Alien-Believing Astronaut Speaks Up

July 25, 2008

After news reports broke about Edgar Mitchell being quoted on the radio about his beliefs in aliens and UFOs, my fellow blogger Irene Klotz (blogger for Free Space) gave him a ring to say "what up?"

Here's a link to Irene's question-and-answer session with him over the phone.

I'm not quite certain what to think about Edgar now, because he seems to me -- in my non-psychological-expert opinion -- pretty sane in the interview.

It almost makes we wish I were a kid again... Then way I could lie belly-down on the floor in front of his chair with my chin in my hands and say "grandpa Edgar, can you tell me about UFOs and aliens?" and, without question, believe everything he says.

Alas, the skeptic inside me can't. Not until I see those aliens walk out of Wright Patterson Air Force Base...

Do you believe him?

Photo: stock.xchng

Comments

[Dave Mosher]

Oh, that's right John... I stand corrected. Aliens do exist :)
Aliens with Macintosh-compatible software, no less.

[John]

I know for a fact that aliens exist. I saw Will Smith fight them.

[Dave Mosher]

I never said I thought we were alone in the universe, Sydd. To say so would, as you said, be flat-Earth-like thinking because it's about the statistical equivalent of certain that we aren't alone.
Now have me made contact with another intelligent lifeform? The odds are fantastically, unbelievably remote for that -- and that is what I'm referring to here. The life form needs to:
1) evolve intelligence far beyond ours
2) arise in an extremely limited time span that we have been a technological civilization, i.e. 100 years out of more than 10 billion
3) have the technology to detect our presence
4) be willing to make contact
5) be able to traverse hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of light-years safely

All of these things need to line up, and quite perfectly. And it seems absurd that you would have all of these abilities, come all the way to Earth, and -- whoops -- crash-land in a desert. Not saying it's not possible. Just close to impossible.

That is why I remain skeptical. Show me the money.

[sydd stone]

alltho i agree this particular story is kinda sketchy :P but come on..we are alone in this universe? we should just go back to thinkin the world is flat and we are the center of the universe!

[sydd stone]

skeptic..haha..u people amaze me. But we are in a time where its YOU who's the laughing stock and not the believers. Have a great day :)