The U.S. military takes UFOs seriously. Why doesn't Silicon Valley or academia?

Having said that, I realise I'm going off the topic of the thread here, so I'll stop there.

Ah don't worry it's on topic IMO...and I made the thread.

You may be right but remember the kind of distances we are talking about here. The nearest star (after our sun) is 4.5 light years way. Going to Mars is completely irrelevant by comparison. 
 
It would take more than four years travelling at 186000 miles a second (if I have that right ?)

which is...just give me a sec to work it out in my head.... 23808000000000 miles ....a very long way. And even when you get there, you are actually only nowhere, relatively.   

That must be some spacecraft they have. Don't think Richard Branson will be rolling one out too soon. 

Sure, but there remain holes in our understanding of physics that might allow effective means of breaking the light speed barrier.  (e.g., folding space)  Could be even more exotic ideas we haven't even dreamed up as yet.

Obviously, this is hardly evidential but just my personal view on eliminating the potential of advance life forms having figured out how to deal with these challenges.

What I have to say about this is only what I've come across (as reported) from various occurrences/sources. None of it has any science behind it.  

One of the two trapped miners (Shepton Mine disaster) reported that he travelled across the universe (infinite number of universes he said) with ease (instantly) out of his body. He saw many other life forms, most of them more advanced than us some quite similar in appearance, some very different. (Star wars ?) 

I'm making the assumption that he was telling the truth and what he said is correct, although such an assumption is just that. worthless really. 

So, assuming all that, the human psyche (soul) would seem to be something beyond the laws of physics, certainly not in the electromagnetic spectrum, as he didn't take years to get there even if he could have travelled at the speed of light (which is again only theoretical). It's something else, some kind of 'stuff' we can't even approach.  

Having said that, I realise I'm going off the topic of the thread here, so I'll stop there.

Actually Tim, this has reminded me of something half-forgotten. Quite a few decades ago now, I was curious as to whether astral travel or journeying out of the body was even possible, or whether it was a fairy tale. There was only one way to find out. I spent many months, perhaps years trying to achieve an intentional OOBE. Of course nothing at all happened. For a long time. But eventually it happened. It was all very much uncontrolled, I had no idea what I was doing. But there was one occasion when I found myself suddenly in the space between the stars. I was overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. There was a feeling, something I barely remember, something perhaps I wrote down somewhere, It felt profound in some way. I had no way of identifying my location, but I had the impression that it was beyond our solar system. Then it was over. Only lasted very briefly, then back in my body.

I haven't attempted anything like this for years now. The main thing was I needed to verify whether or not such things were possible, by hands-on experiment. That was the scientist in me. Perform experiments.

Since then I've tended towards the idea that interstellar travel would be done this way, directly, instantly, rather than by constructing hardware, with all the practical difficulties that involves, the biggest obstacle being the brevity of the human lifespan. We blink in and out of existence like mayflies, on these cosmic timescales.

Since then I've tended towards the idea that interstellar travel would be done this way, directly, instantly, rather than by constructing hardware, with all the practical difficulties that involves, the biggest obstacle being the brevity of the human lifespan. We blink in and out of existence like mayflies, on these cosmic timescales.

Frankly I was surprised at the lack of response to my post thinking along similar lines, I had in my mind that most people here would ‘of course’ think the same, but it seems not to be the case. Assume - makes an ass out of u and me. 

Frankly I was surprised at the lack of response to my post thinking along similar lines, I had in my mind that most people here would ‘of course’ think the same, but it seems not to be the case. Assume - makes an ass out of u and me. 

Well, I hope I wasn't ignoring you. I hadn't intended to post in this thread, as I really don't have any first-hand knowledge of ufo phenomena, so I'm a bit useless in that respect.

Sure, but there remain holes in our understanding of physics that might allow effective means of breaking the light speed barrier.  (e.g., folding space)  Could be even more exotic ideas we haven't even dreamed up as yet.

Obviously, this is hardly evidential but just my personal view on eliminating the potential of advance life forms having figured out how to deal with these challenges.

Yes, I agree. There may be "methods" (waiting to be discovered) that might enable the traversing of the universe quickly so that here and there might not be so important anymore. To be honest, I don't like to think about the size of the universe too much, it's enough to induce insanity.

Actually Tim, this has reminded me of something half-forgotten. Quite a few decades ago now, I was curious as to whether astral travel or journeying out of the body was even possible, or whether it was a fairy tale. There was only one way to find out. I spent many months, perhaps years trying to achieve an intentional OOBE. Of course nothing at all happened. For a long time. But eventually it happened. It was all very much uncontrolled, I had no idea what I was doing. But there was one occasion when I found myself suddenly in the space between the stars. I was overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. There was a feeling, something I barely remember, something perhaps I wrote down somewhere, It felt profound in some way. I had no way of identifying my location, but I had the impression that it was beyond our solar system. Then it was over. Only lasted very briefly, then back in my body.

I haven't attempted anything like this for years now. The main thing was I needed to verify whether or not such things were possible, by hands-on experiment. That was the scientist in me. Perform experiments.

Since then I've tended towards the idea that interstellar travel would be done this way, directly, instantly, rather than by constructing hardware, with all the practical difficulties that involves, the biggest obstacle being the brevity of the human lifespan. We blink in and out of existence like mayflies, on these cosmic timescales.

That's interesting, Typoz ! Personally however, I can't see how making the journey in an 'astral body' is going to be much use to humans in general looking to explore the universe, though.

That's interesting, Typoz ! Personally however, I can't see how making the journey in an 'astral body' is going to be much use to humans in general looking to explore the universe, though.

Maybe, I don't know. But looking at things from the opposite direction, not of ourselves going out exploring, but of 'others' coming here to explore, then we can be even less certain. Maybe there are visitors all around us...

Maybe, I don't know. But looking at things from the opposite direction, not of ourselves going out exploring, but of 'others' coming here to explore, then we can be even less certain. Maybe there are visitors all around us...

I believe that we are (likely) relatively Barbarians. I wouldn't want to come here if I was from an advanced civilisation. It would surely be like visiting hell, the things we get up to.

I believe that we are (likely) relatively Barbarians. I wouldn't want to come here if I was from an advanced civilisation. It would surely be like visiting hell, the things we get up to.

Considering the extremely great probable age of such civilizations (on the order of many millions of years), and that such beings would be much more highly evolved, they would seem to most likely look upon humans as we do tribes and groups of monkeys or even lower animals on the cognitive and spiritual scale. They wouldn't relate to us much at all except as interesting animals to be studied, certainly not as modern civilized Europeans would relate to also human barbarians.