The Paracast - UFO's & Paranormal

[Gravedigger Dav]

If that makes you feel knowledgeable, fine.

theory

1. a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena:
Einstein's theory of relativity.
Synonyms: principle, law, doctrine.

The definition doesn't agree with your position. tested general propositions doesn't say vetted and confirmed fact. commonly regarded as correct doesn't mean everyone is on board with it.
They are a good guideline to study from, but theory does not equal fact.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

How about the theory of gravity? Just a theory?

I have never heard gravity described as a theory.

 

[Gorn]

I have never heard gravity described as a theory.

I have.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I have.

Okay, I did a little googling and I see you point. I had to give you some credibility because of your knowledge of the field. I see now the problem. You are speaking as if in a scientific community. Not all of us are and may not understand the way you are using your words. I found this that helped me understand. Hopefully, it will clear up some other's confusion: Text : Is Gravity a Theory or a Law? | The Happy Scientist

But, if the Ancient Alien Theorists haven't commented yet, we can't be sure.

 

[Gorn]

Okay, I did a little googling and I see you point. I had to give you some credibility because of your knowledge of the field. I see now the problem. You are speaking as if in a scientific community. Not all of us are and may not understand the way you are using your words. I found this that helped me understand. Hopefully, it will clear up some other's confusion: Text : Is Gravity a Theory or a Law? | The Happy Scientist

But, if the Ancient Alien Theorists haven't commented yet, we can't be sure.

I'm not really that knowledgable. I'm just a science enthusiast.

But the point is the word "theory" in a scientific sense has a vastly different meaning than it does for every day dummies like me. It's more than facts or proofs. It's the field. It's the whole array of knowledge that's built from years of work. The theory of gravity is more than the idea that things fall down. The germ theory of disease is more than the idea that tiny monsters make us sick.

It's really just a bad word. The two meanings are simultaneously similar and completely different.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I'm not really that knowledgable. I'm just a science enthusiast.

But the point is the word "theory" in a scientific sense has a vastly different meaning than it does for every day dummies like me. It's more than facts or proofs. It's the field. It's the whole array of knowledge that's built from years of work. The theory of gravity is more than the idea that things fall down. The germ theory of disease is more than the idea that tiny monsters make us sick.

It's really just a bad word. The two meanings are simultaneously similar and completely different.

That is what I got out of the link I posted. My error was my definition of theory.

 

[Gorn]

But, if the Ancient Alien Theorists haven't commented yet, we can't be sure.

Ancient alien theory, although really interesting, is barely a theory. It's really more of hypothesis. I think it's called directed panspermia. It's a fascinating idea, but that's all it is. A guess at how abiogenesis may have happened on this planet. Really interesting stuff, but no more than an idea.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Ancient alien theory, although really interesting, is barely a theory. It's really more of hypothesis. I think it's called directed panspermia. It's a fascinating idea, but that's all it is. An attempt at explaining how abiogenesis may have happened on this planet. Really interesting stuff, but no more than an idea.

I guess you haven't seen the TV show on The History Channel 2 called "Ancient Aliens".
This guy is the host and he looks like somebody you don't believe, but you know it would be easier to let him rant. One of the announcer's common lines is "as Ancient Alien Theorists suggest..."

 

[Goad]

gravity is actually a theory. No one has measured gravity for every atom, star, etc. etc.

 

[sissy kathy]

How about the theory of gravity? Just a theory?

Yes, just a theory. The fact that gravity exists isn't a theory, but the mechanism of how it works is.

 

[rtslinger]

Never saw any Aliens but I witnessed crafts while driving on the NJ turnpike back in 2001 near the Newark Airport I and others pulled to the shoulder of the road to check it out. I know what I saw it even made the news.

 

[Gorn]

Never saw any Aliens but I witnessed a craft while driving on the NJ turnpike back in 2001 near the Newark Airport I and others pulled to the shoulder of the road to check it out. I know what I saw it even made the news.

I believe that you saw something that defies explanation but what exactly do you think it means? Do you think it's definitive evidence of aliens flying a space ship at very low altitude over the Jersey turnpike?

 

[rtslinger]

I believe that you saw something that defies explanation but what exactly do you think it means? Do you think it's definitive evidence of aliens flying a space ship at very low altitude over the Jersey turnpike?

Not sure what it was at least 5, small ones and a very large V shaped one that hovered. Jets flying out of the airport were dwarfed by this thing there were tons of cars pulled over looking at it including NJ State Police. I saw it for at least 15 or 20 minutes at one time the airport hit it with a spotlight it was solid and if I was to guess the size compared to a Jumbo jet maybe 5 times the size. something you can't explain.

 

[Gorn]

Not sure what it was at least 5, small ones and a very large V shaped one that hovered. Jets flying out of the airport were dwarfed by this thing there were tons of cars pulled over looking at it including NJ State Police. I saw it for at least 15 or 20 minutes at one time the airport hit it with a spotlight it was solid and if I was to guess the size compared to a Jumbo jet maybe 5 times the size. something you can't explain.

That sounds awesome. I woulda stopped and stared in awe with you. But what do you think it means?

 

[rtslinger]

Okay I looked it up online and found this about it

CARTERET: NEWARK AIRPORT RADAR INFORMATION -- The National Institute for Discovery Science on July 25, 2001, sent a FOIA request to the FAA requesting radar tapes (Tracon) for the July 14-15, 2001 time frame around the Carteret UFO incident. NIDS also requested the tower voice tapes for the same time period from Newark International Airport. A preliminary analytical report that details unidentified flying objects without transponders detected on air traffic control radar in the airspace around Newark International Airport on the night of July 14-15, 2001.
By far the most noteworthy aspect of this communication is the large number of objects detected that DO NOT have transponders (all commercial aircraft have transponders) in the airspace around Newark International at the same time that an estimated seventy eyewitnesses on the New Jersey Turnpike and a further fifty (estimated) witnesses from Staten Island reported unidentified lights in the same area of sky. A request to randomly check for aircraft without transponders at the same time on a DIFFERENT night produced the result that there were no objects without transponders in the air around Newark International airport on that second, randomly chosen, night.
This "control" study lends support to the notion that such a large profusion of objects without transponders in the air around one of the busiest international airports in the world is unusual. Secondly, the fact that multiple objects without transponders were in the same airspace while over one hundred eyewitnesses on the ground were watching several unidentified objects over Carteret might be of interest. Thanks to NIDS and MUFON's Director John Schuessler. See report at:Nidsci.org
Editor's Note: Peter Davenport also requested a similar FOIA From the FAA. Our contacts with military and Coast Guard radar operators have revealed similar information concerning unknowns. A dozen anomalous targets possibly circling targets flew over the Newark International Airport general area on July 15 around 12:30 AM. These anomalous targets flying through controlled airspace illegally flew in wide variations in speed. Most were moving relatively slowly around 60 mph. One was moving at 250 mph and a high-speed craft flew through the area at around 600 knots (690 MPH). Speeds varied from 580 to 620 knots (670 to 720 MPH) faster than any normal jet traffic. Numerous slow moving targets were also reported that flew slower than any normal aircraft traffic from 50 to 80 knots.
My discussion with John Callahan former FAA Division Chief of Accidents and Investigation in Washington, DC revealed similar radar data has been available for many years. He revealed that during his six years in this position other similar cases were investigated and the FAA was told by the CIA to keep this information quiet. John revealed during the Disclosure Project how he had radar proof of a UFOs over Alaska that were reported by a Japanese Air Lines 747 flown by Captain Kenja Terochi in 1986. The 747 crew and multiple radar have spotted a huge aircraft carrier size UFO over Alaska. TWA and other airline crews also spotted the UFO. Captain Terochi announced his sighting to the press and was soon relieved from flying duties. The other aircraft crews were smart enough to keep quiet and keep their jobs. This ridicule factor more than any other keeps the true extent of the UFO problem relatively secret. Dr. Richard Haines a NASA scientist happened to meet the Chief Me! dical Officer for Japan Airlines and asked about the incident. He was told a medical review board had decided that it was not wise to have pilots who see strange things. Numerous near misses by military and commercial pilots are kept quiet in this way. Fortunately, the pilots of the UFOs generally react quickly and avoid most mid-air collisions. When our aircraft fall out of the sky and hundreds of witnesses report seeing a UFO in near proximity, it is time to consider their involvement in accidents.

 

[rtslinger]

That sounds awesome. I woulda stopped and stared in awe with you. But what do you think it means?

I don't know it is beyond my comprehension as to what it was I witnessed. I know it freaked me out makes you wonder if it was man made why would it be low flying near a extremely busy airport with no regards to anyone's safety on the ground or in the airspace the planes were moving in. I will admit as much as I was amazed by the sighting I was truly scared. The V shaped one was massive it is something I can't unsee.

 

[metron]

Science is cool and I studied it a bunch. It seems that some people have a fundamental misunderstanding of how it functions though. Here is a nugget. Newton's laws of mechanics were considered fact for a long time. Then Einstein came along with general relativity. What he showed was that Newton's model was an excellent approximation at low speeds however it changes at very high speeds. Newton was not wrong, he just wasn't completely right. Einstein just added more understanding within a framework that hadn't been considered previously. Killer stuff!

I don't believe in ghosts or "UFOs" coming to our planet but at the very least I think it's still entertaining to think about for myself a lot of people. Not going to take it seriously though. Extraterrestrial life probably exists but there's no proof yet.

Every belief I hold is tentative and allows for changes in understanding or, in other words, I don't actually "believe" anything.

I try to think the same way.

 

[pacojas]

 

[ddnidd1]

One thing that occurs to me is that for all of the paranormal occurrences that people cite as fact, such as UFOs, Bigfoot, Cupacabra, on and on, etc., since cell phones with cameras are just about as common as car keys, why don’t we have Many Conclusive videos of these amazing occurrences and sightings?

Sites like Liveleak seem to be able to post videos of some of the most incredible, unlikely events on the planet, capturing verifiable images of the events.

I, personally, am very open-minded and entertain all types of Absolutely Fantastic possibilities, particularly with respect to the cosmos and the universe.

 

[Munjibunga]

I don't agree, either. A theory is an idea or concept. Let's take the Theory of Relativity, for example. Although much of it is proven fact, there are still parts that are not settled. It therefore remains a theory.

Bottom line, we don't know everything, but we do know a lot and the facts we know comprise most of most collective theories. We can argue semantics all day but to say, for instance, that the theory of evolution is "just a theory" as a means to refute it is just plain ignorant.