A Beginner's Guide To Extraterrestrials
May 23, 2024 1:00 AM ‐ Paranormal • UFOs
Photo: © Francesco Ungaro
Aliens, or extraterrestrials, are any form of life originating from planets or space beyond Earth. The idea of aliens has fascinated people for centuries, appearing in everything from ancient mythology to modern-day movies and television shows.
The term "alien" can cover anything from simple bacteria to highly advanced civilisations capable of space travel. The term is more commonly used in paranormal and ufology circles to mean intelligent beings that have visited or are capable of visiting Earth. These beings are often depicted in various forms, from the classic "little green men" to more humanoid figures.
Aliens have had a huge impact on popular culture, featuring prominently in movies, TV shows, books, and even music. Films like 'E.T.', 'The X-Files', and 'Independence Day' have kept the idea of alien life in the public consciousness.
From a more philosophical perspective, the question of whether we are alone in the universe has fascinated humanity for centuries. Given that the universe is incredibly vast, many scientists argue that it is statistically likely that alien life exists somewhere out there. There are an estimated 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars. Around many of these stars, planets orbit in what astronomers call the "habitable zone," where conditions might be right for life to develop. This sheer number of potentially habitable planets suggests that it is statistically improbable for Earth to be the only place where life has emerged.
Led by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), the search for alien life is an active area of scientific research. SETI has been listening for signals from intelligent civilisations for decades, although they have yet to detect any definitive signals. In more recent years, there's been a focus on seeking out microorganism within our own solar system, such as on the surface of Mars.
The Drake Equation
One of the best-known methods for establishing the likelihood of extraterrestrial life is the Drake Equation, formulated by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961. The equation estimates the number of extraterrestrial civilisations that are capable of communication in the Milky Way galaxy. It takes into account factors like the average rate of star formation, the fraction of stars with planetary systems, the number of planets that could potentially support life, and the likelihood of life developing intelligence.
While many of the variables in the Drake Equation are still uncertain, advancements in astronomy have allowed scientists to refine their estimates. The discovery of planets orbiting other stars outside of our solar system by missions like NASA's Kepler and TESS has provided valuable data. These missions have identified thousands of exoplanets, some of which are in the habitable zone of their stars, bolstering the argument that habitable planets are common.
For many people around the world, the search for alien life is redundant. The belief in alien visitations is a persistent part of human culture, fuelled by reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and encounters with extraterrestrial beings. These reports range from simple lights in the sky to detailed accounts of abductions, where individuals claim aliens have taken them aboard spacecraft to undergo experiments or receive messages.
Believers in alien visitations argue that the sheer number of sightings and encounters prove that there is more to these phenomena than mere imagination or hoaxes. They point to incidents like the Roswell crash in 1947 and the Phoenix Lights in 1997 as key events that have yet to be fully explained.
A big part of this belief is the theory that world governments are aware of these visitations and are actively covering them up, particularly the United States government. Some ufologists and conspiracy theorists believe that governments possess evidence of alien life, such as crashed spacecraft, alien bodies, or secret communications.
Why governments might want to cover up alien visitations isn't always clear. Believers claim that it might be to prevent any possible panic and distress caused by the knowledge of aliens visiting Earth. The existence of extraterrestrial life could have profound implications for religion and our understanding of humanity's place in the universe. Others think that the government keeps it under wraps in order to secretly study and reverse-engineer alien technology for military use.
Despite widespread belief in aliens and countless reports of sightings and encounters, the scientific consensus is that extraterrestrials have never visited Earth. However, since there are billions of stars and even more planets, many of which could potentially support life, the idea that intelligent alien life might exist somewhere in the universe is widely accepted among scientists.
So, if aliens are out there, why haven't we seen any definitive proof of their existence? This conundrum is known as the Fermi Paradox, named after physicist Enrico Fermi. Given the high probability of extraterrestrial life, it seems odd that we have not seen any evidence of alien life. There are several potential explanations for this paradox.
One explanation is that the massive distances between stars make interstellar travel extremely difficult, even for advanced civilisations. Our nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is over four light years away, meaning it would take thousands of years to reach with current technology. If aliens face similar technological limitations, it's likely they simply can't get here.
Another possibility is that advanced civilisations may be avoiding us. They might be observing us from a distance or even deliberately concealing their presence. Alternatively, it's possible that advanced civilisations self-destruct through wars, environmental collapse, or technological mishaps before they can master interstellar travel.
At the other extreme of the belief spectrum are those who not only believe aliens have visited Earth, but that they've been visiting humanity for thousands of years. Known as the "ancient aliens theory," it's a controversial idea, but the belief is that intelligent extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in the distant past, influencing ancient civilisations and leaving their mark on human history.
Many ancient monuments and structures are said to be possible evidence of extraterrestrial influence, such as the Great Pyramids, the Nazca Lines in Peru, and the statues on Easter Island. Some believe that the precise astronomical alignments of certain ancient structures are proof that ancient civilisations possessed advanced technological knowledge that was shared with them by aliens. There's also various ancient texts and artworks depicting beings and objects that some interpret as extraterrestrial, like the ancient Sumerian carvings that appear to show figures wearing what look like modern-day space suits.
Recently, there has been a noticeable surge in interest regarding alien visitation and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), the modern term for UFOs. This interest spans mainstream culture, science, and even government discussions. In June 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense released a report detailing investigations into UAPs observed by military personnel. Although the report did not confirm the existence of extraterrestrials, it acknowledged that some incidents could not be easily explained.
For some, whether or not aliens have ever visited Earth remains an open question, while others wonder if they ever will. As the famous sci-fi adage tells us: "The truth is out there."
The Road To Transparency?
Roswell Incident
The Roswell incident is perhaps the most famous example cited by cover-up theorists. In July 1947, something crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. The US military initially reported recovering a "flying disc," but later stated it was a weather balloon. Conspiracy theorists believe that this was a deliberate cover-up of an extraterrestrial spacecraft and its occupants. They claim that the government confiscated the wreckage and alien bodies.
Area 51
Area 51, a highly secretive military base in Nevada, is often at the centre of government cover-up theories. It is believed to be a site where the US government conducts top-secret research on alien technology and houses evidence of extraterrestrial life. The base's secretive nature and its association with advanced aerospace technology have fuelled speculation and conspiracy theories for decades.
Project Blue Book
The US government has conducted several investigations into UFOs, the most notable being Project Blue Book, which ran from 1952 to 1969. While the project concluded that most UFO sightings could be explained by natural phenomena or human activities, a small percentage of cases remained unexplained.
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force
In 2020, the US Department of Defense established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to investigate reports of UAPs. In June 2021, a report was released acknowledging that some UAPs could not be easily explained, though it stopped short of confirming any extraterrestrial involvement.
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