I am anticipating listening to this one, but first one of my “laugh at the TV” moments. A show called “Ancient Aliens” comes immediately to mind when I see the talk title. Everything we have trouble explaining inevitably boils down to “Ancient Aliens”! Hilarious.
Fun conversation, but it left me where I started: thinking that this guy is a kook who has gone off the deep end the last few years (why exactly I don't know, but it's clear he feels like the Academy has been mean to him and that grievance is a huge motivator or him), and that he's going to say "aliens!" to basically anything because he likes the attention it generates. And I'm the kind of nerd that was eagerly anticipating the next batch of Kepler candidates a decade or more ago.
It's the same as all the BS about UFOs/UAPs that flares up every few years for one reason or another: nothing actually new or interesting arises. Even the supposed new video releases from a few years ago weren't actually all that new, and had already been debunked/explained by Mick Ryan. Yet either Front Burner or The Big Story just did an episode last week that talks about those videos like they're still totally unexplained.
We're 2 decades into basically everyone on the planet having a pretty good camera on their person at all times, the pictures of aliens keep getting shittier/blurrier, and people keep looking for more reasons to believe.
Can anyone give me one good reason for the Juno spacecraft not to leave Jupiter's orbit and investigate this thing immediately? It is completely unacceptable that our scientific community and NASA are this unwilling to clue themselves in to what is very clearly inexplicable phenomena that has even the smallest potential to change the way humanity sees itself forever.
As an author speculative fiction, the higher intelligence aspect is fascinating. Particularly if a higher intelligence doesn't speak human intelligence. And then ... God, what if they are silicon-based instead of carbon based like us? If there is carbon based life then surely there must be other life forms. And anyway, what is so interesting about us that would make a higher intelligence have any interest interacting with us.
I am anticipating listening to this one, but first one of my “laugh at the TV” moments. A show called “Ancient Aliens” comes immediately to mind when I see the talk title. Everything we have trouble explaining inevitably boils down to “Ancient Aliens”! Hilarious.
Fun conversation, but it left me where I started: thinking that this guy is a kook who has gone off the deep end the last few years (why exactly I don't know, but it's clear he feels like the Academy has been mean to him and that grievance is a huge motivator or him), and that he's going to say "aliens!" to basically anything because he likes the attention it generates. And I'm the kind of nerd that was eagerly anticipating the next batch of Kepler candidates a decade or more ago.
It's the same as all the BS about UFOs/UAPs that flares up every few years for one reason or another: nothing actually new or interesting arises. Even the supposed new video releases from a few years ago weren't actually all that new, and had already been debunked/explained by Mick Ryan. Yet either Front Burner or The Big Story just did an episode last week that talks about those videos like they're still totally unexplained.
We're 2 decades into basically everyone on the planet having a pretty good camera on their person at all times, the pictures of aliens keep getting shittier/blurrier, and people keep looking for more reasons to believe.
Just came across this, and Novella says it much better than I: https://theness.com/neurologicablog/avi-loeb-and-the-alien-technology-hypothesis/
Kept going down the rabbit hole, here's a clip where a very accomplished SETI researcher rips into him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3DnraBCqw
Refreshing and insightful Jen. I especially like Professor Loeb's adamant support for questioning the status quo with original and unique ideas.
Jen needs to watch 'Interstellar'!!!
Can anyone give me one good reason for the Juno spacecraft not to leave Jupiter's orbit and investigate this thing immediately? It is completely unacceptable that our scientific community and NASA are this unwilling to clue themselves in to what is very clearly inexplicable phenomena that has even the smallest potential to change the way humanity sees itself forever.
Fun listen, and a welcome departure from Canadian politics. Good summer listening.
From a reliable source in Astrophysics:
Avi Loeb has lost all credibility in our field, unfortunately. He's the butt end of many jokes. Don't believe all of the stuff he writes!
What an active mind! Thank you for bringing this intriguing story forward!
Great timing. I just finished re-reading "Rendezvous with Rama" and am looking forward to starting Professor Loeb's book tomorrow.
As an author speculative fiction, the higher intelligence aspect is fascinating. Particularly if a higher intelligence doesn't speak human intelligence. And then ... God, what if they are silicon-based instead of carbon based like us? If there is carbon based life then surely there must be other life forms. And anyway, what is so interesting about us that would make a higher intelligence have any interest interacting with us.
It must be our universal love for maple syrup.