From: mk_thisisit
The idea of being visited by intelligent life forms from other parts of the universe is considered a possible logical scenario, not a crazy one [00:00:05]. However, its likelihood is deemed so remote that it is not taken seriously by some physicists [01:23:09].
Likelihood of Extraterrestrial Life and Visitation
It is believed that intelligent life forms exist in the universe and that humanity is not alone [00:10:09]. The development of life on Earth took billions of years, with the final emergence of intelligent life taking another billion years [01:35:00]. Therefore, any other planets with living systems would likely be either billions of years behind or ahead of Earth in their development [01:57:00]. A coincidence where an extraterrestrial civilization is at the same stage of evolution as humanity would be extremely unlikely [02:02:00].
If these civilizations are billions of years behind, they would not possess the technology for interstellar travel [02:10:00]. If they are billions of years ahead, they might not be interested in visiting Earth, viewing humanity as “tiny ants” [00:27:00]. The notion that advanced civilizations would “drift trying to avoid detection” is considered anthropomorphic and ridiculous [00:44:00]. If such an advanced civilization wished to remain hidden, humanity’s primitive detection equipment would be insufficient to find them [02:56:00].
Scientific Skepticism About UFO Sightings and Evidence
A theoretical physicist suggests looking for solid, verifiable evidence to separate facts from optimistic speculation [03:27:00]. Approximately 95% of UFO observations are suitable for rejection, but about 5% are considered “hair-raising” due to observations made by multiple witnesses using different technologies [03:44:00].
However, the “gold standard” for proving intelligent life in the universe requires more than observing “flying saucers” [04:01:00]. There is a vast number of observations without tangible evidence [04:16:00]. No one has yet found alien technology or captured an alien [04:19:00]. Individuals who claim abduction are encouraged to bring back tangible evidence, such as a piece of a spaceship or a tool [04:48:00].
Claims of Crashed Vehicles
In June 2023, military intelligence officer David Grusch claimed that the Pentagon has a secret program to recover crashed vehicles of non-human origin [05:11:00]. He further stated that there were contacts with “flying saucers,” and that accidents occurred and bodies were examined [05:27:00]. However, when questioned by Congress about hard evidence of alien technology or bodies, Grusch testified he had none, only having spoken to people who claimed to have seen them [05:45:00]. This lack of hard, repeatable evidence from multiple observations using different methods means the “gold standard” has not been met for confirming contact with a technologically advanced civilization [09:44:00].
Cultural and Psychological Factors in Belief in Aliens
Many people desire reality to possess a deeper dimension beyond superficial experience [07:17:00]. This longing stems from a desire to have a greater influence on the universe, feel a deeper connection, and for their lives to have more meaning [07:24:00]. This can push people to take unusual phenomena seriously, as these beliefs reinforce the idea of being chosen or having access to a profound truth [07:43:00].
It is suggested that if people understood science better, they would find that quantum mechanics itself is “magical enough” [08:00:00]. The strangeness and extraordinariness of quantum mechanics, supported by experimental evidence, are considered more intriguing and satisfying than ideas like channeling or alien visits [08:10:00]. The true wonders of science could enchant people more than fanciful imaginations [09:07:00].
Mechanisms of Interstellar Travel
Currently, faster-than-light ships are not believed to be possible [10:00:00]. However, two types of warp drives are conceptually distinguished:
- Alcubierre Drive: This involves bending spacetime to create a shortcut, consistent with Einstein’s theory [11:10:00]. Physicist Miguel Alcubierre discovered a solution to equations that would allow faster-than-light movement by bending spacetime [10:55:00].
- Wormhole: This involves cutting a “hole” in spacetime to create a shortcut between two points [10:38:00].
The primary obstacle to building such drives is the immense energy requirement, specifically Planck energy [11:30:00]. Planck energy is about 10^19 billion electron volts, far beyond the maximum of trillions of electron volts reached by current particle accelerators [11:43:00]. This level of energy is characteristic of Type III civilizations, which hypothetically could bend spacetime and potentially build a time machine [11:59:00]. Humanity is currently considered a Type Zero civilization [12:23:00].
Conclusion
While keeping an open mind about the existence of aliens is encouraged, hard evidence is necessary [06:06:00]. Claims of advanced civilizations conquering galaxies require verifiable proof that is currently lacking [06:16:00].