The UFO Phenomena -“Religion or Science”? A Galaxy Classic

Is the world’s fascination with the possibility of UFOs and  more a religion or a natural intuitive sense that life is “out there” based on current scientific research and recent planet-search discoveries?

One of the world’s preeminent astrophysicists, Carl Sagan, believed that “the interest in unidentified flying objects derives, perhaps, not so much from scientific curiosity as from unfulfilled religious needs.”

No one could have foreseen the extent to which the idea of  would pervade popular culture prior to the publication in 1897 of H.G. Wells War of the Worlds (see video below) and Kurd Lasswitz’s On Two Planets –both the vanguard of an enormous number of treatments of the alien theme in science fiction.

The modern UFO era and the birth of the extraterrestrial hypothesis began on June 24,1947, when Kenneth Arnold, flying his private plane near Mount Rainier in Washington, reported nine disk-shaped objects flying in formation at speeds he estimated to be over 1,000 miles per hour.

Arnold, a respected businessman and deputy U.S. marshal, was taken seriously and his description of the objects as flying “like a saucer if you skipped it across the water” led to newspapers to coin the term “flying saucer.”

The alien hypothesis first officially emerged in 1948 with the Air Force "Project Sign," which concluded that UFOs were of extraterrestrial origin. The report was later declassified and burned by General Hoyt Vandenburg.

If UFOs exist, how do they traverse the universe? According to conventional wisdom, one can only travel through time in a linear fashion at no faster than the speed of light. At that rate, it would take millions of years to traverse the universe, and who has time for that? If there’s a way to manipulate space and time curvatures, then we have all the time we need.

In sync with India’s love-affair with UFO’s, a recent editorial in a popular Indian news site, UFOs, singularity, time folding (and just about every other theory ever proposed) are a complete given. After all, one aspect of quantum physics is that in an alternate universe, anything could happen.

While several advanced theories do have some solid ideas to back them up, others seem a bit far-fetched—even for those willing to accept that there may be upwards of twenty-six dimensions, rather than the standard four. So what current theory is the most likely to someday satisfactorily explain the science of UFO’s?

Though it may seem like pure fiction, it is commonly accepted that wormholes are possible within the framework of general relativity. Although folding space has yet to be documented, there continues to be a healthy debate in the scientific community about their possible existence. If they do exist, it would explain how something or someone could traverse huge distances very quickly. Stephen Hawking gave a lecture, which discussed the possibility of wormholes in folding space. The implications of human travel through these wormholes could result in “short-cutting” through vast distances and even time itself.

According to this idea, one could even move faster than the speed of light.  Professor Hawking puts it this way, “If you can travel from one side of the galaxy, to the other, in a week or two, you could go back through another wormhole, and arrive back before you set out.”

While a bit unfathomable, a similar type of “time travel” has already been demonstrated.  Scientists who studied passengers on space shuttles have found that, because of the shuttle’s high speed, time moved more slowly for those on board.

So, what is a wormhole? Simply put, “masses that place pressure on different parts of the universe could eventually come together to form a tunnel.” Wormholes are also referred to as “Einstein-Rosen bridges”, and are related to Einstein’s theory of special relativity, and the space-time continuum.

While scientists currently have no realistic method of finding a wormhole (nor proof that they even exist), there is no reason why they couldn’t. In fact, their existence would certainly help make sense of some current paradoxes in the world of physics. While the answers aren’t quite here yet, the questions are being asked. If wormholes are proven to exist, the possibilities will be literally endless.

Posted by Rebecca Sato and Casey Kazan.

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Other Galaxy Posts:

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/03/stanley-kubrick.html

Stanley Kubrick: The Mythology of Extraterrestrial Life -A Galaxy Classic
Natural or Extraterrestrial Phenomena
Non-Carbon Lifeforms -Why We may Overlook
"Where are They?" -The Fermi Paradox Answered
New Super Earth Two Found in Constellation Libra
Orson Wells Video on his Mercury Theater Presentation of "War of the Worlds"
Cruising the Goldilocks Zone -The Search for Super Earths
UFO as Pop Art & Mythology

Story Link

Folding Space in Science

Imagining the 10th Dimension

Comments

[knoxvilledaniel]

I've heard some presumably " qualified " people say that aliens are merely modern - day versions of angels & demons. Erich Von Daniken constantly drew upon images of gods, demons & guardian spirits in other cultures - Mayan, Egyptian, etc. - & used them as " evidence " that extra - terrestrials / ancient astronauts had visited Earth in the past. I don't support Von Daniken's ideas at all, just using him as an example.

Almost any belief system can be turned into a cult or religion under the right circumstances, " UFOlogists " shouldn't be any exception.

[knoxvilledaniel]

As to whether UFO's actually exist - THEY DO !! But anyone with an ounce of rationality won't make the knee - jerk claim that they must be extra - terrestrial in origin.
The " religion / faith " aspect of UFOlogy would come into play when rationality & critical thinking are suspended, & people become accepting of the idea that UFO's can't be anything but alien visitors.

[[un]DEAD]

While the yearning to encounter life outside of this planet may just be ingrained in the human psyche, this theory offers no explanation about the descriptions of "flying disks from other worlds" left behind by the Sumerian people. Do we just attribute similarities between Arnold's account and that of an 11,000 year old culture to coincidence? Just seems like a piss poor argument to me.

[[un]DEAD]

While the yearning to encounter life outside of this planet may just be ingrained in the human psyche, this theory offers no explanation about the descriptions of "flying disks from other worlds" left behind by the Sumerian people. Do we just attribute similarities between Arnold's account and that of an 11,000 year old culture to coincidence? Just seems like a piss poor argument to me.

[sweta]

>In sync with India’s love-affair with UFO’s, a recent editorial in a popular Indian news site, UFOs, singularity, time folding (and just about every other theory ever proposed) are a complete given.
Do you have a link for this news site?

[Jo]

Somebody made the point a couple of years back that it is interesting how the numbers of UFO sightings and 'Alien Abduction' reports has shrunk to virtually zero in recent years - possibly due to the fact that these claims are easier checked-out, cross-referenced and proven false now that we have the web?
Dream on, anyway - no E.T. s have ever been here. Its quite obvious.

[Rev.Dr. Ray Shackelford]

You raised the question of how a belief in UFOs would conflict with existing religions. As far as Christianity is concerned, the concept of life on other planets raises some fundamental questions. Chief among them is whether or not any other alien race "fell to sin" as Christianity holds our own human race did? Correspondingly, did or was, Jesus Christ then obliged to incarnate as an alien on their planet, to live with the aliens so as to preach His gospel to them and then to die on the cross for the sins of said alien race; as the one and only remedy for the sins of an alien world as He did for us here on earth? Inasmuch as this post occurs on Good Friday, these are certainly timely questions to ask.

[Rev.Dr. Ray Shackelford]

You raised the question of how a belief in UFOs would conflict with existing religions. As far as Christianity is concerned, the concept of life on other planets raises some fundamental questions. Chief among them is whether or not any other alien race "fell to sin" as Christianity holds our own human race did? Correspondingly, did or was, Jesus Christ then obliged to incarnate as an alien on their planet, to live with the aliens so as to preach His gospel to them and then to die on the cross for the sins of said alien race; as the one and only remedy for the sins of an alien world as He did for us here on earth? Inasmuch as this post occurs on Good Friday, these are certainly timely questions to ask.

[Atheist]

UFOs are more believable from an evidence stand point than most religious beliefs.
http://www.atheistrevolution.com

[WarFlame]

"..the numbers of UFO sightings and 'Alien Abduction' reports has shrunk to virtually zero in recent years "

That's bullshit and anyone who studies squat on UFOs knows this. Also various studies have found that less than 1/10 people (In the US) who think they have seen a UFO report it to any organization. There are various reasons for the low number of reports per sighting most of them quite obvious.

[WarFlame]

"..As to whether UFO's actually exist - THEY DO !! But anyone with an ounce of rationality won't make the knee - jerk claim that they must be extra - terrestrial in origin. .."
Yes "must be" is going too far but saying: It's highly likely based on the data that some UFOs are alien space craft. That's not a leap. It could be that some or all are from realms we have no comprehension of and of course some are just misidentifications or natural phenomenon.

[ST]

Fools. Who says these are 'aliens' from another planet? Any proof of that? No? ok.

The technology seems to have been developed and perfected here, on this planet. By humans.

[DZ]

Yes, they do exist. In such a vast Universe, it would be silly not to think so.

However the important question is: why do we care so much? We have so many more urgent issues on this planet, and besides, if they were to attack and destroy us that would've been done and dusted already.

So let's live on Planet Earth and when the time comes we will find them.

[Dave]

Everyone and his cat owns a digital camera these days and a quality picture of a "UFO" would be worth some serious coin. Why no pictures if there are all these apparent sightings? Regardless I think it is probably a very fundamental desire to hope that we are not alone in this vast universe. An alien culture not only might be fellow explorers and brethren "life", they might also be a clue or even answer to our own deepest question: where did we come from?

[CT]

Trevor J. Constable says:

"UFOs as a cosmic manifestation are already cracking up armor, and with it the mass neurosis and all its retardative social manifestations."

Perhaps religion and science will one day be combined and we will each become The Cosmic Engineer.

http://altsciencediscussion.blogspot.com/2008/04/cosmic-engineer_27.html

[Z 2 4 7 9]

... " ZAIRZ .the. VISITOR " ...

[thingfromearth]

One idea regarding the UFO phenomen that no one has touched upon is the possibility that they are from here. There would not be any need for physics-defying leaps through the universe if these ET were in fact part of earth's own history. It more feasible to believe that they have been living under our oceans for one million years than to believe that they routinely travel vast distances to terrorize and puzzle us, without any apparent motive. If they have have been visiting for X# centuries then why haven't they acted further on their biological and geological discoveries. Did they travel this distance to prank us us for 5,000 years? No. They are trapped on this planet just as we are. As far-fetched as my theory may seem, it is still more believable than worm holes or interstellar frequent flier miles.

[vera]

how come the people who takes these pictures of ufos dose not tell the news people .how come they are the only ones who see these ufos in person ...or are they just fake .are they yes or no

[Mindrust]

"..the numbers of UFO sightings and 'Alien Abduction' reports has shrunk to virtually zero in recent years "

Yeah I have to agree with WarFlame here. This claim is BS. Just in Canada last year there were 1,004 UFO reports.

Anyway, the subject is not as taboo as it once was. Even some skeptics who don't believe that they are ET will admit that SOMETHING unusual is going on in our skies. However, I do agree that it is unscientific to call UFO's the result of alien engineering. At this moment, it's all just speculation.

[Harish]

"In sync with India’s love-affair with UFO’s, a recent editorial in a popular Indian news site, UFOs, singularity, time folding (and just about every other theory ever proposed) are a complete given."

I'm also looking for this article. Can the author please provide a link?

[Fred]

Alexander the Great records two great silver shields, spitting fire around the rims in the sky that dived repeatedly at his army as they were attempting a river crossing. The action so panicked his elephants, horses, and men they had to abandon the river crossing until the following day...Astronauts of Antiquity... Talking to the Gods:
http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2008/12/alexander-great-and-ufos.html

[Claudio]

Is there anybody out-there ?? Yes.
Is there anybody out-here ?? Yes.

Then why so many stories ??

There are enough metropolitan legends around out here and we do not need more.

The right Question is : 'are they out here' ??

Answer to the right question above is : YES.

Yes ....otherwise what bullshits are those at SETI predicating ???

For those who have not understood the statement i repeat : Yes they are out here and there.

Somes want to call them 'saucers' or 'UFO' ??

OK ...as thy like .....to call them.

Regards to the Aliens out-here.