Aliens could attack at any time
Lofung
Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30757Members
Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30757Members
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<div class="IPBDescription">warns former MoD chief</div>"Aliens could attack at any time", warns former MoD chief
By CHARLOTTE GILL
During his time as head of the Ministry of Defence UFO project, Nick Pope was persuaded into believing that other lifeforms may visit Earth and, more specifically, Britain.
His concern is that 「highly credible」 sightings are simply dismissed.
And he complains that the project he once ran is now "virtually closed」down, leaving the country 「wide open」to aliens.
Mr Pope decided to speak out about his worries after resigning from his post at the Directorate of Defence Security at the MoD this week.
「The consequences of getting this one wrong could be huge, 」he said.
「If you reported a UFO sighting now, I am absolutely sure that you would just get back a standard letter telling you not to worry. 」Frankly we are wide open - if something does not behave like a conventional aircraft now, it will be ignored.
「The X-Files have been closed down. 」If these words had come from a sci-fi fanatic, they could be easily dismissed by cynics.
But Mr Pope's CV - he was head of the UFO project between 1991 and 1994 - cannot be ignored.
When he began his job, he too was sceptical about UFOs but access to classified files on the subject and investigation of a series of spectacular UFO sightings gradually changed his mind.
And while Mr Pope says that there is no evidence of hostile intent, he insists it cannot be ruled out.
「There has got to be the potential for that and one is left with the uneasy feeling that if it turned out to be so, there is very little we could do about it, 」he said.
「If you believe these things are extra terrestrial craft then you cannot rule out that what is happening is some kind of covert reconnaissance.」
One incident which persuaded him of the existence of alien lifeforms was in 1993. There were reports of a 「vast, triangular-shaped craft 」spotted flying over RAF bases in the West Midlands.
「Most of the witnesses were police and military personnel, 」he said.
「Hundreds of members of the public also had sightings over a period of several hours.」
In another incident in 1980 at RAF bases in Suffolk, staff investigated a suspected plane crash after bright lights were reported coming from nearby woods.
They found a kind of lunar landing module standing on three legs which then flew off. The indents it left in the ground were found to emit ten times the normal levels of radiation. Mr Pope said: 「These sort of incidents are why I got so frustrated. 」
「In my time I would brief the more interesting sightings up the chain of command to people like the Chief of the Air Staff and would get the answer back that it was very interesting and I had clearly done a good job investigating it and that was it. 」
「Every one is a piece of a puzzle but no one takes it seriously. There needs to be more resources and people who are prepared to look past the philosophical issues, look at the reports and investigate them properly. 」
「Whether you believe these things are foreign air forces testing prototype aircraft or whether you believe they are something more exotic, with the speeds and movements they are capable of, it's technology we would very much like to get hold of. 」
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence insisted that all UFO sightings were investigated for 「evidence to suggest that UK airspace has been compromised by hostile or unauthorised air activity.」
She said: 「Unless there is such evidence, the MoD doesn't attempt to positively identify what was seen.」
Mr Pope is continuing his UFO research in a private capacity since leaving the MoD and is recognised as a leading authority on UFOs and the unexpected.
He has written four science fiction books drawing on his experience at the MoD, and lectures around the world on the subject.
He has appeared on BBC Newsnight and Radio 4's Today programme and has acted as consultant on numerous television documentaries.
So when a former MoD chief warns that the country could be attacked by extraterrestrials at any time, you may be forgiven for feeling a little alarmed.
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=415514&in_page_id=1770" target="_blank">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770</a>
discuss <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" />
By CHARLOTTE GILL
During his time as head of the Ministry of Defence UFO project, Nick Pope was persuaded into believing that other lifeforms may visit Earth and, more specifically, Britain.
His concern is that 「highly credible」 sightings are simply dismissed.
And he complains that the project he once ran is now "virtually closed」down, leaving the country 「wide open」to aliens.
Mr Pope decided to speak out about his worries after resigning from his post at the Directorate of Defence Security at the MoD this week.
「The consequences of getting this one wrong could be huge, 」he said.
「If you reported a UFO sighting now, I am absolutely sure that you would just get back a standard letter telling you not to worry. 」Frankly we are wide open - if something does not behave like a conventional aircraft now, it will be ignored.
「The X-Files have been closed down. 」If these words had come from a sci-fi fanatic, they could be easily dismissed by cynics.
But Mr Pope's CV - he was head of the UFO project between 1991 and 1994 - cannot be ignored.
When he began his job, he too was sceptical about UFOs but access to classified files on the subject and investigation of a series of spectacular UFO sightings gradually changed his mind.
And while Mr Pope says that there is no evidence of hostile intent, he insists it cannot be ruled out.
「There has got to be the potential for that and one is left with the uneasy feeling that if it turned out to be so, there is very little we could do about it, 」he said.
「If you believe these things are extra terrestrial craft then you cannot rule out that what is happening is some kind of covert reconnaissance.」
One incident which persuaded him of the existence of alien lifeforms was in 1993. There were reports of a 「vast, triangular-shaped craft 」spotted flying over RAF bases in the West Midlands.
「Most of the witnesses were police and military personnel, 」he said.
「Hundreds of members of the public also had sightings over a period of several hours.」
In another incident in 1980 at RAF bases in Suffolk, staff investigated a suspected plane crash after bright lights were reported coming from nearby woods.
They found a kind of lunar landing module standing on three legs which then flew off. The indents it left in the ground were found to emit ten times the normal levels of radiation. Mr Pope said: 「These sort of incidents are why I got so frustrated. 」
「In my time I would brief the more interesting sightings up the chain of command to people like the Chief of the Air Staff and would get the answer back that it was very interesting and I had clearly done a good job investigating it and that was it. 」
「Every one is a piece of a puzzle but no one takes it seriously. There needs to be more resources and people who are prepared to look past the philosophical issues, look at the reports and investigate them properly. 」
「Whether you believe these things are foreign air forces testing prototype aircraft or whether you believe they are something more exotic, with the speeds and movements they are capable of, it's technology we would very much like to get hold of. 」
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence insisted that all UFO sightings were investigated for 「evidence to suggest that UK airspace has been compromised by hostile or unauthorised air activity.」
She said: 「Unless there is such evidence, the MoD doesn't attempt to positively identify what was seen.」
Mr Pope is continuing his UFO research in a private capacity since leaving the MoD and is recognised as a leading authority on UFOs and the unexpected.
He has written four science fiction books drawing on his experience at the MoD, and lectures around the world on the subject.
He has appeared on BBC Newsnight and Radio 4's Today programme and has acted as consultant on numerous television documentaries.
So when a former MoD chief warns that the country could be attacked by extraterrestrials at any time, you may be forgiven for feeling a little alarmed.
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=415514&in_page_id=1770" target="_blank">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770</a>
discuss <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" />
Comments
Not sure what to say really...if aliens decide to attack, we're boned. But, considering they're....well, aliens, who likely have come a long way before stumbling upon this planet, what are the chances of britain having effecient manpower enough to withstand an attack?
I have seen weird objects in London's sky before, lights that prescribe a curve and then change direction completely and such.
Screw the notion of a global threat being the only true way to global peace. If we get an extreterrestrial threat, then we're screwed.
I for one, welcome our overpowering, planet scorching, overlords...
I hope we find a planet of stupid aliens. So we could all join hands in killing them. Just like God intended.
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We've already found it. It's called "France"
We've already found it. It's called "France"
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Q. F. T.
<b>EX-TER-MIN-ATE! EX-TER-MIN-ATE!</b>
EDIT: That sounds silly so to add, what would it be like because culture and appearances etc. could be the same? Or extremely different or radical or everyone makes love in a petri dish etc.
Then again, Daily Mail. So there are two sides to this discussion.
Canada's former defense ministor believes Aliens will save us from global warming. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070228/sc_afp/canadaenvironmentkyoto" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070228/sc_af...nvironmentkyoto</a>
Even if there was hard evidence that something happens that shouldn't, it would be more logical to relate the issue to terrestrial conspiracies rather than the outrageous conclusion of aliens.
Then's there's that whole issue about how life is probably so rare, humans would never contact any aliens in it's lifetime. Also, it depends on what we define life, cause so far, all we've had to look at is a bunch of carbon based life on Earth.
Interesting short read: <a href="http://www.terrybisson.com/meat.html" target="_blank">They're made out of meat</a>
Beware the invasion of the <b>Robots</b> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
By example, while we humans have started discussing launching weapons into low orbit for the purpose of bringing them back down to the surface of our own planet, I don't expect anyone to propose equipping weapons on deep space probes until <i>after</i> we meet an alien race we want to kill. Aliens would likely be no different.
So, if this alien race has already met and destroyed <i>another</i> alien race, then they might be more paranoid and shoot first, ask questions later. But if we're the first ones they find, we should be safe for a bit. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
But what about unknown extra-terrestrial (or even terrestrial) contagions?
What if, to use a quote from Sphere the movie, "They inhale oxygen and exhale cyanide gas?"
If, by some slim chance, there is intelligence watching us, how will we react if we find out? Should we let everyone get their guns and start shooting at them?
There's all kinds of perceived threats a government has to think about, and they vary in severity. But, to call it stupid to give even a moments thought to something like this is a little over-confident, I should say. I suspect there's at least a disaster response protocol for situations with outstanding merit somewhere in the the guidebooks, whether that entails aliens or not is quite immaterial.
Although it may be a fallacy to apply human history to alien races, there are countless examples of newer technology clashing with older technology and new civilizations over taking old. Now that the world is globally linked and mostly discovered in terms of human population, the next "unforseen" threat of takeover could really only come from an extraterestrial source.
Following that line of thought, an alien race would want our natural resources assuming it was economically feasable to get them to where they needed to be processed. I would be more inclined to believe that we could be a "poor backwater" planet to an intergalactic race than anything else possibly ripe for exploitation(for which we will be eager if some of the "baubles" they trade us are cures for cancers, fixing global warming, etc). /end armchair history speculation
I'm in your computar!
<img src="http://library.thinkquest.org/3877/Images/bearinwindow.jpeg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
But seriously I have no doubt that there is alien life out there. We just may never meet in a billion years because of the insane distances between us.
><
Unless I guess we or they figure out a way to make wormholes. (and safe ones hopefuly)
Suprise <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
I'm in your computar!
<img src="http://library.thinkquest.org/3877/Images/bearinwindow.jpeg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
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That actually scared the bajeesus out of me. Just suddenly loaded up and it was like WHOA.
But yeah, I doubt that aliens have visited here. I mean, think about it. They have the ability to either time travel or travel vast distances with ease, and all they do is startle a few rednecks, mutilate some cattle, and joy-ride over some cities? Doubtful.
Unless, of course, they're college aliens on a drunk night out. Which sounds totally crazy and ridiculous, but seriously think about it... if earth had technology to easily visit "primitive" planets that had sentient, but "primitive" life on it, you *know* the college frat boys would be all over that after a few drunken benders.
Unless, of course, they're college aliens on a drunk night out. Which sounds totally crazy and ridiculous, but seriously think about it... if earth had technology to easily visit "primitive" planets that had sentient, but "primitive" life on it, you *know* the college frat boys would be all over that after a few drunken benders.
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On the Moon nerds get their pants pulled down and they are spanked with Moonrocks.
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
On the Moon nerds get their pants pulled down and they are spanked with Moonrocks.
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
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*cough*
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
If there's aliens out there, somehow I doubt they'd come all this way to keel us - and if they wanted to, they probably could. There's probably more resources for them to harvest on closer, uninhabited planets...
If there's aliens out there, somehow I doubt they'd come all this way to keel us - and if they wanted to, they probably could. There's probably more resources for them to harvest on closer, uninhabited planets...
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That's what they probably think about us. Think about it just because they are aliens doesn't make them inferior nor superior. Chances are they are just as 'scared' / 'interested' as us and not war mongering satanists from some galaxy far far away.
War of the Worlds type aliens that go around harvesting humans or taking resources seems most plausible, but I'm sick of aliens having all-powerful shields that repel nuclear weapons. This is akin to being able to fly into the sun unscathed, and it's just not happening. You might argue that after Hiroshima and Nagasaki some buildings were still around and stuff, but those were fission based nuclear weapons, and we've got our crazily named 'Hydrogen bombs' that use fusion, and have far greater, far more destructive capabilities, and I doubt any race is ever going to find materials and shielding that can withstand tens of thousands of degrees (and remain perfectly functional).
Any kind of invasion would probably come to a scorched earth vs enslavement dilemma for humanity, and not 'dude, the aliens have magical invincibility shields!'.
It's probably far more likely that any sort of alien life will just be 'accidentally' harmful to us. Such as the Sphere example above ('they exhale cyanide gas', 'their vocal cords resonate at a frequency that shatters human bone', etc.). Perhaps not the best example, but if we made a venture across the galaxy to find life, I doubt the first thing we'd do is destroy it when we meet it (of course, some human civilizations through history have had a tendency to kill first, ask questions later). Thus ends my incoherent rambling.
As for blowing the planet into small manageable chunks and getting rid of those pesky primitive lifeforms running around on it, they can kill two birds with one stone, since the former accomplishes the latter nicely. And speaking of stone, one of the easiest ways to do that would probably be hooking some propulsion equipment up to a sufficiently big asteroid that's headed roughly our way and then making sure that it's headed EXACTLY our way instead. Again, probably a simple feat for a spacefaring race.
Actually, never mind. Blowing the planet into small manageable chunks is actually very hard, and not accomplished with your average asteroid. Wiping out life on it, however, can be done that way. After that you can take all the time in the world to strip-mine your new virtually limitless source of iron and silicon to your heart's content.
*more armchair history* The pigs the Spanish brought killed hundreds of thousands of people more than their guns and armor ever did. I'd say the biggest threat would be a hostile alien race that simply traded us a cure for cancer that gave us all space-smallpox.