Ava's+Page

=__ LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS __ __By Ava Downey__ =

For my 2009 Astronomy Project, my group and I chose the topic of "Life On Other Planets". Within the vast spectrum of sub-topics and information linked to that area of knowledge, I chose to research and write/present about Paranormal sightings and evidence, and the Drake Equation. Here is my Wiki-Space with all my information in my own words, bibliography, and images often linked to research pages. Before you read on, please take the time to consider what you know about Life On Other Planets. Will you know of it within your lifetime? Are we getting closer? What does it all mean?


 * __Aliens on Earth - Signs, Theories, and Evidence linked to the existence of Extra-Terrestrial Life Forms__**

For millions of years, humans have believed that they are Not Alone in the universe. While our knowledge of the galaxy has grown and clarified over the years, it is still common for humans to explain the unexplainable, the un-natural, and inconsistent on Life On Other Planets. While theories of contact with earth may be far fetching, what evidence can we take from these suspicions? Is it total nonsense, or is it genuine communication between intelligent life forms? Are the aliens really the ones carving massive rings into our corn fields? And what is so significant about Area 51? Let us explore the fantastic possibilities we have created through media, suspicion, and our own beliefs about Alien Life.


 * //Crop Circles://** The first hard piece of evidence that exists in the favor of cropcircles was a pamphlet from the late 17 hundreds, depicting a flame burning an exact circle in a corn field. There are hundreds of reports of mysterious symbols and patterns being etched in fields of wheat, barley, corn and other mass produced crops. Because of the paranormal suspicions associated with crop circles, often the attempts are hoaxes created for publicity. However, there is the rare event where one of those mysterious intricate designs appears without an explanation. Theories surrounding crop circles are generally the belief of Supernatural life forms attempting to communicate with us, e.g. their form of language, alphabet, illustrating to send a message. Some crop circle designs can be identified in our own culture, while others are detailed and complex. An anecdotal story of a farmer in Minnesota tells of how he saw some kind of light dissapearing from his dense boggy back field, and when he went to check it out the following morning, the reeds on the marsh were intricately woven together. The woven reeds could support the weight of ten men. Other theories suggest that the crop circles are the burns or imprints from a space craft landing in the said field. Of course, in all logical thinking, many of these crop circles are man made or caused by a growth incident. There has yet to be absolutely clear proof of how and when or what is the cause behind this mysterious geometrical phenomenon.



//**UFO Sigthings:**// U.F.O. stands for Unidentified Flying Object. There are millions of UFO sightings everyday in the world, as they can be mistaken as anything from a small, unusual orb of light, to a giant metal hull of a space craft 3,000 feet above the groud. UFO's are commonly depicted are saucer-like shapes, usually metal with incorporated gadgets, spinning through the air like frisbee's. Human's fascination with UFO's peaked in the late 1970's, when space technology and paranormal theory was incredibly popular. UFO's are a popular topic within the general public, appearing constantly in science fiction, film, television and manifests everywhere. Some popular culture incorporating UFO's include Star Trek, Star Wars, the childrens film Chicken Little, War of the Worlds, Space Jam, Mars Attacks, Sphere, or The Day the Earth stood still. While U.F.O. sightings are very general today, the theories on their presence and reasoning is wide ranging.


 * //Rachel, Nevada://** Rachel Nevada is a small town, made famous by its ultimate proximity to the infinetely mysterious Area 51 (See Rebecca's Page for more information) where a large strip of desert has been patrolled and made off-access to anyone short of confidential proffessionals. The significance of the site is made by the theories of the goings-on behind the doors of the area, believed to be experimenting with Aliens and their transportation, and terrific Military secrets accomodated by even bigger cover-ups. The town of Rachel only has one gas station, that closed in 2002, and the towns population has never peaked 500. As of 2007, there were 250 residents in the town, the only remaining business being a hotel run by a couple with very erratic paranormal beliefs. Rachel sees hundreds of tourists every year, all trying to get a peek at the world's biggest mystery, what lies beyond the numerous guard shacks of the flat expanse grid of Area 51. While its safe to say everyone is turned away, their stay in Rachel is remarked as very interesting in the least. Rachel has been called the "UFO Capital of the World" and a "Metropolis of Paranormal Activity". Extra-Terrestrial sightings and theories are incorporated into every day happenings, mirages and unexplained lights all lead back to the Alien presence in the township.


 * //Roswell, New Mexico://** Roswell, New Mexico, is considered to be the most important and believable crash site of a UFO Craft in human history. Witnesses say the strip of desert was host to an alien space craft, demolished by an earthly collision, and actual Alien bodies distributed within it. There is alot of controversy surrounding the events on in July of 1947. The site was cleaned rapidly and all the materials were taken for further testing, which begs the question of whether anything was actually present at the time. A video was released in 1995 claiming to be the Alien Autopsy film, but is strongly accused of being fake. The Alien body's featured in this film sport large heads, swollen craniums, eyes with a diameter of approxiametly two inches, small, shrunken arms, raised ribs, about four feet tall. As fantastic as the possibility is, some say we will never know the actual truth as the supposed material from the crash has never been seen again.


 * __The Drake Equation__**

The Drake Equation was invented by a Dr. Frank Drake. Dr. Frank Drake is now a proffessor of Astronomy at the University of California. The Drake Equation is a formula [equation] invented to "calculate the uncertainty of the probability of extraterrestrial civilization" in other words, to calculate the possibility of life (therefore organized civilization and biodiversity) on other planets. The equation itself looks like this; The equation is comprised of several multiplying factors:
 * //N = R* x Fp x Ne x Fe x Fi x Fc x L//**

R* as the approxiamate rate of "star formation per year in our galaxy."

Fp is for the number of those stars with planets

Ne is the ratio of planets able to support life from stars w/planets

Fe is the fraction of that fraction that have managed to support some life forms (bacteria, water, etc.)

Fi is the percentage of [Fe] that's life forms develop intelligence

Fc is the amount of [Fi] biodiversities or Life Systems that release "dectectable signs of their existence" into the galaxy

L is for the length of time that [Fi] are able to release these signs

Since its generation in 1960, the equation has been expanded and alternated to contemporary discoveries.

The Drake Equation is sometimes referred to as the //"Green Bank Equation"// because of its birth at the Green Bank Meeting in West Virginia, 1960. The Green Bank Meeting was during a series of Conferences held in 1960's for proffessionals to discuss the probability of life on other planets. When Dr. Frank Drake announced the theory he wasn't aware that it would be referenced for years to come within Astronomical society, it was more of a tool used to lead the discussions at the Green Bank conference. The Drake Equation is now involved in projects and committee of SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) since 1961. The estimated result of the current statistics in the Drake Equation estimates that there are approxiametly 10,000 communicative civilizations in our Galaxy (the milky way). While the Equation was a milestone in the Astronomical community, it is purely theory, since we have not occured on intelligent life forms in other planets. There is a commemerative plaque in its place of founding in Green Bank, WV.



Works Cited

 [] Cyrstal Links Extraterrestrials (independent)

[] Great Dreams - UFO’s (independent)

Life Beyond Earth: a Film By: Ferris, Timothy. | Year of publication: 2000. | Publisher: PBS DVD Video

Life On Other Worlds: the Twentieth Century Extraterrestrial Life Debate By: Dick, Steven J. | Year of publication: 1998. | Publisher: Cambridge University Press

[] NASA

[] National Geographic Website

[] SETI Institute

[] Space.com

[] UFO Maps

[] UFO Mind, Area 51

[] UFO Roswell, New Mexico 