extraterrestrial
Speculation, theory, UFOs and Aliens. Are we alone in this universe or is there life outside Earth?
A Tough Day For Skeptics
In the small fishing village of Shag Harbor, Nova Scotia, things were pretty simple and quiet for this modest Canadian province. But on October 4th of 1967, the village would host one of the most well documented UFO incidents of all time.
Ryan SpraguePublished 7 years ago in FuturismExtraterrestrials and the Roman Catholic Church
Over the last two months or so, I’ve seen several articles and social media posts concerning a dubious Wikileak from this October concerning extraterrestrial conspiracy theories and the Roman Catholic Church. Due to a few comments made by Pope Francis and the former Director of the Vatican Observatory, Father Jose Funes, several years ago, there seems to have been a recent resurgence of the idea that the Vatican’s inner circle is aware of an extraterrestrial presence on Earth.
Confessions of a Conspiracy Geek
On May 19th, 2002, a finely strung bow was tightly wrapped around nine (although it is now ten) seasons of what is arguably one of the greatest science fiction shows to ever hit the television airwaves. With a cult-following spinoff, two major motion pictures, and a handful of Emmys, The X-Files became a favorite amongst believers and non-believers alike. Special Agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were introduced to many characters throughout the series, but none as memorable as the basement dwelling trio known as the Lone Gunmen. A short and stout hacker with the hots for Scully, a suit-wearing conservative with a heart of gold, and a poster child for metal bands everywhere, the Lone Gunmen quickly made a one- time appearance into something the fans just couldn’t get enough of. And for one of the gunmen, a character’s keen interest in conspiracies and the UFO phenomenon began to spill over into real life.
Ryan SpraguePublished 7 years ago in FuturismFrom Kuji to Solo
In a field wrought with speculation and educated (and sometimes not so educated) opinions, there is a small section that stands on its own two legs with both technological and legal credibility. This section is unofficially known as UFO hacking. The name, although seeming rather self-evident, is the detailed, and sometimes arduous task of hacking into government funded, and/or military-centered computer systems in order to uncover information pertaining to the official research or activity of the UFO phenomenon.
Ryan SpraguePublished 7 years ago in FuturismUFO Belief Systems
The UFO discourse, like any other field of study, has philosophical underpinnings that function like a spectrum. The opposite ends of the spectrum provide an overly simplistic idea of the ‘reality’ of the UFO question. If, for the sake of argument, we assume UFOs are intelligently controlled, we generate a cornucopia of theories and hypotheses that attempt to establish the source. On one side, we have a “nuts and bolts” hypothesis. On the other side of the spectrum, a theological/theosophical mysticism. I will expand upon both of these to provide a clear understanding of the two philosophical extremes of modern Ufology. That being said, these two poles are not necessarily an ‘either or’, but simply lay out the general boundaries of Ufological belief systems. I must first make one note...
Excerpt from 'Somewhere in the Skies: A Human Approach to an Alien Phenomenon' by Ryan Sprague
Ordinary people are seeing extraordinary things in our skies. And while reports of UFOs and their possible occupants are littered with dates, times, and descriptions, they rarely focus on those who've actually experienced them. How have these dramatic and often traumatic events affected those involved? Could both the positive and negative implications, whether subtle or revelatory, further our knowledge of what exactly these phenomena represent?
Ryan SpraguePublished 7 years ago in Futurism'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' Holds Up
What made the movie special was the way it approached the topic of first contact. It was not through the typical science fiction fare and space battles we have come to expect from 21st century Hollywood. Much like 2016's, Arrival, nearly 30 years earlier, 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind took a very original and very cerebral approach to sci-fi storytelling. Rather than the challenges of interspecies linguistics, the film used music as the unifying language between man and extraterrestrials. This theory was later explored by then OMNI editor Claire Evans. Perhaps the success of Arrival is why Close Encounters of the Third Kind holds up for me. Sci-fi films that, at their core, are not relying on special effects but rather challenge the intellect in a more organic fashion often best stand the test of time.
Mike MavenfulPublished 7 years ago in FuturismTransient Lunar Phenomena
In our present phase of post-Apollo enlightenment, it would be wrong to suggest that all the mysteries of the moon have been solved. Curious things, seen now and then—faint glows, flashing lights, patches of "mist"—still provoke argument and continue to enlist scientific inquiry and speculation.
Stephanie GladwellPublished 7 years ago in FuturismInterview with Investigative Filmmaker Jeremy Corbell
Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell makes his living seeking out the ExtraOrdinary; that seemingly gratuitous capitalization perfectly encapsulating his mission to–as he puts it–“force us to reconsider the fabric of our own beliefs” and consider an atypical alternative. His approach is to undermine attempts to discredit unorthodox opinions by way of discrediting the opinion holders themselves.
Rachel G. DavidPublished 7 years ago in FuturismAs You Know Bob - Silence Is Golden
As you know Bob, the discovery of the aliens in our solar system saved the world, and they will continue to keep us safe, provided that we never contact them.
Brett DavidsonPublished 7 years ago in FuturismFranz von Paula Gruithuisen's Venus Science Fiction
The fascinating story of Franz von Paula Gruithuisen, a German astronomer who became prominent early in the nineteenth century, has inspired sci-fi writers to ponder exploring distant worlds like Mars and Venus. His attempts at explaining the wonders of space were filled with promise of mystery and awe. He was a fairly good observer who concentrated on the moon and the planets, but his imagination was, somewhat vivid. For instance, he discovered what he believed to be an artificial structure on the moon and described it as a collection of dark, gigantic artistic ramparts.
Izzy ErlichPublished 7 years ago in FuturismMental Time Travel: Is the Plot of Arrival Coherent?
Time travel is a bit of a trope in sci fi. The device has been used in literature since ancient times, with Hindu mythology portraying people going far into the future. This kind of travel isn’t logically impossible – in fact, with Einstein’s discovery of relativity, we must accept this discrepancy between personal and external time as a necessary feature of reality. The faster an object travels, the slower its time moves: ISS astronauts returning from missions have aged slightly less than had they remained on earth (due to different accelerations).
Ed VenablesPublished 7 years ago in Futurism