Cryptids

[vorlon13]

and some lube. It isn't done yet with the probe . . .

[Thumpalumpacus]

Terrestrial cyrptids have one of two problems: they must either be incredibly old, or have an extremely well-hidden breeding population. As a result, I don't lend them any credence.

I think it's entirely possible for alien intelligence to have evolved, but I don't think they've visited the Earth. I mean, you've flown across the galaxy to visit fucking Nevada? That's hardly intelligence in action.

[Anomalocaris]

No one has mentioned Ebu Gogo or Orang Pendek.

Both definitely fit the definition of a cryptid. But unlike the cryptids named in the OP, professional anthropological community thinks either or both of these actually have a reasonable chance of being real, and furthermore would be absolutely spectacular if they are actually proven to be real.

Many professional anthropologists have noted the uncanny similarity between the appearence and deduced behavior of recently discovered Homo Floresiensis, also on the island of Flores, and that of supposedly mythical Ebu Gogo and Orang Pendek, and suggested these stories were in fact no myth, but refer to populations of Homo Florensis that survived to historic times, and may survive still.

If it can be proven either Ebu Gogo or Orang Pendek are real and still survive, it would be the first time in recorded history, we would really know homo sapiens is not be alone, but share the planet with a sister species.

[Statler Waldorf]

… at least it is more likely than god existing.

Out of curiosity, how do you know this?

You can tell cryptozoology isn't a real science because it focuses on the fabulous. It's regular zoologists that actually discover new animal species.

That’s not how cryptozoology is defined at all, it’s simply the search for undiscovered or previously thought to be extinct organisms. I realize you guys are always trying to kick people you disagree with out of the science club but words have meanings.

It's this African water dinosaur, myths of which have been bouncing around since the nineties. When I was in primary school, my school's library had a little selection of videotapes you could borrow, and as a little kid fascinated by dinosaurs there was this one tape about 'em I used to borrow over and over. It had a segment on Mokele-mbembe in it, so just reading the name again hits my nostalgia pretty hard. They had a blurry, Nessie-style photo of it and a recording of its roar.

It was awesome. Man, I would fuckin' love it if some cryptids were real.

Yes! Glad I was able to take you down nostalgia lane! It’s very interesting to me because you had Africans who had no idea what a dinosaur even was drawing pictures of giant sauropods (sightings of the creatures actually pre-date the scientific discovery of dinosaurs in the 19th Century).

I don't really understand how we're supposed to gauge our percentage on these things.. If there isn't any evidence for something (and blurry polaroids, dubious 'footprints', and that-thing-my-grandma-said-she-saw-30-years-ago don't count as evidence) then why would anyone say one of these specific myths exist/existed?

We’re just gauging our suspicions on the likelihood of any of them actually existing. Personally, I feel it is far more likely that Bigfoot exists than the Jersey Devil for example.

I think it's entirely possible for alien intelligence to have evolved, but I don't think they've visited the Earth. I mean, you've flown across the galaxy to visit fucking Nevada? That's hardly intelligence in action.

Be reasonable, not just to visit Nevada, they also make some very pretty patterns in farmers’ fields!

[Minimalist]

Out of curiosity, how do you know this?

We don't "know." It's a question of probability.

With all the gods invented by humans we can trace them back to specific cultures/times. Not very god-like.

[Statler Waldorf]

We don't "know." It's a question of probability.

With all the gods invented by humans we can trace them back to specific cultures/times. Not very god-like.

This just sounds like rhetoric though, how do you know the probability that aliens exist is higher than the probability a god exists? I want to see the numbers on that.

[Minimalist]

Not "aliens." Too much baggage with that term. Extraterrestrial life.

Conservative estimates are of 100-200 billion galaxies with an average of 100 billion stars in each galaxy. Planets seem to be fairly commonplace according to recent studies which means that the possible nurseries for life exist in the universe in abundance.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/8-8...8C11529186

8.8 billion habitable Earth-size planets exist in Milky Way alone

If 1/10th of 1 percent actually produced life ( or even (1/100th of one percent) it would still be a staggering number just in this one galaxy. I know humans love to think how "special" they are but the universe is an incomprehensibly large space that most of us cannot grasp.

Whereas, we know that yahweh emerged from the Canaanite pantheon in the late bronze age and became associated with the southern polity known as Judah. In the Persian period, he got a big promotion to "Creator of the Universe" when the idea of monotheism took hold thanks to the Persians and their Boss Hooter of a god, Ahura Mazda.

[Statler Waldorf]

Not "aliens." Too much baggage with that term. Extraterrestrial life.

Conservative estimates are of 100-200 billion galaxies with an average of 100 billion stars in each galaxy. Planets seem to be fairly commonplace according to recent studies which means that the possible nurseries for life exist in the universe in abundance.

You need a lot more than just a planet in order for life to even be possible.

If 1/10th of 1 percent actually produced life ( or even (1/100th of one percent) it would still be a staggering number just in this one galaxy.

Why would any of them have produced life? How many of these planets have atmospheres? How many of them have liquid water? You do not know if any of them even have the necessary preconditions to even begin discussing abiogenesis.

I know humans love to think how "special" they are but the universe is an incomprehensibly large space that most of us cannot grasp.

Significance and value is not necessarily based upon size, if you think that is the case then I’ll trade you all of my large nickels for your small dimes.

Whereas, we know that yahweh emerged from the Canaanite pantheon in the late bronze age and became associated with the southern polity known as Judah. In the Persian period, he got a big promotion to "Creator of the Universe" when the idea of monotheism took hold thanks to the Persians and their Boss Hooter of a god, Ahura Mazda.

Even if this were true it’d be irrelevant because that was not even the original claim, the original claim was that it is more likely that aliens exist than any god, so you’re going to have to deal with the probability of any god existing not just Yahweh. I get so tired of you guys making claims that you cannot back up.

[Minimalist]

Why would any of them have produced life?

Why did this one? (I bet I know what you are going to say.)

Even if this were true it’d be irrelevant because that was not even the original claim, the original claim was that it is more likely that aliens exist than any god, so you’re going to have to deal with the probability of any god existing not just Yahweh.

I used yahweh the bloody handed because it seems to be the extent of your interest. Nonetheless....all other gods can be traced to a distinct culture. This is not rocket science.

[ignoramus]

In all honesty, I feel the truth is somewhat a lot less exciting.
Maybe light speed travel is an impossibility.
Then, even if there if other life out there, the vast majority will never ever make contact with anyone else.