SETI and UFOlogy

For many years SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (or its putative radio emissions) has been respectable. In contrast, UFOlogy is often dismissed. This attitude is not reasonable; it should be the other way around.

The assumption underlying SETI, that other civilizations communicate in ways familiar to us, such as radio, reflects temporocentrism and a failure of imagination. It is highly naive to think aliens are at our level technologically, and dependent on our current methods.

Civilization has existed on Earth for only about 6-7,000 years--nothing on a galactic timescale. We are mere beginners. Any or all alien civilizations are almost certainly older--perhaps by many millions of years--hence far more advanced. Even Earth is nearing the abandonment of radio. It has been said that a switch to fiber optics, and peace, would see Earth "disappear from the radio map of the heavens." Alien civilizations probably "disappeared" long ago. The failure of SETI to discover artificial transmissions of ET origin attests to the obsolescence of the approach. With the possible exception of the "WOW" signal SETI has failed utterly, which isn't at all surprising.

Considering the substantially greater age of ET worlds, it's more reasonable to expect means of communication and travel we are scarcely able to grasp. The UFO phenomenon fulfills this prediction. Reports of strange craft, with unknown propulsion methods, and speed and maneuverability surpassing that of familiar craft, is exactly what we should expect. Instead of being marginalized, UFOlogy should be embraced. There is no need to search for ET. He has found us, as he is not essentially confined to home and dependent on radio.

Below, SETI radio receiver and UFO.