Maybe our visitors aren’t visitors at all and just checking in on their genetic experiments?

4 hours ago, SayAgain said:

Maybe our visitors aren’t visitors at all and just checking in on their genetic experiments?

This has been one of my satire theories for years now, based on when I first moved to New Zealand and seeing how damaging evasive species have been for the ecology here, that was when I realized Humans are the worst evasive species of them all.

What If we were not from this planet originally but brought here from our mother planet, and that planet had differences in gravity, day/year cycles, oxygen levels, temperatures etc. so we were modified in a lab to adapt to this environment and brought here, then something happened the creators couldn't make it back so we were left to our own devices for this long.

First thing we did was we had to get rid of those Neanderthals, they just had to go, and here we are centuries later the rest is history 🤣

As a satire you can make a lot of things out of this 

On 7/29/2025 at 10:23 PM, Matthew Kane said:

The only reason to send a person there is just to claim you can do it

Yes, and this is the only reason why I support a manned mission to Mars, IE to "do it".  I would love to finally see human beings land on another planet and return to Earth safely.

What you say about Mars and the Moon being extremely inhospitable is spot on also.  It is a fantasy to think that we could actually build permanent colonies or mines there.  It seems that some folks have become a bit too enthralled with sci-fi stories and movies. 

Don't misunderstand me, I would love to see us develop awesome spacecraft and colonize other planets and start mining asteroids, but I'm also cognizant of the fact that we have neither the technology nor the money to do this within my lifetime, and likely not for another hundred years at least.

Maybe in my next life...

Dave 

1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

Maybe in my next life...

Hopefully not in this incarnation:

 

I find all the talk (not just here) about what's technologically, theoretically, mathematically, or physically "possible" to be a bit amusing.

To think that we are near enough to the limits of understanding of physics or technology to even imply that we know what could be possible is hubris at best, and that's being really generous.

The first exoplanets were confirmed in 1992. I remember 1992...wasn't that long ago. We are just barely getting started at this.

Let's not pretend like we have any clue of what's possible when it comes to interstellar travel or extraterrestrial (or inter-dimensional) life. While we've made some very quick progress in the last hundred years, we are still operating with a sample size of one (for reference), and a fairly limited context.

Saying something is impossible, or improbable because of a certain limit sounds like someone in the 14th century stating that intercontinental travel will always take months, because wind-powered ships can only go so fast. Logically, they would be right, but they don't even have the ability to understand how wrong they actually are.

We don't know what we don't know.

DB

 

 

On 8/3/2025 at 5:07 AM, dave2013 said:

What you say about Mars and the Moon being extremely inhospitable is spot on also.  It is a fantasy to think that we could actually build permanent colonies or mines there.

 

Really? I would say its absolutely not a fantasy and will happen. There's no scientific reason why we can't, its purely an engineering challenge. Several other nations, including China, who are making rapid progress, are currently active in the "new space race" and planning a base on the Moon.

There's lots of resources on both Mars and the Moon. The Moon contains lots of helium 3 which is very rare on Earth and is ideal for fusion. Titanium, rare earth elements, all abundant on the Moon. And dont forget the significant strategic importance of the Moon. 

I note that you did use the word "permanent" well, the base itself would be permanent but the personel would work in shifts, due to the lower gravity. Periodically returning to Earth.

 

"China plans to establish a permanent, manned lunar base called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), in partnership with Russia. The initial phase, involving robotic missions, is slated to begin in the 2030s, with the goal of a fully functional base by 2035. This includes constructing a nuclear power plant on the moon by 2035 to provide energy for the base. The project aims to rival the US-led Artemis program. "

Edited August 4, 2025Aug 4 by martin-w

On 8/2/2025 at 11:07 PM, dave2013 said:

What you say about Mars and the Moon being extremely inhospitable is spot on also.

Earth orbit is also extremely inhospitable, but we've had people living there since Skylab in 1973.  Russia had Mir, the US had the International Space Station.

Not quite the same as colonies, but not just brief visits, either.

Hook