The UFO thread

Stuff we should click on.  Be sure to state Not Work Safe, if applicable.  KTHX.
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Let's keep this as a catch all for UFO stories.

Chile rules on two UFO pictures.

The study concludes that "It is an object or phenomenon of great interest, and it can be qualified as a UFO."


In other words, "We don't know what it is, so yeah, UFO."

Did Rover see a UFO?

"This is a hot pixel that has been around since we started using the Right Navcam," Maki told The Huffington Post in an email.


I don't know shit about hot pixels, and I'm sure he's not bullshitting, but can one of you photo experts explain why the hot pixel appears in the left cam, and also in a different spot?

You'd think he'd go out of his way to explain that.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
TPRJones
Posts: 13418
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 2:05 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Post by TPRJones »

"We don't know what it is, so yeah, UFO."

Well, that's technically correct. UFO doesn't mean alien, it means anything that is 1) an object, 2) flying, and 3) unidentified.
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

It is technically correct, and honestly, I applaud them for being so candid about it.

The U.S. is pretty candid about such objects as well...just not publicly.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Vince
Posts: 8619
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 10:00 pm
Location: In bed with your mom

Post by Vince »

I think our scientists do a big disservice to science by being so concerned with ruling out "little green men" that they throw out crap theories and do no real investigating.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think these things are little green men, but it's okay to say, "I'm not sure what this is" and do some actual scientific study.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

Members of Congress are not apt to fund things they cannot profit from personally.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

I think the time has arrived where we need to stop being so arrogant and stupid to think that of the millions or billions of other Earth-like worlds that we know exist, no other intelligent life exists.

Especially since we've already proven that life doesn't need Earth to exist.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

Theory:

The universe is the result of a drunken bet between two ultra-powerful beings to see if two intelligent lifeforms from different planets could make contact before space expands too much to make such a thing possible.

"I got a hundred bucks that says yes."

"You're on, asshole."

Further theory:

We will see a kill screen when first contact happens.




Edited By Malcolm on 1404829272
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Vince
Posts: 8619
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 10:00 pm
Location: In bed with your mom

Post by Vince »

Leisher wrote:I think the time has arrived where we need to stop being so arrogant and stupid to think that of the millions or billions of other Earth-like worlds that we know exist, no other intelligent life exists.

Especially since we've already proven that life doesn't need Earth to exist.
We have to also be careful that we don't start making Frank Drake generalizations about how many earth like planets that can support life are out there, though.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Vince wrote:
Leisher wrote:I think the time has arrived where we need to stop being so arrogant and stupid to think that of the millions or billions of other Earth-like worlds that we know exist, no other intelligent life exists.

Especially since we've already proven that life doesn't need Earth to exist.

We have to also be careful that we don't start making Frank Drake generalizations about how many earth like planets that can support life are out there, though.

Yeah because actually discovering proof that life has existed off this planet is negated by potentially inflated numbers.

Oh, and let's not forget that everything we "knew" about what life needs to exist has changed in the past 5 years. That means, you might not even need an Earth-like planet to sustain life.




Edited By Leisher on 1404823394
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Vince
Posts: 8619
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 10:00 pm
Location: In bed with your mom

Post by Vince »

Leisher wrote:Oh, and let's not forget that everything we "knew" about what life needs to exist has changed in the past 5 years. That means, you might not even need an Earth-like planet to sustain life.
But we aren't talking about life. We're talking about intelligent life and civilizations. And the requirements for those haven't changed much. To my point, in order to achieve civilization as near as we can tell a required component is the ability to make and control fire.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

Vince wrote:
Leisher wrote:Oh, and let's not forget that everything we "knew" about what life needs to exist has changed in the past 5 years. That means, you might not even need an Earth-like planet to sustain life.

But we aren't talking about life. We're talking about intelligent life and civilizations. And the requirements for those haven't changed much. To my point, in order to achieve civilization as near as we can tell a required component is the ability to make and control fire.

The Star Child at the end of 2001 needs fire?




Edited By Malcolm on 1404829352
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Vince wrote:
Leisher wrote:Oh, and let's not forget that everything we "knew" about what life needs to exist has changed in the past 5 years. That means, you might not even need an Earth-like planet to sustain life.

But we aren't talking about life. We're talking about intelligent life and civilizations. And the requirements for those haven't changed much. To my point, in order to achieve civilization as near as we can tell a required component is the ability to make and control fire.

I assume you don't believe there is any other intelligent life out there other than us?

I'm not being condescending when I ask this, but is this opinion based on science or religion? I just want to know how to debate it.

Because your whole statement there is anti-science. It's basically the same stance as Al Gore saying "the debate is over".

But hey, let's have fun and say you're right and our experiences here on Earth have to be matched EXACTLY for intelligent life to exist:

There are between 8.8 and 40 billion Earth-like planets in the Milky Way alone. Now boost that number by the number of galaxies in the known universe, which is about 100-200 billion. (That measurement is just based on what we can see from Earth.)

The numbers are there. Each one representing another chance for life to evolve. That's indisputable, and it's a LOT of chances.

What, scientifically speaking, allows you to rubber stamp the whole "life on other planets" question with a big NO?
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Vince
Posts: 8619
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 10:00 pm
Location: In bed with your mom

Post by Vince »

The Star Child did not need fire, but as near as I can tell from that acid tripping story, the Star Child was the next step (or down our line) of our evolution. So in order to get from the monkey people at the beginning to the Star Child at the end, they needed fire in between.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

So in order to get from the monkey people at the beginning to the Star Child at the end, they needed fire in between.

There's no way to go from brutal outdoor survival as animals to launching spaceships without fire? Absolutely none whatsoever? Hell of a crystal ball you got.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

Malcolm wrote:
So in order to get from the monkey people at the beginning to the Star Child at the end, they needed fire in between.
There's no way to go from brutal outdoor survival as animals to launching spaceships without fire? Absolutely none whatsoever? Hell of a crystal ball you got.
Enlighten.

So to speak.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
TPRJones
Posts: 13418
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 2:05 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Post by TPRJones »

I can't imagine how to make space ships out of metal without fire. Although I guess maybe it would be possible for a species with weird DNA manipulating abilities to grow a rudimentary spaceship out of some local equivalent of a tree. But I sure wouldn't want to go to space in it.
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

GORDON wrote:
Malcolm wrote:
So in order to get from the monkey people at the beginning to the Star Child at the end, they needed fire in between.
There's no way to go from brutal outdoor survival as animals to launching spaceships without fire? Absolutely none whatsoever? Hell of a crystal ball you got.
Enlighten.

So to speak.
Bioship.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

TPRJones wrote:I can't imagine how to make space ships out of metal without fire. Although I guess maybe it would be possible for a species with weird DNA manipulating abilities to grow a rudimentary spaceship out of some local equivalent of a tree. But I sure wouldn't want to go to space in it.


Brian K. Vaughn, the guy behind Y: The Last Man, has a new series running called Saga. In it, the main characters have begun traveling through space in the sentient tree below.

Image




Edited By Leisher on 1404833339
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

Malcolm wrote:
GORDON wrote:
Malcolm wrote: There's no way to go from brutal outdoor survival as animals to launching spaceships without fire? Absolutely none whatsoever? Hell of a crystal ball you got.
Enlighten.

So to speak.
Bioship.
How's it getting escape velocity?
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

GORDON wrote:
Malcolm wrote:
GORDON wrote: Enlighten.

So to speak.
Bioship.
How's it getting escape velocity?
Hell if I know. Some other race has the innate ability to fuck with gravitons the same way we fuck with electrons. Or maybe the same way the Vorlons and Shadows got it.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Post Reply