Aliens

The topic of extraterrestrial life has fascinated and intrigued people for centuries. The possibility of life beyond our planet continues to be a subject of scientific research, philosophical debate, and popular culture. From speculative theories about microbial life on Mars to the search for habitable exoplanets in distant solar systems, the exploration of extraterrestrial life captivates the imagination and pushes the boundaries of human knowledge.

The potential discovery of extraterrestrial life would have profound implications for our understanding of the universe and our place within it. It could provide insights into the origins of life, the conditions necessary for its existence, and the potential diversity of life forms. Furthermore, it may prompt us to reconsider our perspectives on the uniqueness of Earth and the likelihood of encountering intelligent civilizations.

While definitive evidence of extraterrestrial life remains elusive, ongoing scientific endeavors such as the search for biosignatures on other planets and moons, and the study of extremophiles on Earth, offer promising avenues for exploration. As technology advances and our understanding of astrobiology deepens, humanity stands on the cusp of unprecedented discoveries that could reshape our view of the cosmos.

Exobiology

Maybe we’re the first civilization to emerge in the history of the cosmos capable of radio astronomy. Maybe all technical civilizations culminate in their own self destruction.

It’s also quite possible that they’ve tried contacting us, and we were just too dumb, or less evolved to understand it. But we’ve also been trying to contact them: Exobiology covers the search for life beyond Earth.

And how can we be so sure that the aliens haven’t contacted or visited our planet before? According to the Drake equation and the Fermi paradox, we would have already been visited by them, right? Maybe they are here, in hiding, because of some ethic of non interference, or for their own safety.

If there were Aliens out there, do you think they would communicate with us human beings here on earth? Probably not:

They’re not close to us. If there are technological aliens, they’ll almost certainly be a long way from us, thousands or millions of light-years away.
There are most likely no other technological civilizations. The acquisition of technology can be (as we see in our own example) a cause of species extinction. If there was any intelligent species out there and it reached the technological stage… it is assumable that by now it will already be extinct.
Alien species that advanced wouldn’t bother contacting us. We are not a threat and don’t hold anything valuable. We’re just mites living on a tiny mote of dust.
We’re intelligent life? What makes us think that? We’re comparing ourselves to the species we’ve encounter on this planet. Life on Earth began approximately 3.5 billion years ago. What about species that have existed for 10 billion years and have evolved twice as much as we have? All our species has ever done is raise the temperature of that tiny mote of dust by a few degrees. That’s the net physical contribution of the human species to the universe.
We don’t have anything valuable either. Water, you say? Any species that is capable of interstellar travel would’ve perfected atomic fusion, enabling them to produce water from the hydrogen present in stars. Even if they haven’t perfected fusion, they would easily find water (as vapor or ice) on planets or comets nearby. No one would need any raw materials or water from our planet. We’re not a threat to them either. We’re insignificant.
We’re not even a dot on the solar scale, and much less on an interstellar one. The universe is fucking huge, and every depiction of the solar system you’ve seen is not accurate.

Alienating!

However, if they would communicate with us what would a first contact with aliens look like? The beliefs of so many people would be challenged! Many will loose the reason to live (for an after life) For others, racism will get a totally new meaning.

Alien first contact would probably happen in one of two scenarios:

In the first scenario, first contact will be a devastating military strike that all but obliterates us, followed by systematic looting of our resources.
In the second scenario, scientists will realize one day that a bunch of odd stuff they couldn’t really explain was related to aliens, and, having realized an alien connection, will then see aliens everywhere, going about their business, not paying too much attention to us. Attempts at contact will be marginally successful at best, as the aliens just aren’t very interested in us.

And what kind of aliens would come? According to the List Of Alleged Extraterrestrial Beings, three species of aliens, we all have learned of in one way or another, were the Martians, the Greys and the Plejaren (previously known as Pleiadeans from the Pleiades).

Where are all the aliens? | Stephen Webb

UFOs & Aliens

UFOs

Unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, is in its strictest definition any apparent object in the sky that is not identifiable as a known object or phenomenon. However the term is widely used in popular culture to refer more specifically to supposed observations of craft of extraterrestrial origin.

UFO sightings have been reported throughout history and in various parts of the world, raising questions about life on other planets and whether extraterrestrials have visited Earth.

UFOs and Aliens – What Science Says | Donald Prothero

Since the 1940s and 50s, reports of “flying saucers” have become a cultural phenomena.

Sightings of strange objects in the sky inspired Hollywood to present visions of potential threats. Posters for films, like Earth vs. the Flying Saucers from 1956 illustrate these fears.

Connected to ongoing ideas about life on the Moon, the canals on Mars, and ideas about Martian Civilizations, flying saucers have come to represent the hopes and fears of the modern world.