Ask HN: What do you make of all the recent UFO stuff? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What do you make of all the recent UFO stuff?

14 pointsneom18 comments

Curious about what folks on HN think about all the recent UFO news that has been coming out? What are your thoughts and feelings about UFOs? What do you expect to be in the report next month? (Especially curious to hear from folks with a background in physics).

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Mick West and Phil "Thunderf00t" Mason have released videos debunking several of the "genuine UFO" videos that have come out recently, and I've found their explanations convincing.

I'm more interested in the motivations of the U.S. military for releasing footage that appears to be so easily debunked. If the reason is truly that they're fishing for higher budgets, that's taking a pretty cynical view of those responsible for making those decisions... Like, tossing a pie plate in the air, and showing that video to halfwit politicians and asking for more money for defense. It's a bummer, if that's what's going on.

Or broader, what do they want not talked about? Funny stories are often released as a distraction. There are potentially some seriously embarrassing stories about issues around january 6th. What else do the generals want ignored, perhaps SpaceX restructuring an entire industry?

Why aren't civilian engineers independently "discovering" the same technology? The types of world-class physicists that would be able to realize UFO technology, if it were possible, aren't all operating under classification in the military, some are academics or engineers, for example.

"I'm more interested in the motivations of the U.S. military for releasing footage that appears to be so easily debunked."

It makes plenty of sense that they would release these easily debunked videos. One, likely, reason is they dont think there's anything special about them. The second would be to cover up more convincing evidence by making people think they handed over all the videos.

I had an encounter in my teens in the 90’s. As such I don’t think these are radar glitches or psyop. These are in fact real.

Interestingly most video accounts I see are of gently floating ufo’s. The thing I saw was zipping around and treated the sky like an air hockey table.

I did a lot of digging to reconcile what I saw and came down to the conclusion that these are probably projected masses. (Not real objects)

Recently however I think I’m adapting the thought that these may in fact be real craft.

Definitely ours.

If aliens exist and have the ability to travel interstellar distances, why are they wasting their time on inane stunts like buzzing fighter pilots? Unless that means they're just as dumb as we are, which is an incredibly depressing insight.

I doubt they're from other systems. Long time and distance to other habitable (pick your criteria) systems.

If they're from other systems, they're likely uncrewed and fully autonomous. The same thing we may one day attempt, if we make it that long.

Interesting question: What if the goals of their civilization have completely changed since launch? It's likely been a long time.

Will we account for that when we launch?

It's an interesting question. I think there is something in distance + time + technological advances at the source? If you advanced your technology, in theory your new stuff could literally pass(collect) your old stuff? I think if you're intellectually advanced enough to send what you suspect will be a successful mission to another system, you can kinda reason through aborting/changing it based on the advances you might make in the time it takes to travel? Not sure that makes any sense.

Videos are still in the realm of "big foot" to me. A shadowy figure or a spec on the screen. Grainy footage.

I am not closed minded or dismissive to the possibility of alien flying saucers. Gyros or whatever it may be to propel something that almost seems like perpetual motion. I just need some harder evidence.

The US military does not broadcast its vulnerabilities. These objects aren't even from other countries.

When everything comes out, there will be some people able to say "I've told you so, for the last 40 years"... They still won't be listened to, and the general "known Truth" will resemble the actual reality about as much as it does now, even if society comes to believe we're vassals of an intergalactic feudalistic state.

It could be pure propaganda entirely focused on getting the Navy in control of the nacesnt "space force"; that'd be a bit more cynical and farsighted than I expect from large parts of government.

Let me put my tin foil hat on.

Most probably some new tech been tested by Air force. They deliberately creating noise to suppress accidental discovery of tests.

Alternatively they want to convince someone that they have some tech that is interesting enough to create such cover up for.

If you are weak, let the enemy think you are strong.

If you are strong, let the enemy think you are weak.

> Especially curious to hear from folks with a background in physics

I believe these to be early trisolaran probes; their aim is to intimidate Earth's leadership into stunting the technological progress of the planet by investing resources in Blue Origin and ULA. This will prevent humans from bringing up effective orbital defences in time.

Years after having read the trilogy, I still often get reminded about the story and the elements in it. Thank you for sharing.

Seems to be a great way to justify higher budgets for the Air Force. But most of the news is quite blurry and murky.

Why would it justify a higher budget? If they already have superior crafts and unknown capabilities and haven't been hostile, then it seems they are not a threat and we might not be able to counter them anyways. Assuming they exist.

Until it affects me or concretely confirmed, what's the point in guessing about the stuff?

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