Ask HN: Who all thinks Aliens exist?
18 comments
Seems likely life exists in some form elsewhere in the universe. If you mean aliens visiting our planet to dissect cattle or fool pilots, no, not likely.
I just asked my rabbits this question for you. Do they count as who?
They continued chomping down celery tops and coriander.
One of them likes to watch planes. It sits on its hutch in the afternoon watching planes from a local airport fly away, more interested in them on days when the wind's blowing such that when nearby they're taking off rather than days when the wind means they're approaching. The other one doesn't care for planes, but stamps whenever a wasp's nearby. This second one also likes to observe, then crush with a front paw, any ants it comes across or that come across it.
Remarkably human behaviour, though I know not what they think. Is it curiosity. Is it fear? Is something in-built and there is no 'thinking'? And what of us? Do we really comprehend? An Area51 alien is to me as a flying celery-rabbit on a magical boat with radish tops for wings is perhaps to these rabbits, if they've ever thought to imagine. They do seem to dream. That is, it's completely within bounds of their known reality. As outlandish as the very real, lived, imaginations of a schizophrenic delusion may be, and my observing it based on my 'norms', it's still somewhat based on the individual's experience, or imagination, of their reality, their experiences.
Perhaps there are aliens. Perhaps they exist in differing dimensions. Perhaps they exist as stars blinking to one another, perhaps they exist in my underpants or in fact are my underpants, what do I know, we are all in our (bounded?, there is always a bound...) existence, as Spinoza pointed out, of "Substance, its attributes, and modes".
They continued chomping down celery tops and coriander.
One of them likes to watch planes. It sits on its hutch in the afternoon watching planes from a local airport fly away, more interested in them on days when the wind's blowing such that when nearby they're taking off rather than days when the wind means they're approaching. The other one doesn't care for planes, but stamps whenever a wasp's nearby. This second one also likes to observe, then crush with a front paw, any ants it comes across or that come across it.
Remarkably human behaviour, though I know not what they think. Is it curiosity. Is it fear? Is something in-built and there is no 'thinking'? And what of us? Do we really comprehend? An Area51 alien is to me as a flying celery-rabbit on a magical boat with radish tops for wings is perhaps to these rabbits, if they've ever thought to imagine. They do seem to dream. That is, it's completely within bounds of their known reality. As outlandish as the very real, lived, imaginations of a schizophrenic delusion may be, and my observing it based on my 'norms', it's still somewhat based on the individual's experience, or imagination, of their reality, their experiences.
Perhaps there are aliens. Perhaps they exist in differing dimensions. Perhaps they exist as stars blinking to one another, perhaps they exist in my underpants or in fact are my underpants, what do I know, we are all in our (bounded?, there is always a bound...) existence, as Spinoza pointed out, of "Substance, its attributes, and modes".
I think it's highly likely that intelligent life elsewhere in the universe either has existed, does exist, or will exist (or some combination of those).
OTOH, I think it's highly unlikely that UAP's or UFO's - or whatever you want to call them - are alien spacecraft piloted by intelligent extraterrestrials, coming to visit Earth, abduct and probe random humans, mutilate cattle, make crop circles, etc.
That said, over the last 30 years or so, as we've discovered more and more "potentially habitable" planets, some closer to Earth than the ones that were previously known, my skepticism on "alien visitors" as diminished very slightly. But it still seems unlikely to me that any intelligent life that exists, is close enough, or has the means to travel interstellar distances quickly enough, to permit tourist visits to Earth.
OTOH, I think it's highly unlikely that UAP's or UFO's - or whatever you want to call them - are alien spacecraft piloted by intelligent extraterrestrials, coming to visit Earth, abduct and probe random humans, mutilate cattle, make crop circles, etc.
That said, over the last 30 years or so, as we've discovered more and more "potentially habitable" planets, some closer to Earth than the ones that were previously known, my skepticism on "alien visitors" as diminished very slightly. But it still seems unlikely to me that any intelligent life that exists, is close enough, or has the means to travel interstellar distances quickly enough, to permit tourist visits to Earth.
Aliens may exist.
But they aren't anywhere near Earth, and it takes too long to travel between star systems to make such a journey worthwhile.
Read up on the Fermi Paradox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox
But they aren't anywhere near Earth, and it takes too long to travel between star systems to make such a journey worthwhile.
Read up on the Fermi Paradox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox
It would probably be prudent to wait until whatever evidence that has been submitted to the inspector general etc comes out more publicly, because at this stage there is allegedly evidence existing for it, and without having access to that information you can't really make a qualified judgement.
No, there's oral testimony which claims there is evidence. It's hearsay, and would be demolished in court, if presented as probative to anything.
At a conjectural level I tend to think other intelligence exists and will almost certainly remain the other side of the light speed barrier: if we see signs of it, it will be deep time disconnected from us for meaningful engagement.
I do not believe any credible signal, or inferred existence proof such as a dyson sphere or information rich RF has been seen, nor has any UFO/UAP been autonomous, intelligent, nonhuman in origin. All are either other nation states, or simple and complex non intelligent physical phenomena of some kind, or signals confusion by systems or humans or both.
At a conjectural level I tend to think other intelligence exists and will almost certainly remain the other side of the light speed barrier: if we see signs of it, it will be deep time disconnected from us for meaningful engagement.
I do not believe any credible signal, or inferred existence proof such as a dyson sphere or information rich RF has been seen, nor has any UFO/UAP been autonomous, intelligent, nonhuman in origin. All are either other nation states, or simple and complex non intelligent physical phenomena of some kind, or signals confusion by systems or humans or both.
> No, there's oral testimony which claims there is evidence.
Look, this is not correct. David Grusch has provided evidence to the appropriate parties, and this has been confirmed by the IG and congress. If this was not the case, it would have already been said that he did not provide evidence for his claims.
It is disingenuous to make your claim that this is only oral testimony, and that's even without considering the hard sensor evidence provided by the other pilots involved in this hearing.
Look, this is not correct. David Grusch has provided evidence to the appropriate parties, and this has been confirmed by the IG and congress. If this was not the case, it would have already been said that he did not provide evidence for his claims.
It is disingenuous to make your claim that this is only oral testimony, and that's even without considering the hard sensor evidence provided by the other pilots involved in this hearing.
His evidence is of UAPs. What I read says all the alien origins and lifeforms is still contested. That real things happen and are under review isn't disputed, the SIGINT alone will make this SCIF only material.
What's disputed is the alien intelligence part. He didn't out names because that's a crime, congress or not. Pilots don't talk about UFO because it's career limiting not because they don't experience anomalies.
Anomalies happen. They aren't aliens from outer space and nothing he said makes me believe otherwise, nor the secrecy which is explicable from purely human, legal and logistical and strategic reasons.
That Chinese weather balloon was a UAP. And, the depth of US capability to detect, understand, image and analyse it remotely as well as interdict it, is a secret for obvious reasons.
What's disputed is the alien intelligence part. He didn't out names because that's a crime, congress or not. Pilots don't talk about UFO because it's career limiting not because they don't experience anomalies.
Anomalies happen. They aren't aliens from outer space and nothing he said makes me believe otherwise, nor the secrecy which is explicable from purely human, legal and logistical and strategic reasons.
That Chinese weather balloon was a UAP. And, the depth of US capability to detect, understand, image and analyse it remotely as well as interdict it, is a secret for obvious reasons.
> His evidence is of UAPs
His evidence is not public which is why I would consider waiting to be a better option than spouting opinions.
For the record I don't feel that this is anything more than a result of Chinese whispers within departments that's now likely to expose broad mismanagement of funds (and of course I do also think alien technology would be "cool"), but I find it astounding that so many people want to announce opinions when they don't have the full suite of information. Hence my initial comment, as there is a low but non zero chance that we may be surprised.
His evidence is not public which is why I would consider waiting to be a better option than spouting opinions.
For the record I don't feel that this is anything more than a result of Chinese whispers within departments that's now likely to expose broad mismanagement of funds (and of course I do also think alien technology would be "cool"), but I find it astounding that so many people want to announce opinions when they don't have the full suite of information. Hence my initial comment, as there is a low but non zero chance that we may be surprised.
Here is my take on your view: it's too early to say because the evidence is still secret.
Here is the substance of my response: the reasons the evidence will remain secret is the nature of US strategic interest in keeping its SIGINT capability secret. It has nothing to do with aliens, because no credible evidence of aliens has ever been seen or discussed since the inception of the program. "Unexplained" is the strongest statement made of any phenomena.
There could or could not be evidence of aliens It's immaterial to why this is secret
Here is the substance of my response: the reasons the evidence will remain secret is the nature of US strategic interest in keeping its SIGINT capability secret. It has nothing to do with aliens, because no credible evidence of aliens has ever been seen or discussed since the inception of the program. "Unexplained" is the strongest statement made of any phenomena.
There could or could not be evidence of aliens It's immaterial to why this is secret
What's your floor on low. My floor is zero. My ceiling is also zero.
The funds mismanagement has nothing to do with aliens existing nor does the oath he took to present to congress. Do you have no memory of Oliver North? What people say in these exercises and what it means are divergent.
The funds mismanagement has nothing to do with aliens existing nor does the oath he took to present to congress. Do you have no memory of Oliver North? What people say in these exercises and what it means are divergent.
Well considering the recent news I wouldn't say zero.
I don't think anyone finds it surprising that the guy in charge of the organisation being accused of covering up evidence is upset about this.
So you completely discount his rebuttals of any substance over alien proofs?
No? I'm simply waiting to see what the evidence turns out to be before drawing a conclusion loudly and publicly about it.
It seems likely but it also seems there's no evidence either way. Unless we can make a plan to deal with the unforeseeable, why bother to form an opinion?
I'm leaning towards the "aliens exist" opinion, btw.
I'm leaning towards the "aliens exist" opinion, btw.
They don’t “visit.” They’ve been here the whole time. More have come since the first arrived, though they just drift around in their (living machine) vessels, observing everything.
Most of them spend their entire lives in their pseudo-embryonic sack, a very rare few actually get out and walk around, so they don’t really compete for space or resources in the same way humans would.
Their technology works largely through the mind, so they can literally observe the world through your senses while a million miles away. There isn’t a thought or experience you can have in your own mind that they cannot perceive in greater quality and detail through your own senses.
While altruistic, they are wary of humans. Humans are unpredictable, unreliable, and frankly a danger to themselves and others. There is little incentive to “meeting and greeting” modern Man. Humans are not the most endearing part of Earth.
Oh, btw, there is a secret war among humans. Those who have the power of thought control are running a secret governance of power against the rest, so it isn’t like you’re really aware of or speak on behalf of your own humanity.