Belief in extraterrestrials...

[arthra]

I'm curious to know who has had experiences with extra terrestrials or what they believe..

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I notice that your survey options aren't mutually exclusive. I wanted to check both "I"ve observed UFOs" and "I'm skeptical of UFOs and aliens".

About 8 years ago, a bunch of us were in my friend's backyard staring up at the stars.

As we were watching, we saw a bright, apparently star-sized dot move decently quickly in a straight line across the sky. It then abruptly (virtually instantly) changed direction and moved off on a different trajectory, also in a straight line. It faded out of view as it got near the horizon.

I had just read about a couple of web sites where you can punch in your location and a range of time to see which satellites and spacecraft would be flying overhead. The day after our sighting, I entered our details, and found that there were no satellite listings at all for several hours on either side of the time we saw the UFO.

Now... I can come up with plausible explanations for how this might not be aliens:

- military and spy satellites aren't included in the web directory, so the fact that nothing was listed isn't conclusive.
- it's theoretically possible that the paths of two satellites could cross in such a way that one satellite disappears (as it tumbles in space and reflects the Sun's light somewhere else) as another one suddenly appears, so the direction-changing object could have actually been two objects.

So... I am certainly very skeptical of claims about alien encounters, but I did see something in the sky that I can't identify, which means that I have seen a UFO.

 

[Storm]

I believe there are aliens, but I don't believe we've been "visited."

 

[Reiðrœska]

Now... I can come up with plausible explanations for how this might not be aliens:

- military and spy satellites aren't included in the web directory, so the fact that nothing was listed isn't conclusive.
- it's theoretically possible that the paths of two satellites could cross in such a way that one satellite disappears (as it tumbles in space and reflects the Sun's light somewhere else) as another one suddenly appears, so the direction-changing object could have actually been two objects.

I don't think satellites quite move "decently quickly" and instantly change direction. As for it being two spy satellites, I'd rather bet my life on aliens giving me the power to destroy the world within the next five minutes than on 2 military spy satellites crossing paths, both moving pretty quickly and reflecting the sun's light in a different direction just as they cross.

Edit: I believe in aliens and such but I've never had any contact with them. I hope so, anyway. They could of course visit me every night and erase my memory of it each time. But if they did, they could be benevolent, so I can't really say what I hope or think about them.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't think satellites quite move "decently quickly" and instantly change direction.

The second part, I agree, though as I mentioned earlier, I think it could've plausibly been an optical illusion.

The first part, maybe I should clarify. The dot was moving at about the same speed I've seen the International Space Station or the Shuttle (when I've been certain those were what I was looking at) move across the sky. It was fast enough that I could quickly and obviously tell that it was moving; it was fast enough to have crossed the whole sky in about 1 to 2 minutes.

As for it being two spy satellites, I'd rather bet my life on aliens giving me the power to destroy the world within the next five minutes than on 2 military spy satellites crossing paths, both moving pretty quickly and reflecting the sun's light in a different direction just as they cross.

The light from an orbiting satellite will "switch off" as it crosses the terminator line into the shadow of the Earth. To someone observing from the ground, it's difficult to tell where that line is for things in orbit.

So, for me it comes down to a few questions:

- are there satellites in non-geosynchonous orbits (i.e. visibly moving) that wouldn't be listed in a public database? Certainly.
- would these satellites sometimes cross paths (or, more accurately, appear to cross paths to an observer on Earth, though one orbit would likely be much higher than another one)? Sure.
- could this apparent crossing happen right at the terminator line? Probably, sometimes.

Like I said, I think this is a plausible explanation, but I don't know for certain what I saw.

 

[BucephalusBB]

I believe there are aliens, but I don't believe we've been "visited."

"...or even close to it"

add that and you got my answer..

 

[Nikodemus]

I had an experience similar to 9-10ths_Penguin. We were vacationing at a lake and we saw something zig-zag across the sky. It was moving so fast it was leaving a light trail behind it.

I don't know what it was, but I haven't seen anything like it since.

 

[arthra]

Thanks 9/10ths for your observation:

I notice that your survey options aren't mutually exclusive. I wanted to check both "I"ve observed UFOs" and "I'm skeptical of UFOs and aliens".

this is my first attempt at a survey like this so it may well have it's draw backs.

I wanted to thank everyone though so far for participating and I think we're off to a great start...

By the way I've spoken to people whom I regard as having a lot of credibility and who stood nothing to gain from saying that they had observed UFOs so I'm open to the possibility and am pleased there are some places you can report sightings.

- Art

 

[rojse]

How about "aliens exist, but haven't visited earth?"

 

[arthra]

Well I think we can include that... would you like to share more on that?

- Art

 

[OutOfTime]

Maybe the conspiracy is a conspiracy to make you believe in aliens by trying to get you not to believe in aliens....reverse psychology O_O

 

[3.14]

odds are that if there are aliens they would also be stuck with petty things like war

 

[rojse]

Well I think we can include that... would you like to share more on that?

- Art

I think that in this huge universe of ours, that it is probable that aliens exist - there are millions of stars, and no doubt many of these have their own planets. If life managed to arise here, I think it could do so elsewhere, no matter how intricate the conditions are for life to arise.

However, going from "aliens probably exist, although I'm not certain they do" to the current claims right now requires quite a few leaps in imagination. Not only do aliens have to exist, they have to exist at the same time as us, be in the same region of space as us, and have found us in some manner to detect the presence of a somewhat advanced civilisation, such as through the release of radioactive atoms, manipulation of radio waves, or the like. After all of this has been done, and the aliens have found earth, they decide that the best course of action is to whiz around in flying saucers for joy-rides, create crop circles, probe people, and if some are to be believed, to be conspiring with some countries for whatever reason, by giving them "super" technologies.

So, no, I do not place much credence in the testimonies of most people that are abducted, and the evidence currently presented. Certainly, there are some that make me think twice about the matter, particularly military sightings with radar footage and the like, but I want more evidence than that.

 

[rojse]

odds are that if there are aliens they would also be stuck with petty things like war

I love how you manage to personify aliens with human characteristics.

 

[gnomon]

I'm curious to know who has had experiences with extra terrestrials or what they believe..

Every time I log on.:jiggy:

 

[MidnightSun]

I haven't given much thought about whether I believe that Aliens are real or not but I think maybe far away in the universe, there must be something somewhere..

 

[Nepenthe]

I suspect life exists in the universe, but am less optimistic about intelligent life that could manufacture devices to escape their planet's surface, much less a species that could traverse the vast distances involved and find the proverbial needle in the cosmic haystack that is this rather unremarkable pale blue dot.

So yes, I think there may be some multi-celled creatures out there; but even if they're intelligent the hardships of space travel, the distances involved, and the sheer statistical unlikelihood of contacting other intelligent life makes it an interesting "what if" scenario, but one that will always remain unsolved.

As for visiting earth, sightings, abductions, etc.- well, I class them in the same category as ghosts, angel sightings, bigfoot, and leprechauns.

 

[.lava]

i have no doubt there are creatures similar to human in universe.

years ago i was invited to meet aliens by a medium lady. so i met them in a dream. but only years later i realized they were not aliens, they were demons. it is difficult to distinguish between alien and demon sometimes. aliens do not look like reptile, snake, half human with horns...etc, so be careful

.

 

[Nepenthe]

it is difficult to distinguish between alien and demon sometimes. aliens do not look like reptile, snake, half human with horns...etc, so be careful

.

I wonder if there are any aliens that wear green hats adorned with four-leaf clovers and wear buckled shoes and dance a jig most merrily....

 

[.lava]

I wonder if there are any aliens that wear green hats adorned with four-leaf clovers and wear buckled shoes and dance a jig most merrily....

well you've just created one in my mind

.