12 votes

Harvard astrophysicist says 2017 interstellar object sighting was humanity’s first contact with an artifact of extraterrestrial intelligence

6 comments

  1. rosco
    Link
    I think it's important to note that in the first paragraph they mention that he is part of a VC funded company (Breakthrough Starshot) that is attempting to prove the commercial validity of "light...

    I think it's important to note that in the first paragraph they mention that he is part of a VC funded company (Breakthrough Starshot) that is attempting to prove the commercial validity of "light sails". He then describes the alien device as a "light sail" that allows extra terrestrials to visit our home planet. The man may be a Harvard professor, but it feels to me like Elon Musk saying "that bright light you just saw wasn't a shooting star, it was aliens using the exact same type of engine we are prototyping for our new Falcon 7.6 Mars ready shuttle... care to invest?".

    24 votes
  2. krg
    Link
    Well... my cynical take is that this conjecture was formulated to sell a book.

    Well... my cynical take is that this conjecture was formulated to sell a book.

    14 votes
  3. [4]
    pseudochron
    Link
    The astrophysicist is Avi Loeb and he is discussing ʻOumuamua, the first known interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. He also talked about it a couple weeks ago with Joe Rogan.

    The astrophysicist is Avi Loeb and he is discussing ʻOumuamua, the first known interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. He also talked about it a couple weeks ago with Joe Rogan.

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [2]
        post_below
        Link Parent
        Science began as an answer to the problem of anecdotal evidence. At it's core science recognizes that we are unreliable narrators. Here Loeb is not being in any way scientific, he doen't have...

        Science began as an answer to the problem of anecdotal evidence. At it's core science recognizes that we are unreliable narrators.

        Here Loeb is not being in any way scientific, he doen't have evidence, or a testable hypothesis. It's just conjecture. One that he has a clear emotional motivation to make.

        From a scientific standpoint it's remarkably irresponsible to say this thing was made by aliens based on what we know. That's why the rest of the scientific community isn't saying it.

        From a conversational standpoint it's great. What if it was alien? That would be cool.

        Side note, I love how he says a major problem in science is self promotion and ego and also: "Have you seen my new book? I'm doing 100's of interviews! OMG it's crazy! But it's not about me, it's about the message. I mean yes, it's my message. But it's so big and important!"

        19 votes
        1. Kenny
          Link Parent
          I think this quote sums up this concisely:

          I think this quote sums up this concisely:

          "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan

          7 votes
      2. gpl
        Link Parent
        I’m not sure I understand what you mean or how it relates to the alien stuff.

        I’m not sure I understand what you mean or how it relates to the alien stuff.

        13 votes