Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#11

Post by krapp » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 11:03 AM UTC

Do I believe extraterrestrial life exists somewhere in the universe? Yes. I think it's more probable that it does than doesn't.

I don't assume the existence of extraterrestrial life, even intelligent life, means interstellar colonization or the consumption of the galaxy by swarms of Von Neumann probes must be a certainty.

Do I believe any of the transdimensional NHI booga sphere abduction Majestic 12 nonsense? No. I don't believe faster than light travel is possible, I don't believe aliens have ever been here. I think that's just folklore, like Bigfoot, ghosts and Finland.

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#12

Post by _heimdall » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 11:45 AM UTC

I can only assume there must be other life in the universe. If intelligence is emergent, there should be other intelligent life as well.

I do find the great filter theory as an interesting explanation tot he Fermi paradox. We humans sure seem on a path to wipe ourselves out, hopefully we won't destroy the planet entirely but similarly we seem on that path. Maybe all intelligent civilizations destroy themselves before ever reaching the level of intergalactic travel.

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#13

Post by incomingpain » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 12:50 PM UTC

Yes aliens for sure exist; too many planets for there not to be. Alien Life for sure exists in the milky way.

I do believe aliens have been to earth many times. The last time was thousands of years ago though. Everyone claiming to be abducted is lying.

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#14

Post by leet_thow » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 1:11 PM UTC

Yes, and the working hypothesis as to why they have been here in the last century, with sightings mainly in the southwest US, is because they were checking in on our nuclear arms development.

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#15

Post by CM30 » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 4:54 PM UTC

Yeah I believe there's other life in the universe, and that some of it is probably sentient.

Whether it's visited Earth on the other hand... that's a lot less likely. Feels like the distances you need to travel for that kind of space exploration are vast enough that even an advanced species might not take it lightly.

Re: Ask HN: Do You Believe in Aliens?

#16

Post by krapp » Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 11:08 PM UTC

leet_thow wrote: post #14

Yes, and the working hypothesis as to why they have been here in the last century, with sightings mainly in the southwest US, is because they were checking in on our nuclear arms development.

Why would they care about our nuclear arms development?

To any species capable of interstellar travel, nuclear weapons would be about as threatening as a match is to us.