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Are we ready for the discovery of alien life?


Still Waters

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When ‘Oumuamua, a mysterious interstellar object, swept through our solar system last October, it elicited breathless news stories all asking the obvious question—is it a spaceship? There were no signs it was—although many people seemed to hope otherwise.

Throughout history most strange new cosmic phenomena have made us wonder: Could this be it, the moment we first face alien life? The expectation isn’t necessarily outlandish—many scientists can and do make elaborate, evidence-based arguments that we will eventually discover life beyond the bounds of our planet. To true believers, what may be more uncertain is whether or not such news would cause global panic—which depends on how our minds, so greatly influenced by our Earthly environment and society, would perceive the potential threat of something utterly outside our familiar context.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-humanity-ready-for-the-discovery-of-alien-life/

 

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I think people are kind of 'expecting' microbial life to be found at some point. That in itself would be a wondrous thing and I doubt it would be any kind of threat to mankind, hence lack of fear, panic and hysteria by the masses.

'Intelligent' life forms on the other hand. That's a totally different matter.

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After all, we are all life. What we really fear is extermination of life, total death, how can we not rejoice of finding more life? Than means something still survives the darkness. There was a time I had dreams of a complex mechanical world devoid of all life, these were truly horrifying. That feeling of "unlife" still haunts me from time to time. Sometimes I think that there's no such thing as "unlife" in this world, it's a construct of my mind, as life is born from the same atoms the still matter is created, and the same energy nurtures it. From this point of view, which is the most reasonable, life is only a chain of "dead" chemical reactions, and we are all chemical robots after all. But why do I feel, and feel it so strong, there is actually some clandestine force in this world which is opposite to life? Opposite to survival and prosperity? May be it's because I am still alive?

Edited by Chaldon
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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/16/earthlings-likely-to-welcome-alien-life-rather-than-panicking-study-shows

Thankfully latest research shows that humanity would welcome aliens, regardless of any negative representations of them in popular media and social networks.

And of course a handful would probably go back to sucking their thumbs and going for their teddy bear in the attic, that or attacking or trying to discredit anything talking about the alien shaking the US presidents hand.

We will have all out contact soon.

Then the ones that have been in denial will have no where left to hide.

:P

 

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28 minutes ago, goodgodno said:

 Peaceful alien races are more likely to observe us silently during this critical transtion period in human history. We're a very interesting science experiment right now!

I absolutey agree there. I'm not saying they're at hand, but that if they were, then they would. 

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I'm sure our reaction will run from wonder to terror, depending on what you mean by alien life. If we are talking microbes, I don't think it will be any big deal as far as humanity accepting their existence. If it's a signal from space, that would depend on it being verified, translated and so forth, we have received signals before and most have been explained if memory serves. As for the other signals, I'm not sure if anything of intelligence had been determined. Now if a genuine "flying saucer" lands in Washington, D.C., a-la The Day the Earth Stood Still, I would imagine it might set of a wave of panic, military reactions and so forth. Hopefully we would recognize the superior technology and not do anything rash. But I can see where panic might ensue. This of course assumes a visit from a physical spaceship and not something from another dimension, which I think would be truly terrifying in terms of how we see our own reality.

 

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36 minutes ago, Sundew said:

I'm sure our reaction will run from wonder to terror, depending on what you mean by alien life. If we are talking microbes, I don't think it will be any big deal as far as humanity accepting their existence. If it's a signal from space, that would depend on it being verified, translated and so forth, we have received signals before and most have been explained if memory serves. As for the other signals, I'm not sure if anything of intelligence had been determined. Now if a genuine "flying saucer" lands in Washington, D.C., a-la The Day the Earth Stood Still, I would imagine it might set of a wave of panic, military reactions and so forth. Hopefully we would recognize the superior technology and not do anything rash. But I can see where panic might ensue. This of course assumes a visit from a physical spaceship and not something from another dimension, which I think would be truly terrifying in terms of how we see our own reality.

 

True, fear of the unknown, breeds stupidity, and when mixed with the military having an itchy trigger finger, dangerous.

From what l have witnessed, some would have a psychotic episode, and out of stark terror and total denial, would shoot first and ask questions later,

So first contact would need to be done by individuals who can handle it, or more to the point, would have put two and two together a long time ago, not try to put two and one together.

Even after the Wright Brothers flew, some still wouldn't accept it, and no doubt came up with flawed reasoning, and personal attacking the editor, so the front page article would be removed. But they can do whatever they like, the evidence speaks for itself, and they are only deluding themselves, and keeping others who are more open at a distance.

At the very least others would not attempt to convince them, as convincing is impossible.

 

Definitely not the ones you want at first contact.

B)

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If the received message is "How many calories in your average 'being" I will be concerned. Microbes only if they are dangerous...

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4 hours ago, tmcom said:

 

Then the ones that have been in denial will have no where left to hide.

:P

 

 

denial of what exactly?

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Skepticism at first.

upon first contact... if they are benevolent aliens with seriously advanced technology, then we would eventually prostrate ourselves to them and call them our gods.

if they are malevolent well, it would not matter how we react, we would probably be dead and used as food and or fertilizer in no time.

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It's funny how the title cuts off and it reads are we ready for the disco...

 

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I think we are ready for meeting intelligent life and I doubt it would cause mass panic The mass panic thing is more an excuse of the fringe to excuse why the millions of Orion Greys and Plaiadan Nordics and Lunar Reptilians and whatnot don't come into the foreground. 

Sure the preppers would run for the hills (no loss there), some rednecks would sit on their porches with shotguns and the Vatican would debate how soon they can send missionaries to baptize the aliens. But overall I think people would be excited rather than fall into panic.
For some reason I can see China being relatively helpful and sensible during a first contact scenario, if only for gaining the prestige of being the first to establish formal relations with extraterrestrials.

And as for microbial life or simple sea life on Europa? People would feed that up, they'd love it, I reckon.

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They'll always be the crackpots and nut jobs out there, who would try to demonize the otherworlders as they're trying to do now.

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my belief is that even if they (some alien species) landed on the white house lawn with a full fanfare and TV cameras going there would still be people who said that was not real. they would not believe if a grey (or other type, shape, size or color) alien walked up to them and shook their hand. there are those who would panic and those like me who would shrug and  do whatever they were doing before hand, with a wait and see attitude.  while I also believe that being as we have nothing to offer an alien It does not mean that SOMEDAY (past, present or future.) they will not show up.

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2 hours ago, ChaosRose said:

It's funny how the title cuts off and it reads are we ready for the disco...

 

I've never been fond of disco.

 

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1 hour ago, seanjo said:

Can we dispense with the other Solar system life contact thing, please? The chances another intelligent species knows we exist is minuscule beyond reckoning, the chances a spacefaring intelligent species that can travel faster than light and knows we are here is beyond minuscule, we are effectively alone.

Why is it minuscule? No one knows what's out there. Like I've said before:

faster than light travel to a highly advanced race could be like the horse & cart is to us now= mega old tech.

A highly advanced alien race could have technology thousands maybe millions of years more advanced than we have today.

so IMO dispensing with the other Solar system life contact thing would be illogical in this discussion.......

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9 hours ago, tmcom said:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/16/earthlings-likely-to-welcome-alien-life-rather-than-panicking-study-shows

Thankfully latest research shows that humanity would welcome aliens, regardless of any negative representations of them in popular media and social networks.

And of course a handful would probably go back to sucking their thumbs and going for their teddy bear in the attic, that or attacking or trying to discredit anything talking about the alien shaking the US presidents hand.

We will have all out contact soon.

Then the ones that have been in denial will have no where left to hide.

:P

 

I wonder where those who've claimed abduction/ contact with aliens would hide if an advanced race of beings does make contact & they tell the world they're the first here!?

I wonder where the likes of Charles Hall, Whitley Strieber, Travis Walton to name but a few would hide? Could they be charged with fraud?

Abductee: 'well I was definitely taken by/ had contact with something- must be from another dimension'

Alien: 'other dimensions do not exist'

Abductee: 'your problem is you're closed minded & in denial'

Alien: 'oh ok then'
 

Edited by Dejarma
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3 hours ago, seanjo said:

Can we dispense with the other Solar system life contact thing, please? The chances another intelligent species knows we exist is minuscule beyond reckoning, the chances a spacefaring intelligent species that can travel faster than light and knows we are here is beyond minuscule, we are effectively alone.

Our telescopes are becoming more and more powerful. It would stand to reason that an advanced alien race could spot us through a telescope rather than visitation. They could possibly know we are here from hundreds of light years away.

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8 hours ago, Nzo said:

Skepticism at first.

upon first contact... if they are benevolent aliens with seriously advanced technology, then we would eventually prostrate ourselves to them and call them our gods.

if they are malevolent well, it would not matter how we react, we would probably be dead and used as food and or fertilizer in no time.

Call them gods, an alien with very advanced tech, isn't a god, godlike perhaps.

7 hours ago, Orphalesion said:

I think we are ready for meeting intelligent life and I doubt it would cause mass panic The mass panic thing is more an excuse of the fringe to excuse why the millions of Orion Greys and Plaiadan Nordics and Lunar Reptilians and whatnot don't come into the foreground. 

Sure the preppers would run for the hills (no loss there), some rednecks would sit on their porches with shotguns and the Vatican would debate how soon they can send missionaries to baptize the aliens. But overall I think people would be excited rather than fall into panic.
For some reason I can see China being relatively helpful and sensible during a first contact scenario, if only for gaining the prestige of being the first to establish formal relations with extraterrestrials.

And as for microbial life or simple sea life on Europa? People would feed that up, they'd love it, I reckon.

Back in the 50's there would be panic, but now, not so much. A lot of people can see what Mars is made of, and what other gov,  bodies are full of.

Sure if a Gray shook my hand l would be glued to the floor and have a mild panic attack, but would shrug that off, and enjoy the conversation.

7 hours ago, Erno86 said:

They'll always be the crackpots and nut jobs out there, who would try to demonize the otherworlders as they're trying to do now.

Yep, the US, has that cornered, if you cannot call people insane for seeing a UFO, then use fear. From what l have seen the so called leaks of nasty aliens seeing us as insects or killing us off for kicks, is BS to keep the sheep in line. But study enough Mars images then the reverse is shown.

4 hours ago, seanjo said:

Can we dispense with the other Solar system life contact thing, please? The chances another intelligent species knows we exist is minuscule beyond reckoning, the chances a spacefaring intelligent species that can travel faster than light and knows we are here is beyond minuscule, we are effectively alone.

Minuscule, lol, nope, if we could build a telescope the size of our solar system, then tied them all into a quantum level mainframe, then we could see Earth sized planets as Voyager did, when it reached the furthest reaches of our solar system.

Or in other words, see which planets in a good part of our galaxy, are inhabited. And by measuring the atmosphere see which ones are industrial.

 

The aliens have mapped out our galaxy by now, and know exactly which ones have life.

So aliens are in our backyard, and if we go into higher dimensions, then billions are in our backyard.

:P

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I never bought the concept that finding alien life would somehow cause mass hysteria, chaos and social breakdown. I think most people would just shrug their shoulders and carry on as usual, a few would be really excited and a very small group of fanatics would find alien life goes against their beliefs and cannot the tolerated. But on average it would be just like any other scientific discovery, moderately positive but generally irrelevant for every day life.

 

Of course if we talk about a huge mothership arriving over the white house lawn the reactions could be much more extreme and probably not very positive. But hollywood prepared us for that and we all know we just need a good pilot that looks like will Smith and a cable guy that looks like Jeff Goldbloom. 

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2 hours ago, seanjo said:

it stands to reason that there are no industrialised races within at least 100 light years

'your' reasoning..... i've no idea what's out there, & neither do you my friend- you seem to forget this when replying;)

or maybe you do know?

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3 hours ago, seanjo said:

What you are talking is pure Science fiction, do you understand the immense distances involved...it stands to reason that there are no industrialised races within at least 100 light years because we would have picked up their radio outpourings by now, do you understand how far 100 light years actually is?

That's why I said advanced alien race.. A few decades ago we had earthbound telescopes. Then along came Hubble to show us the depths of the universe. One picture showed us an estimated 10,000 galaxies in one single picture as it peered deep into the universe. (The Hubble deep field photo) Now the James Webb telescope when operational will be 7 times more powerful than Hubble. So someday even for us, it could be a possibility. Radio waves might not always be constant, and if missed are gone. Sight is always there.

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19 hours ago, mysticwerewolf said:

I've never been fond of disco.

 

That's kind of the point. It was so hokey that now it's infamous for being hokey. 

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1 hour ago, seanjo said:

I have no doubt there is other intelligence somewhere, BUT as I keep trying to get across, the chances they are near us are minuscule along with the chances they even know we exist, the Universe is massive the distances are massive, there could be 10000 intelligent species in our galaxy alone, but they may never communicate or meet, they may never know the others exist because of the size of the galaxy and the distances involved.

You say you work with facts - so what facts are you using to come to the conclusion it's 'impossible' for alien life to know of our existence & pay us a visit? 

If you do not think it's 'impossible' then what you've been: 'trying to get across' to us idiots= has now become a redundant argument...

All due respect but I feel you should pay attention to your own statement in blue;)

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