Was watching an episode of Ancient Aliens on H2 yesterday and it piqued my curiosity enough to do a little digging. There are some who debunk everything the series offers as proof of alien visitation in the past.
Personally for me, when I look to the stars, I’m not conceited enough to believe that among the thousands of spots of light spread across the night sky, representing a very small fraction of what can be seen with the naked eye, that we are alone in the universe. With that thought in mind here is something to consider.
Many people cannot wrap their minds around the concept of time beyond the measure of a human life, which is but a brief twinkle, a nanosecond if you will, when compared to the immensity of cosmic time.
Current estimates place the age of the Universe at around 13.75 billion years. The Earth, by comparison has only been around for 4.54 billion of those years meaning the Universe was 9.21 billion years old when the Earth, and the solar system it inhabits, first formed.
Allowing sufficient time to cool to support life, say it was 4.6 billion years after the big bang before the first single cell organisms could have conceivably formed on earth like planets. A point in time over 9 billion years ago. Life on Earth has had 4.54 billion years to develop into the intelligent beings of today. What’s to say intelligent alien life wasn’t standing at the point we currently find ourselves, when the Earth first formed? Giving them a 4.5 billion year head start on humans.
Granted some alien societies would not have survived beyond the nuclear age. We ourselves face the possibility of extinction as a direct result of our nuclear proliferation. I’m sorry, but while others may disagree with me, there are some nations and leaders who should never possess such capabilities. Iran being the first that comes to mind.
But at the same time we face unlimited potential. Given time I’m confident electricity can be generated in a safe, low cost, manner that protects what natural resources we have. Just as I’m confident many alien societies faced the same hurdles we do now when the Earth was but a spinning ball of mud and gas vapors whipping around a newly formed star.
Those that didn’t succeed perished. But not all of them would have fallen to extinction. Some would have realized the potential we now face. Some would have overcome their internal bickering to become a single species united in a common goal. Be it a life of leisure, or one of exploration. Some would have chosen to live their lives in eternal comfort, focusing on their concept of beauty and the arts.
Others would have followed their curiosity to the stars in vehicles capable of reaching across the vast expanses of time and space. Quite possibly visiting our world at a time when man viewed these visitors from the stars as gods.
Could it be the legends of the past were inspired by these otherworldly visitors?
Are the creations of H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith, mere imaginings, or did they come to the same conclusions I have?
Everything should be taken with a grain of salt and much of the proof presented on the program is in the eye of the beholder. But the cosmic timeline is indisputable, opening the possibility, no matter how slim it may be.
Do you believe in Aliens?
I actually really enjoy reading about the Ancient Astronaut theories. I have not found any evidence that absolutely proves it to me, but the theory is so plausible sometimes it's hard not to want to believe. There is also the possibility that there was another planet in our own galaxy that harbored intelligent life once. The AA theories would make more sense if it were in our own galaxy due to the time it would take to travel from point A to point B in the universe. If you know anything about the life cycle of stars, gamma ray, supernovae, etc, then know how fast entire planets can be completely wiped out and incinerated. It definitely gives you something to think about. I hope one day someone finds the proof to make me certain without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I found you on goodreads, and as a book nerd and an astrophysics nerd you have peaked my interest and I am following your blog. Follow me back @ sychofaeriesbookobsession.blogspot.com
-Sycho Faerie.
Hi Sycho Faerie, thanks for the follow, I checked out your blog and I'm now following you.
ReplyDeleteThere are some who believe Earth was seeded by Mars. Check out Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles if you haven't already, while fiction, there is much there to consider.
Your thoughts on the time it would take to travel from point A to point B don't take into consideration the possibility that an alien life form would have a different viewpoint of the physics needed for interstellar flight than we ourselves have. They may also have time on their side. It could only be a thousand years or so but think about how own technology has advanced. Thirty years ago the idea of carrying a powerful computer clipped to your belt was insane. Now we have i-phones capable of doing everything a desktop computer does.
What will our world be like in another thirty years? A hundred? A thousand even?
Something to think about.