Have New Scientific Discoveries Made A Believer Of You?

Hello ATS,

I was just wondering if, given recent Scientific discoveries and the work done by Kepler and the like;

www.nasa.gov...

Is there anyone here who was previously a non believer but has now become convinced that there is life elsewhere in the universe?

If so.. Are you willing to own up and discuss what exactly tipped the scale for you?

a reply to: Titor86

I have always believed in life out there.. it's
(statistical certainty)
just not traveling here!

a reply to: rigel4

Is there any feeling on your part other that it being a statistical certainty though?

What I'm looking to find out is where people's beliefs or indeed non beliefs are routed.

I'm a young Scientist and I understand that there is a fantastic statistical possibility for life in the cosmos other than ourselves and I absolutely believe in it. But for me there's more to it than a statistical probability. I'm constantly in awe of nature and more and more curious about how the universe works so there's also a great deal of gut in it for me in addition to the statistics.

I just wondered if anyone had come from non belief to belief and if so how and why.

a reply to: Titor86

I've always believed in Alien life ..
I also used to believe that it came here (frequently).

I no longer believe in Aliens visiting Earth frequently.. and
likely not at all.. but i can't say for sure (obviously).

As for feelings.. well yes... i feel instinctively that life exists and is most
likely common place in the cosmos.
Just so happens that it is also a mathematical certainty!

originally posted by: Titor86
Hello ATS,

I was just wondering if, given recent Scientific discoveries and the wok done by Kepler and the like;

www.nasa.gov...

Is there anyone here who was previously a non believer but has now become convinced that there is life elsewhere in the universe?

If so.. Are you willing to own up and discuss what exactly tipped the scale for you?

I think this question is a non starter. At the end of the day even people who believe there are Aliens in the universe do so based on statistics and/or anecdotes and not facts. I'm not a fan of anecdotes, there are too many liars and out there and folks who want to sell books to the gullible to believe stories without some evidence. Anecdotes are not evidence, merely stories without other physical evidence to back it up.

SO I suspect the non believers will continue to not believe until that physical evidence makes a public appearance. The increasing number of earthbound environments with life (12miles under the earths crust) and the increasing variability of it will do little to persuade them.

a reply to: yorkshirelad

I agree.
When I first understood how big the universe is as a child it was a no brainer to me.
Now whether they have visited us is a different question all together with the vast space/time involved.

Oops a daisy double post.

a reply to: yorkshirelad

SO I suspect the non believers will continue to not believe until that physical evidence makes a public appearance. The increasing number of earthbound environments with life (12miles under the earths crust) and the increasing variability of it will do little to persuade them.

A good point and well made. I think you're absolutely right and am equally displeased with people using this stuff to sell books / make money in some way.

However a gut feeling about something can push someone a long way towards finding the physical evidence that I know I'd love to see.

Id hazard a guess and say that everyone at the very least believes in the possibility of Alien life being out there and has for quite awhile.
I really cant see anyone not believing this unless they are coming from an ignorant religious type position, stuff like "there cant be aliens bcoz god doesnt mention them in the bible" type of mentality

a reply to: Titor86

I'd imagine nearly everyone believes life is possible throughout the Universe. That is not particularly controversial.

The question usually asked here is does intelligent life exist elsewhere in the universe and are we being visited. You can accept that life exists and still be skeptical as to whether or not we have had visits from intelligent Alien life.

I'd say it's a given that life exists elsewhere, but until real proof surfaces it is not a given that we are being visited or even that intelligent life evolved elsewhere.

My mind remains fully open to the idea that it's possible, but until verifiable proof surfaces I chose the path of wait and see.

a reply to: Titor86

My personal viewpoint is look at a single cell, then a multy cellular object.

To me there in lies the answer, one lotus blossum to the next.

If it's possible to relate back and forth....who knows?

I'm hopeful.

Is it a giant computer?..... Or a giant turtle prone to sickness?


Cheers?

I personally think that it is human instinct, or what we call instinct..for that I need to draw no distinction between which is categorised so often separately as instinct, and genetic memory. Maybe the trouble is that we don't live long enough to have the original experience to repeat itself as was, and a fact becomes a myth buried in time.
It's a bit like saying Drake's equation is a completely plausible exercise in our maths alone, yet could be exponentially incorrect to some degree that we have no comprehension of.
So, I defer to something much more 'ancient' than me for something that could be a turning point in belief. I hope that helps?

I agree with what some of the above posters have said.

I don't think the issue is "I don't believe life exists elsewhere in the universe" -- I don't think I've seen/heard anyone say that, at least not on ATS. This issue/question is "has intelligent life (alien) visited the earth/made contact" etc. This is where people are going to disagree until some non-disputable, hard evidence is found.

I believe intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe -- however not in our solar system, and I don't believe we've been visited, although with the right evidence I'm willing to be convinced.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: Titor86


I'd say it's a given that life exists elsewhere, but until real proof surfaces it is not a given that we are being visited or even that intelligent life evolved elsewhere.

Wouldn't it be odd for there to be only one example of intelligent life in the entire universe, namely us?

Can you give me another example - just ONE example, mind you - of some natural phenomenon that we have come across or discovered in our time on this planet that is generally accepted as existing in only a single instance?

Just one example of something about which we say, "This kind of object, material or phenomenon exists at this location in space, but it's entirely likely that it exists ONLY in this one location and there are probably NO other instances of this kind of thing in the entirety of the universe"?

a reply to: muchmadness

I agree it would be odd, but that does not constitute proof.

People tend to misunderstand the role of skepticism and the part it plays in keeping things honest. Yes it's logical to assume that intelligent life would evolve elsewhere, but it remains possible it did not. We may be an anomaly in the universe or intelligent life may be common. For now, it remains in the realm of theory.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: Titor86

I'd imagine nearly everyone believes life is possible throughout the Universe. That is not particularly controversial.

The question usually asked here is does intelligent life exist elsewhere in the universe and are we being visited. You can accept that life exists and still be skeptical as to whether or not we have had visits from intelligent Alien life.

I'd say it's a given that life exists elsewhere, but until real proof surfaces it is not a given that we are being visited or even that intelligent life evolved elsewhere.

My mind remains fully open to the idea that it's possible, but until verifiable proof surfaces I chose the path of wait and see.

The OP did not really ask about alien visits, but given that alien life does exist, there is no room to be a skeptic of any 'visitation' at all in our limited terms because we simply do not know.

"Scientific discoveries" are a lie, especially coming from nasa, censoring on images and streams.
In media related topics long texts were always skipped by readers, so I can sadly not give you the conclusions this time.
Step above the obvious, question everything. Read in non official topics when you are open minded to all possibilities.

I'm not saying life forms besides humans don't exist; they're everywhere from my conclusions, many very much like humans. Proof? There's enough, but you first have to be able to combine far steps on your own. The usual "oh look, I have a picture" is not considered proof, so it's not that simple.

Just here to make the newcomers not forget our voice. I'm out of here.

originally posted by: smurfy
The OP did not really ask about alien visits, but given that alien life does exist, there is no room to be a skeptic of any 'visitation' at all in our limited terms because we simply do not know.

My take on the question is also based on the forum it's posted in. Otherwise this would be a topic for Space Exploration.

No room to be a skeptic when as you admit, we do not know?

Skeptic does not mean that when proof is presented a person will not then become a believer. I was simply answering the question honestly. I do not disbelieve but have yet to see proof to make me believe.

Definitely there's alien life in the universe.
Definitely that some know our planet.
Definitely that they scouted, raided, kidnapped, and warned us.
Definitely crashed here.
Definitely they will come back or maybe already own us?

a reply to: Titor86

Isn't it scarier believing we are alone?