EXTRHTERRESTRIHLS HUD UF0S 147
reach the planet Earth. As in the movie 2001, such civilizations may
well send self-replicating, robotic probes throughout the galaxy searching for intelligent life.
But a Type III civilization would likely not be inclined to visit us or
conquer us, as in the movie Independence Day, where such a civilization spreads like a plague of locusts, swarming around planets to suck
their resources dry. In reality, there are countless dead planets in outer
space with vast mineral wealth they could harvest without the nuisance of coping with a restive native population. Their attitude toward
us might resemble our own attitude toward an ant hill. Our inclination
is not to bend down and offer the ants beads and trinkets, but simply
to ignore them.
The main danger ants face is not that humans want to invade them
or wipe them out. Instead it is simply that we will pave them over because they are in the way. Remember that the distance between a Type
III civilization and our own Type 0 civilization is far more vast than
the distance between us and the ants, in terms of energy usage.
UFOs
Some people claim that extraterrestrials have already visited the Earth
in the form of UFOs. Scientists usually roll their eyes when they hear
about UFOs and dismiss the possibility because the distances between
stars are so vast. But regardless of scientists' reactions, persistent reports of UFOs have not diminished over the years.
UFO sightings actually date back to the beginning of recorded history. In the Bible the prophet Ezekiel mentions enigmatically "wheels
within wheels in the sky," which some believe is a reference to a UFO.
In 1450 BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III in Egypt, the
Egyptian scribes recorded an incident involving "circles of fire"
brighter than the sun, about 5 meters in size, which appeared on several days and Finally ascended into the sky. In 91 BC the Roman author
Julius Obsequens wrote about "a round object, like a globe, a round or
circular shield [that] took its path in the sky." In 1235 General Yorit-
reach the planet Earth. As in the movie 2001, such civilizations may
well send self-replicating, robotic probes throughout the galaxy searching for intelligent life.
But a Type III civilization would likely not be inclined to visit us or
conquer us, as in the movie Independence Day, where such a civilization spreads like a plague of locusts, swarming around planets to suck
their resources dry. In reality, there are countless dead planets in outer
space with vast mineral wealth they could harvest without the nuisance of coping with a restive native population. Their attitude toward
us might resemble our own attitude toward an ant hill. Our inclination
is not to bend down and offer the ants beads and trinkets, but simply
to ignore them.
The main danger ants face is not that humans want to invade them
or wipe them out. Instead it is simply that we will pave them over because they are in the way. Remember that the distance between a Type
III civilization and our own Type 0 civilization is far more vast than
the distance between us and the ants, in terms of energy usage.
UFOs
Some people claim that extraterrestrials have already visited the Earth
in the form of UFOs. Scientists usually roll their eyes when they hear
about UFOs and dismiss the possibility because the distances between
stars are so vast. But regardless of scientists' reactions, persistent reports of UFOs have not diminished over the years.
UFO sightings actually date back to the beginning of recorded history. In the Bible the prophet Ezekiel mentions enigmatically "wheels
within wheels in the sky," which some believe is a reference to a UFO.
In 1450 BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III in Egypt, the
Egyptian scribes recorded an incident involving "circles of fire"
brighter than the sun, about 5 meters in size, which appeared on several days and Finally ascended into the sky. In 91 BC the Roman author
Julius Obsequens wrote about "a round object, like a globe, a round or
circular shield [that] took its path in the sky." In 1235 General Yorit-