Aliens: Do They Exist And Have They Come To Earth?

[The Felonius Pope]

Aliens, no doubt, are a source of controversy. With thousands of ufo sightings each year from the United States alone one

has to wonder whether or not to take claims of such things seriously. Simply pondering the size of own solar system and

then realizing we are only one of so many billions leads me to conclude that there is indeed life elsewhere in the universe.

I would be surprised if aliens didn't exist somewhere out there. I am, however, extremely skeptical when someone comes

forward and claims to have seen an alien ship or other things of that sort. How do you guys feel about the possibility of

extraterrestrial life? Should any claims of aliens visiting Earth be taken seriously?

 

[bluejatheist]

I'd say, as opinion that I can't provide citations for at the moment, that extraterrestrial life seems statisticly likely. We can see how aspects of our solar system repeat throughout the universe; sol-like stars for instance, under similar conditions. It seems logical that the situation that allowed life on earth to form could or would also occur elsewhere, but it's no certainty. Intelligent life, however, is a further stretch, especially life capable of travelling to earth from wherever it originated. No doubt people see UFOs, but much doubt as to whether they're alien. There's no evidence whatsoever that I know of supporting alien encounters, other than alleged footage and witness testimony.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

I agree with you completely that the lack of evidence supporting claims of extraterrestrial encounters is amazing. I also

find it rather unlikely that these alleged beings travel such vast distances to our pebble in the sky simply to probe us. This

may be surprising (it certainly was to me), but there was a recent alien controversy in the United States that attracted

relatively considerable media attention. A man from Denver, Colorado came forward with a grainy, black and white video

in which a creature that appears to be a stereotypical gray alien peers into his window. Really? These things supposedly

have the ability to travel faster than the speed of light and yet they are apparently still reliant on peeping-tom tactics to

observe us. Come on people.

 

[Prolescum]

I'm a fan of science fiction, so I'd very much like there to be intelligent, space-faring races whizzing about the galaxy and beyond. The likelihood of life outside our system is pretty high, but whether it has reached a comparable level of sentience and technology to us, or surpassed it, is entirely speculative.

It'd be pretty sweet to meet one, though.

 

[Laurens]

I don't believe that alien lifeforms have visited Earth. In order to meet it's burden of proof there would need to be some pretty substantial evidence in favour of it.

Most of the 'evidence' put forth to date is less than impressive, and certainly not enough to prove that aliens had visited Earth.

 

[bluejatheist]

Slightly meandering on topic; I have wondered, though, if humanity did contact actual intelligent alien life, how would we communicate? I personally think mathematics would be the key at first.

 

[Anachronous Rex]

If you're interested there is a very long discussion of this subject here

 

[nudger1964]

a galaxy can hold 200 billion stars, there may be some 500 billion galaxy in the known universe. some estimte that 50% of stars may have planetary systems, many of which will be multi planet systems...

so what are the chances?
seeing as we only have a sample of one place where we know life exists....i would say i have no idea.
to me it is just as likely that there is no life beyond earth as it is a universe teeming with life

 

[scalyblue]

Any starship engine powerful enough to be interesting is, in and of itself, a weapon of mass destruction.

Unless ET had some way of subverting inertial space, we would see them coming for months, maybe years in advance..the accelerating ship would probably be the brightest infrared object in the sky.

 

[CommonEnlightenment]

Any starship engine powerful enough to be interesting is, in and of itself, a weapon of mass destruction..

True dat.......

 

[Leçi]

it's probabel there is life somewhere else in the universe. It's also probabel governments have kept alien visits to earth a secret for all this time but as long as there isn't any accepted evidence of that I don't think any aliens did visit.

 

[australopithecus]

If you're interested there is a very long discussion of this subject here

 

[nudger1964]

it's probabel there is life somewhere else in the universe..

i would love someone to convince me that it really is probable. i just cant for the life of me think why life elsewhere in the universe is any more likely than there being no life elsewhere in the universe.

 

[Prolescum]

it's probabel there is life somewhere else in the universe..

i would love someone to convince me that it really is probable. i just cant for the life of me think why life elsewhere in the universe is any more likely than there being no life elsewhere in the universe.

300 (give or take) billion stars in our galaxy, (an estimated) 500 billion galaxies, it's highly probable that there is life elsewhere. The requirements of life aren't that numerous, and we already know of organisms that live in extreme conditions. I'd say the odds are pretty good.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

I am going to step in here and remind everyone that since we only have definite knowledge of life in our own solar system
any thoughts on E.T.'s are simply conjecture. I will, at the risk of sounding unscientific, say that I think alien life does exist somewhere out there.

 

[Prolescum]

I am going to step in here and remind everyone that since we only have definite knowledge of life in our own solar system
any thoughts on E.T.'s are simply conjecture. I will, at the risk of sounding unscientific, say that I think alien life does exist somewhere out there.

No reminding required

I'm a fan of science fiction, so I'd very much like there to be intelligent, space-faring races whizzing about the galaxy and beyond. The likelihood of life outside our system is pretty high, but whether it has reached a comparable level of sentience and technology to us, or surpassed it, is entirely speculative.

It'd be pretty sweet to meet one, though.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

whether it has reached a comparable level of sentience and technology to us, or surpassed it, is entirely speculative.

We are certain, however, that such beings are fond of reecess peices.

 

[nudger1964]

[300 (give or take) billion stars in our galaxy, (an estimated) 500 billion galaxies, it's highly probable that there is life elsewhere. The requirements of life aren't that numerous, and we already know of organisms that live in extreme conditions. I'd say the odds are pretty good.

But you have just one example of a place where it exists!
the moment you find a second genesis of life, even on earth, then you can start assessing probabilities....but not with just one example surely.
im really not trying to be pedantic, i really would like to share your optimism...but the numbers of stars and galaxy just isnt enough...its only half an equation

 

[Leçi]

[300 (give or take) billion stars in our galaxy, (an estimated) 500 billion galaxies, it's highly probable that there is life elsewhere. The requirements of life aren't that numerous, and we already know of organisms that live in extreme conditions. I'd say the odds are pretty good.

But you have just one example of a place where it exists!
the moment you find a second genesis of life, even on earth, then you can start assessing probabilities....but not with just one example surely.
im really not trying to be pedantic, i really would like to share your optimism...but the numbers of stars and galaxy just isnt enough...its only half an equation

We are proof life on a planet is possible. If it's possible on this planet it's possible one another planet. It's more unlikely there is no life in the universe except us than that there is life.

It's still possible there is no life except us but I think the chances are greater there is life.

 

[Prolescum]

[300 (give or take) billion stars in our galaxy, (an estimated) 500 billion galaxies, it's highly probable that there is life elsewhere. The requirements of life aren't that numerous, and we already know of organisms that live in extreme conditions. I'd say the odds are pretty good.

But you have just one example of a place where it exists!

I'll try to be succinct for you. That there is life on Earth is evidence that life can exist elsewhere, given some basic requirements. On Earth, life has been found in practically every habitat imaginable, from land-based mammals to extremophiles living in deep sea hydrothermal vents. Your personal incredulity changes neither the above nor the probabilities.

the moment you find a second genesis of life, even on earth, then you can start assessing probabilities....but not with just one example surely.

The probabilities rely on the unimaginably vast number of candidates, not just the existence of life on Earth.