously under intelligent control. We must solve this riddle without delay." — Rear Admiral Delmar Fahrney, USNR "The nations of the world will have to unite, for the next war will be an interplanetary war. The nations of the earth must someday make a common front against attack by people from other planets". — General Douglas MacArthur
Page 2 of this official FBI document
http://i.imgur.com/bREig.jpg
Source page 22
From FBI Official Documents archive
Also page 57 and 58 are worth a look.
http://vault.fbi.gov/UFO/UFO%20Part%201%20of%2016/view
http://vault.fbi.gov/UFO/UFO%20Part%201%20of%2016/view
Bonus:
- Ancient sightings of UFOs... Depiction of UFOs on old art, old schematics of disk shaped flying vehicles.
- 1977, 2003 radio signals
- Ancient alien stone cuttings
- 'Gods'
"I believe that these extraterrestrial vehicles and their crews are visiting this planet from other planets which obviously are a little more technically advanced than we are here on Earth." — Colonel Gordon Cooper, Mercury & Gemini Astronaut
"I happen to be privileged enough to be in on the fact that we have been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomenon is real. It has been covered up by governments for quite some time now." — Captain Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut
"...I've been asked [about UFOs] and I've said publicly I thought they [UFOs] were somebody else, some other civilization." — Astronaut Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17 Commander
"Mission control, we have a UFO pacing our position, request instructions." — Astronaut Cady Coleman
"I was testing a P-51 fighter in Minneapolis when I spotted this object. [...] It looked like a saucer, a disk. About the same time, I realized that it was suddenly going away from me - and there I was, running at about 300 miles per hour. I tracked it for a little way, and then all of a sudden the damn thing just took off. It pulled about a 45 degree climbing turn and accelerated and just flat disappeared." — Captain Donald Slayton, Mercury Astronaut
"Statistically it's a certainty there are hugely advanced civilizations, intelligence, life forms out there. I believe they're so advanced they're even doing interstellar travel. I believe it's possible they even came here." — Dr. Storey Musgrave, NASA Astronaut
"For nearly 50 years, the secrecy apparatus within the United States Government has kept from the public UFO and alien contact information." "We have contact with alien cultures." — Astronaut Dr. Brian O'Leary
"In my official status, I cannot comment on ET contact. However, personally, I can assure you, we are not alone!" — Charles J. Camarda (Ph.D.), NASA Astronaut
NASA, CIA, ARMY, AIR FORCE ETC
"Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFOs come from and what their purpose is..." (1)
"Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about the UFOs. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe that unknown flying objects are nonsense." (2)
— Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter, first Director of the CIA, 1947-1950
"We had a job to do, wether right or wrong, to keep the public from getting excited." (2) — Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Scientific consultant for Air Force Project Blue Book
"Of course UFOs are real, and they are interplanetary. The cumulative evidence for the existence of UFOs is quite overwhelming and I accept the fact of their existence."
— Air Chief Marshall Lord Hugh Dowding, Commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force during WWII "Let there be no doubt. Alien technology harvested from the infamous saucer crash in Roswell, N.Mex., in July 1947 led directly to the development of the integrated circuit chip, laser and fibre optic technologies, particle beams, electromagnetic propulsion systems, depleted uranium projectiles, stealth capabilities, and many others. How do I know? I was in charge! I think the kids on this planet are wise to the truth, and I think we ought to give it to them. I think they deserve it."
— Colonel Philip Corso, Former head of the Foreign Technology Desk for United States Army Research and Development, National Security Council member, Eisenhower Administration.
"We must insist upon full access to disks recovered. For instance, in the La case the Army grabbed it and would not let us have it for cursory examination." — J. Edgar Hoover, first Director of the FBI
"We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit humanity... anything you can imagine we already know how to do." — Ben Rich, former Head of the Lockheed Skunk Works "This 'flying saucer' situation is not at all imaginary or seeing too much in some natural phenomena. Something is really flying around. The phenomenon is something real and not visionary or fictitious." — General Nathan Twining, US Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1955-1958 "Unidentified Flying Objects are entering our atmosphere at very high speeds and obviously under intelligent control. We must solve this riddle without delay." — Rear Admiral Delmar Fahrney, USNR "The nations of the world will have to unite, for the next war will be an interplanetary war. The nations of the earth must someday make a common front against attack by people from other planets". — General Douglas MacArthur
Page 2 of this official FBI document
http://i.imgur.com/bREig.jpg
Source page 22
From FBI Official Documents archive
Also page 57 and 58 are worth a look.
http://vault.fbi.gov/UFO/UFO%20Part%201%20of%2016/view
http://vault.fbi.gov/UFO/UFO%20Part%201%20of%2016/view
Bonus:
- Ancient sightings of UFOs... Depiction of UFOs on old art, old schematics of disk shaped flying vehicles.
- 1977, 2003 radio signals
- Ancient alien stone cuttings
- 'Gods'
Life elsewhere in the universe? Yes
Intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Yes
Intelligent life elsewhere in the universe that uses little spaceships to travel hundreds of light years specifically to Earth to anally probe people called Cleetus? probably not, no
Intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Yes
Intelligent life elsewhere in the universe that uses little spaceships to travel hundreds of light years specifically to Earth to anally probe people called Cleetus? probably not, no
Given the astronomical size of our universe, yes, I believe there are thousands of planet Earth's out there if not billions!
Original post by Steevee
It's a statistical likelihood, though whether we'll ever come into contact with other intelligent life is an entirely different question and one to which I fear the answer is no.
In our lifetime? maybe not, but beyond that? I don't see why not. We've come far over the last 100 years imagine what could be possible in 1,000 years time?
Original post by kidomo
In our lifetime? maybe not, but beyond that? I don't see why not. We've come far over the last 100 years imagine what could be possible in 1,000 years time?
The vastness of space is the biggest barrier for me. Until we have evidence that FTL travel is possible I hold no hope of contacting any other intelligent life, and even then the odds aren't in our favour. You can't observe something in it's present form in the vastness of space, so even if we manage FTL travel we'd essentially be hopping round looking for a needle in an almost infinite haystack.
It could happen, but I certainly don't feel that it's likely. That's one of the things I find most depressing about the ET life debate, there could be a thousand civilisations out there right now having the same debate as we speak but the likelihood as I see it is that none of us will ever find each other.
Yep, to assume we're the apex, with all our noticeable flaws. As well as being one of the few animals capable of conscious thought. I think, is a little presumptuous of our intelligence. I'd like to believe there's life-forms more evolved than us and at the same time there's life just beginning somewhere. Given the vast infinity of stars and planets, I'm wagering life is abouts.
Original post by kidomo
In our lifetime? maybe not, but beyond that? I don't see why not. We've come far over the last 100 years imagine what could be possible in 1,000 years time?
It depends on two main factors:
1. how rare life in the universe is
&
2. whether faster than light travel (wormholes?) are possible
If the answer to question 1 turned out to be an average of one intelligent lifeform per galaxy, and the answer to the second question was no, then it's very unlikely we would ever come into contact with an extraterrestrial civillisation. Why? because of the very same thing that makes the existence of life elsewhere so likely; the sheer scale of the universe. The closest galaxy to our milky way (andromeda) is over 2 million light years away, meaning it would take over 2 million years to get there, even if travelling at the fastest speed possible. You couldn't even exchange messages with extraterrestrials on any reasonable timescale because, if the speed of light cannot be breached, there would be no way of transmitting information across the distance any faster, meaning it would take 4 million years to send 1 message and receive a reply.
If on the other hand life in the universe is actually very common (say an average of approximately 100,000 intelligent lifeforms per galaxy) and faster than light travel/communications were possible, then it would be very likely indeed that we would come into contact with extraterrestrial civilisations. But if this is the case one has to ask the question 'where is everybody?' Since we should certainly expect to have been contacted by now, if this scenario were the reality. This is known as the Fermi paradox.
The absence of any contact or signs of life seems to suggest that either intelligent life is very rare, or that there exist fundamental limitations which prevent long distance travel or communications on any reasonable timescale. This would render contact between civillisations seperated by vast distances essentially impossible.
Very likely but don't really know yet.
Lives on other planets may not be lives as we know them however. Maybe very different.
Lives on other planets may not be lives as we know them however. Maybe very different.
Original post by Woodlepoodle
Just out of curiosity, who believes in extraterrestrial life?
Obviously yes, and we were and are visited by advanced aliens that occasionally come into contact with humans.
I would have some confidence there's the possibility.
Having said that, and to stir the pot, apparently there are humans sprinkled around the world who know more about the UFO/extraterrestrial phenomena because they participate in it regularly. There are also types who put out ridiculous information to discourage the idea of taking it seriously.
If UFOs etc. were blatently untrue and ridiculous then people could entertain the idea easily without being offended or shy.
Having said that, and to stir the pot, apparently there are humans sprinkled around the world who know more about the UFO/extraterrestrial phenomena because they participate in it regularly. There are also types who put out ridiculous information to discourage the idea of taking it seriously.
If UFOs etc. were blatently untrue and ridiculous then people could entertain the idea easily without being offended or shy.
Original post by Woodlepoodle
Just out of curiosity, who believes in extraterrestrial life?
Life in the wider universe? There's almost certainly plenty of it, given how many stars there are, how many galaxies full of stars and how many stars appear to have planets revolving around them.
Space-ship travelling aliens visiting earth? Not as likely. As Arthur C. Clarke once remarked [paraphrasing] The technology necessary for a species to travel inter-stellar distances is such that if they wanted us to see them, we would, if they didn't, we wouldn't.
Yes, given the size of the universe and the sheer number of galaxies which contain millions to billions of stars and planets the chances there are life as advanced or more so than us, are 100%
(edited 10 years ago)
Thanks for voting! Do you think it is possible that what people think are aliens and UFOs are actually evolved humans visiting from the future?? They would love to come and have a look at previous civilisations but they would know not to interfere with the past! Just a thought!
"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying" - Arther C Clarke
Based on the magnitude of the universe, I would say yes. More than ever, if I consider that extreterrestial life doesn't need not exactly the same conditions to live in their own habitat far away from earth.
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