posted on Feb, 16 2011 @ 10:51 AM
Here's my thoughts on the subject:
Life elsewhere in the universe, or even the same galaxy? Yes, very much so. Given the number of stars out there, and given the evidence for planets,
there is going to be a lot of critters out there. Chemistry is chemistry, and physics are physics, so when the conditions are right for long enough -
things are going to be popping up and swimming or crawling about. (The majority of that is still stuff you could put in a petri-dish and look at under
microscope slides.)
Evolution still happens given enough time. Which leads to the next question.
Intelligent life? Much more rare if we look at the history of our own planet. If you'd count us as being intelligent, I'd also say that there are
about a dozen other species that would take our place at the top if we weren't around. (Elephants, great apes, cetaceans, parrots, octopus, and a few
others. These animals do think, and have some complex social order and communication that we're not giving enough credit for.) Considering all the
millions of species on this one planet, that makes higher intelligence that we know about a rare thing.
Intelligent life with technology? That seems like hitting the lotto jackpot. Not impossible, but dang it's going to be hard. We, as a modern human
species, have been around for something like 40,000 years. Writing and its civilizing factors is only about 5000 years old... And our ability to use
electricity is about 150 years old... And then having stuff like electronics is 70 years. And it's not just that we're clever and able to manipulate
our environment, but that enough of the resources to do so were available on the surface. If we had a different mindset, physiology, or the geology of
this planet were different enough that the copper or iron age never happened... Where would we be now? Not discussing this topic on the internet,
that's for sure. (Intelligence on its own doesn't account for enough.)
Not ruling it out as impossible, but the odds have made anyone able to get here from another planet a very select few. We're barely scratching the
surface of elsewhere in our own solar system as it is.
Now if they're coming here, it seems that all the evidence points to a scenario where they really don't want us to know that they're coming here.
Because if they did, they really would be showing up everywhere and anywhere they wanted. What could we do about it? Anyhow, the reason for staying
quiet if they're here is obvious. Not because they're nefarious, but rather because there's nothing to learn through interference. If you were to
go to a wildlife preserve and all (and I mean all) the animals ran up going "feed me! feed me!" what would you as a casual observer be able to learn
about their behavior and role in the environment? Not all that much. Also the abduction phenomena has way too many parallels to tag and release that
our own biologists and nature conservationists do that it's uncanny. So if aliens are occasionally poking and prodding humans, it's not because
they're evil - but they're generally concerned and wanting to know about our health as a species.
So... The zoo hypothesis in my book seems like the strongest case for the Fermi Paradox.
When will there be contact and full disclosure? It will be when we figure out enough to reach another star system ourselves. Obviously, its at that
point when we're no longer safely kept in a "wilderness preserve" but able to get into the aliens backyards and reach out and touch someone. For
that very reason, we'll be worth having a chat with.
So if you want to know a lot more about aliens? Work on figuring out an improved economic model that presents more equity in having chances for
success, quit being so greedy (and having more than two kids counts as greedy too) and consider long term sustainability (treat resources as limited
even if they don't seem that way), look for alternative and better energy resources, and finally if we can get this gravity thing licked... We'll be
heading out into the neighborhood and getting to know our neighbors.
So why am I skeptical? Because too many people want to make a buck or have an agenda to push. If aliens are here and wanted us to know, they're
really let us know. Why do I follow the UFO topic then? I'll watch to watch, maybe I'll get a lucky chance to see real aliens slip up. (By the very
nature of non-contact and the Fermi Paradox, they're very secretive.) Yet more than likely it's some other human pulling yet another stunt. In
either case, it's going to be entertaining.