Pro/Con: Are Aliens Humanoid?
PRO
Written by Bella Alimenti
In 1969, we reached for the stars and put our first man on the moon. Now in 2021, we question if there are beings out there that have done the same, and whether or not they’ll reach out to us— at least not before we do.
Aliens are not a foreign idea to us; in fact, the beginnings of the concept stretch back 2,400 years ago, from the philosopher who discovered atoms: Epicurus. He considered that the universe was a result of atoms moving around, and therefore, there had to be other planets in the Universe with life beyond humans. At the time, religion was a big factor in science, so his claim was disregarded because it would bring about questions that would directly challenge the church.
Ever since Epicurus considered aliens all those many years ago, they have been referenced endlessly in the media— particularly in the last century— in which they've been stereotyped as a population possibly existent on earth. Usually, they are depicted as green or grey, black bug eyes, lean bodies with long limbs, and indirectly resembling a human. Because of the media, aliens have become a highly researched subject among the public and in the science field. Just in our school, according to the Wind-Up’s student survey, nearly 52% of students believe that aliens exist, and 26% would need to give the concept more consideration.
Scientifically speaking, aliens have gone from conspiracy to possibility. According to Elizabeth Howell, a writer for Space.com, scientists have a rough estimate on how many alien civilizations are outside of the Milky Way because of something called the Drake equation. This equation calculates the number of planets that can sustain earth-like life and are also likely inhabited. Considering this probability, it’s less so a matter of if and more a matter of when we will discover aliens. Which raises the question: should we contact them, if the opportunity arises?
In response, a student commented, “No. It would show that we could be far technologically outmatched, and if so, then it could show that we have not passed the great filter of civilizations, the cause for why we don't see any other civilizations often.” said Jared Svetlev, 12.
Layla Garcia, 9 on the opposing side, said, “There is so much we can learn about other species from other planets, especially if they are from planets different from Earth. We can learn how they live differently.”
Many differing opinions arise around aliens because they’re a worldwide mystery, so if we had the opportunity to contact them, our world would be divided. The positives of contacting aliens could be that we could communicate with a whole new species and exchange our ways of life… but all those Hollywood blockbusters about aliens should make us extremely cautious of them.
On the other hand, it’s likely that aliens are smaller than what our brains can fathom, like bacteria or other microscopic organisms. Physicist and science writer Mark Buchanan, of the Washington Post, speculated that, based on where we are with alien research, it is likely that any life could be out there. It’s selfish for humans to assume we are alone in the universe.
CON
Written by Sophie Confer
From UFOs to 1980’s sci-fi movies, we have seen aliens portrayed time and time again in pop culture, but do these little green men actually exist?
According to astrobiologist and professor Martin Van-Kranendonk, we are far from meeting a friendly alien and helping him phone home.
“If we use purely empirical data and assume the question refers to any type of life outside of Earth that is not related to human activity, then the answer — as far as we know — must be no,” Prof. Martin Van-Kranendonk said.
graphic by bella alimenti
Others disagree. Referring to Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, space technology expert Dr. Rebecca Allen opposes this view.
“The most predominant form of life is much older, smaller and more resilient. I’m talking about microorganisms, of course,” Dr. Allen said. She believes the humanoid life forms known in the media as the typical “alien” do not exist, but microorganisms may challenge critics of life in space.
While Allen’s bacterial claim to life beyond Earth stands, it is not proven correct.
Similarly, the Drake Equation, frequently used to estimate extraterrestrials in the Milky Way, is not proven. In Joel Achenbach’s “UFO Mania Is Out of Control. Please Stop.”, the Washington Post science writer says, “The smart thing about the Drake Equation is that it doesn’t pretend to provide an answer, because many of the factors aren’t known.”
Sorry to disappoint those who believe in aliens, but with zero evidence of human-like green beings, they remain a mystery in existence. So until proven otherwise, let aliens merely exist in your uncle’s conspiracies about UFOs, or as a character in Men in Black.