Tuesday, Lafayette, Indiana

10 years ago today the United States Army officially declared that the investigation into rumors that aliens had landed and been captured in Roswell, New Mexico were not true. This controversy was based on years of speculation, based on many eyewitness reports, that alien craft had crashed landed in the New Mexico desert and alien beings had been captured alive by the government. Over the years skeptics and conspiracy theorists have been completely convinced that there was a cover-up, and that the government had clear physical evidence that aliens existed and had in fact visited the earth. There were even pictures provided of the aliens.

According to the believers the aliens had large round bald heads, and huge almond shaped eyes. Where this depiction originated is anybody’s guess. It is a reminder that there are many people who are persuaded that the government is aware of startling information and, for whatever reason decides to keep it secret from the public. Is there life on other planets? I certainly think the possibility exists. Given what science has told us about the staggering scope of the universe, of which are immeasurable solar system is merely a small part, it would seem ludicrous to conclude that we are the only place that has sustained intelligent life.

Nonetheless, the idea that “flying saucers” bringing creatures from other places to crash land on Earth seems beyond bizarre to me. I can recall Joan Rivers making a crack, “is an interesting than the UFO has never been spotted at Harvard.”

Why We Watch

Human beings have an insatiable appetite for knowledge, understanding and insight. We are for ever yearning for meaning. And given how elusive this quest is we search our reality, and beyond our reality for answers. The idea that there is life more involved, insightful and intelligent than our own is an intoxicating temptation. And perhaps at some point this will be the experience of humanity on earth. But until such time, it seems a more fruitful approach to search the history of human imagination and wisdom and find the clues to fulfillment within our own species.

Because the reality is, we really don’t know what life in other places would be like; and I wonder how many believers in UFOs have considered the possibility that, although they have learned to travel in space, they might in fact be dumber than us. I wonder if the aliens might be coming to earth yearning to know what we know. What a depressing thought.