From: mk_thisisit
The discussion of alien existence and visitation often centers on scientific evidence, particularly concerning alien technology and UFO observations [00:00:40]. While the speaker personally believes in the existence of intelligent life forms in the universe [00:00:20], hard scientific proof remains elusive [00:06:56].
UFO Observations and the Search for Proof
Approximately 95% of UFO observations are considered suitable for rejection [00:00:51]. However, about 5% are described as “hair-raising” and involve observations made by multiple witnesses using different technologies [00:01:02]. Despite these intriguing accounts, the “gold standard” in the search for intelligent life does not consist merely of observing flying saucers [00:01:14].
The Lack of Tangible Evidence
There are numerous observations, but a significant lack of tangible evidence [00:01:27]. As of now, no one has managed to find alien technology or capture an alien [00:01:31]. Even accounts from individuals claiming abduction by aliens lack physical proof; the speaker challenges such individuals to “steal something” as tangible evidence of a visit to a flying saucer, but notes no such proof exists [00:01:48]. The gold standard—repeatable, multiple evidence using various methods that confirms contact with a technologically advanced civilization—has not been achieved [00:02:24].
Government Statements and Scientific Skepticism
Recent discussions, including statements from former military personnel before the US parliament, claimed government evidence of unidentified objects [00:05:31]. One individual with access to secret files even suggested contacts and accidents involving flying objects, with bodies being examined [00:06:12]. However, when pressed by Congress for hard evidence of alien technology or bodies, he testified that he personally had not seen them, only spoken to people who claimed to possess them [00:06:35]. This highlights the ongoing scientific skepticism about UFO sightings and the demand for verifiable evidence [00:06:56].
Theoretical Concepts of Advanced Civilization Travel
While tangible evidence of alien technology is missing, theoretical physics explores concepts that could enable interstellar travel for advanced civilizations.
Faster-Than-Light Travel: Warp Drives and Wormholes
Hypersonic ships observed traveling faster than light are currently not believed to be possible with our understanding [00:02:40]. However, “warp drive” may be possible, distinguishing two types:
- Alcubierre Drive: This method involves squeezing space-time to create a shortcut, allowing movement faster than light without violating Einstein’s theory of relativity [00:03:04]. Miguel Alcubierre discovered a solution to Einstein’s equations that permits this [00:03:39].
- Wormhole: This involves cutting a hole in space-time to create a direct shortcut between two points [00:03:21].
The primary obstacle to building these drives is the immense energy required, specifically Planck energy [00:04:17]. Human accelerators can only reach trillions of electron volts, whereas Planck energy is 10^19 billion electron volts (one with 19 zeros) [00:04:27].
Planck Energy and Space-Time Manipulation
Planck energy is described as the largest energy in the universe, where the universe itself loses stability [00:13:02]. When space is heated to unimaginable temperatures exceeding Planck energy, it becomes unstable, leading to the formation of “space-time foam”—bubbles within space-time, most of which appear and disappear [00:13:16]. This concept, formulated by Stephen Hawking, suggests that worlds could begin to form after exceeding Planck energy, potentially even being the environment of a Type 3 civilization using it as a gateway for space travel [00:13:42]. The Big Bang itself could have been a bubble that reached Planck energy and expanded [00:14:02].
Civilization Types and Their Capabilities
Physicists categorize civilizations based on their energy mastery, offering a framework for discussing extraterrestrial life and potential technological capabilities:
- Type 0 Civilization: Humanity is currently a Type 0 civilization, with no defined place on the scale [00:05:09]. Our technological level is approximated at 0.7 [00:05:22].
- Type 1 Civilization: This civilization has mastered all the energy of its home planet [00:11:14]. It controls everything on the planet, including utilizing all light from its sun, controlling earthquakes and volcanoes [00:11:20]. A Type 1 civilization can traverse its solar system [00:05:25] and might colonize several planets in its region, but flying saucers are unlikely to come from them due to the limitations of approaching light speed [00:12:30].
- Type 2 Civilization: This civilization uses the power of both its planet and its sun, harnessing all the sun’s energy to power its machines [00:11:31]. The Federation of Planets in Star Trek is an example of a Type 2 civilization [00:11:52]. While understanding stars, Type 2 civilizations still struggle to approach the speed of light needed for universal travel [00:12:44].
- Type 3 Civilization: This is a galactic civilization [00:11:59]. Such a civilization travels along galactic routes, can manipulate black holes (like in Star Wars) [00:12:02], and may have access to Planck energy [00:04:47]. Calculations suggest they could have the energy to bend space-time and potentially even build a time machine [00:04:52]. A Type 3 civilization would be approximately 100,000 years more advanced than Earth, developing exponentially to reach Planck energy within that timeframe [00:08:33].
Why Advanced Civilizations Might Not Visit or Interact
If aliens exist, the question arises as to why they might not visit us [00:08:50]. It is suggested that a Type 1 or even Type 2 civilization would have difficulty reaching Earth; only a Type 3 civilization would likely be capable of such a feat [00:08:20].
The “Deer Analogy”
The speaker posits that if we met intelligent beings from outer space, they might consider humanity boring [00:09:37]. Drawing an analogy to humans trying to talk to a deer, the deer might initially seem interested but then get bored because the conversation is one-sided and offers nothing [00:09:14]. Similarly, humanity may have nothing of value to offer an advanced civilization; gold and silver would likely be useless to them [00:09:57]. Such beings might study us out of curiosity, analyze us, and then eventually get bored due to a lack of “profit” or meaningful interaction [00:10:14]. Just as humans don’t spend vast amounts of time interacting with animals to learn their secrets, advanced aliens might not heavily invest in studying humanity [00:10:32]. This perspective aligns with cultural and psychological factors in belief in aliens, as it attempts to explain the Great Filter or Fermi Paradox.
In summary, while the theoretical possibility of advanced alien technology and even time travel exists for highly advanced civilizations, the current exploration and research of extraterrestrial life and UFOs yields no hard, tangible, or repeatable scientific evidence of alien visitation or technology on Earth [00:07:04].