Are We Alone in the Universe? Leslie Wickman, Ph.D

Are We Alone in the Universe?

Leslie Wickman, Ph.D.

• Where did all this come from?• How big is it?

• What’s it all made of?• How long has it been here?

• Was there anything before all this?

• Where are we going?• How will it all end?

So many questions…

Do YOU think we’re alone in the universe?

Why or why not?

The Vastness of the Universe“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim

the work of his hands. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night reveals knowledge.”

- Psalm 19:1-2

On the clearest night, we can see about 2000 stars with the naked eye.

Powerful telescopes have revealed billions!

The vastness of the universe is impossible to comprehend.

The observable universe extends 46.5 billion light years in every direction…

“He counts the number of the stars; he gives names to all of them.”

- Psalm 147:4

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE??

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)

UC Berkeley researchers have been analyzing radio signals

from space with various telescopes since 1978.

In 30+ years, they have not yet detected anything that could be construed as a signal from an

intelligent civilization

Planets Orbiting Other Stars

• finding extrasolar planets is tough (but we’re getting better at it): they’re close to their star, dim, small, far…

• several evidences that they exist: dust disks and wobbles and light drops…

• we’ve observed dust disk stars (e.g. Beta Pictoris)

• with a huge cold disk (100x bigger than our solar system) and a hole in the middle, just like our solar system has

• planets are likely to form in the inner region

• here young stars are surrounded by disks of gas and dust

• there might be new planets being formed here

• wobble• a planet orbiting a star can cause it to

wobble just slightly

• blue shift – twd us / red shift – away from us• first seen in 51 Pegasus about 20 years ago• have seen 100s now, but• most are jovian and close to parent star

• and we have ever-so-slight dimming of star light implying tiny planets are moving in front of a star

• and we can see tiny Doppler effects from a star’s spectrum implying something small and reflecting star light is moving about up there

The Current Most Likely Candidates

The Habitable Zone

Distance to Other Star/Planet Systems…

• Alpha Centauri triple star: 4.3 LY• Epsilon Eridani, sun-like star,

closest exoplanet: 10.5 LY• Gliese planetary systems, closest

low mass exoplanets w/i a star’s habitable zone: ~15-20.5 LY

• KOI-961, red dwarf with smallest mass exoplanets (0.57 to 0.78 x Earth’s mass): 20.3 LY

• SETI estimate for closest possible life-friendly planets: 155 LY

Life Science IssuesSpecial conditions of

spaceflight:• microgravity• radiation• vacuum• temperature variations• isolation• confinement• g-loads• vibration• noise

Produce various physiological and psychological effects:

• space adaptation syndrome (SAS)• reduced stimulation of taste and

olfactory receptors• body mass loss• body fluid upward shift and loss• cardiovascular deconditioning• muscular atrophy• bone demineralization - osteoporosis• electrolyte imbalance• enlargement of some vital organs• nasal congestion• immunosuppression• cellular damage/mutations • psychosocial manifestations

Our Unique Earth

Even though some 750 extra solar planets have been discovered, and perhaps most sun-like stars could support planetary systems…

All of our space exploration SO FAR has shown that our neighbors in space are not remotely capable of sustaining

life of any complexity.

The Best?If the earth is the result of some cosmic accident, surely we could

find some attribute which could be improved upon… • Distance from Sun, temperature ranges

• Size, gravity• Water: vapor, liquid, solid

• Thickness of crust• Rotation rate

• Axial tilt, seasons• Magnetic field

• Moon• Atmospheric pressure and composition

But to change any of earth’s essential attributes would decrease the likelihood of life existing or continuing to exist!

“And God saw all that he made, and behold it was very good.”

- Genesis 1:3

Fine-tuning throughout the Universe

• Velocity of light

• Electromagnetic force

• Strong nuclear force

• Expansion rate of universe

• Mass density of the universe

Against the Odds…

• Probability for 9 life-supporting design characteristics existing in one of the traditional 9 planets of our solar system:

1 in 50 million

• If we consider 322 finely tuned characteristics of the entire universe, the odds are more like 1 in 10282 for life to exist anywhere in the cosmos!

Is this the only place???

• Human curiosity• Spirit of adventure• Pushing the envelope• Future of civilization

If things are so perfect here, why would we want to go anywhere else?

UFO sightings• Thousands of UFO sightings are reported each year• 50% of all Americans believe in extraterrestrial life• 95% accounted for as man-made objects or natural

phenomenon

1. Hoaxes2. Over-active imaginations3. Misidentification of natural phenomenon4. Misidentification of unknown technology

• Fire balls• Venus, the “Morning Star” • weather balloons• atmospheric effects• military aircraft• remaining ~5% are inexplicable

The Inexplicable 5%

• Inexplicable UFOs seem to defy laws of physics: – abrupt 90 degree movements– disintegrating and reappearing– changing forms– radio interference– electrical systems malfunctioning– “crop circles”– burnt or bent grass– no crash debris

Possible Options for Inexplicable UFOs

#1: Misidentified natural/physical phenomena

#2: Extra-terrestrials sending UFOs to earth

#3: Extra-dimensional entities

Option #2: ETs Sending UFOs to Earth

• Distance problem• Velocity problem • Time problem• Weight problem • Numbers problem

• “Alien intelligence will have to conform to the laws of physics as we know them. However there are loopholes in the laws of physics that have to be investigated…This wormhole allows you to leap across vast distances within the twinkling of an eye without violating Einstein’s theory of general relativity…. However… we still don’t know whether or not the wormhole is stable once we take into account radiation effects… We don’t know what lies on the other side of the wormhole…” ~ Dr. Michu Kaku, City University of NY

• Wormhole problems• Physiological problems

Is There a Cover-Up??

What about:

1. The Roswell Incident?

2. Project Blue Book?

3. Area 51?

Lockheed U2 Spy Plane

Area 51

Option #3:Extra-Dimensional Entities

• Abduction reports– 9/20/61: a couple driving through New Hampshire, sees

a large pancake-shaped craft flying towards them; they can’t account for 2 missing hours; physical problems and nightmares of alien abduction

– 11/5/75: 6 men reported that a colleague disappeared when he approached a UFO; 5 days later he shows up, mentally disturbed and dehydrated; says he’s been examined by aliens

“Real” but “Non-physical”?

• Capabilities of UFOs seem to defy physics• UFO researcher, Dr. Jacques Vallee:

– UFO phenomenon represents evidence for other dimensions beyond space-time

• General relativity and Big Bang cosmology both indicate that the cause of the universe is beyond physical space and time

• The Bible is the only holy book that refers to a creator-God who transcends space and time

• The Bible speaks of non-physical extra-dimensional entities capable of transcending space and time

Close Encounters

• 1st kind: close visual sightings

• 2nd kind: physical effects on environment

• 3rd kind: contact w/ a UFO being/alien

• 4th kind: abduction by alien beings

• 5th kind: permanent physical harm or death

Common Threads in UFO Experiences

1. Involvement in occult practices2. Deception3. Malevolence/Harm4. Peak sightings at 3 am, along remote, low traffic roads5. UFO scientific knowledge roughly keeps pace with popular

science fiction

Third Option Fits Best

• The number and frequency of UFO sightings correlates well geographically with regional demographics indicating occult involvement

• UFO messengers encourage the practices of channeling and mysticism.

Conclusions

• Option 1: Inexplicable UFOs violate laws of physics

• Option 2: Physical problems– Distance – Velocity– Time – Weight– Numbers– Wormhole– Physiology

• Option 3: Non-physical reality– Not bound by space, time, physical laws– Consistent with common threads of “close encounters”– Correlation with occult involvement demographics

REFERENCES

Cottrell, Ron. The Remarkable Spaceship Earth, Accent Publications, 1982.

DiCello, Carmen. UFO Theories: Some Proposals and Thought Provokers, Angel Fire website: www.angelfire.com.

Kaku, Michu. Theoretical Physicist, City University of New York.

Kelly, Walt. Cartoonist, 1913-1973.

Vallee, Jacques. UFO Researcher /Astronomer/Computer Scientist, Euro-America Ventures.

Ross, Hugh, Kenneth Samples & Mark Clark. Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men: A Rational Christian Look at UFOs and Extraterrestrials, NavPress, 2002.

National Space Biomedical Research Institute: www.nsbri.org

Reasons to Believe, Glendora, CA: www.reasons.org