Unit 2B - The Case For UFOs
The Case For UFOs
Robert Jastrow
Can you imagine a form of life as far beyond man as man is beyond the worm? Science assures that such highly evolved beings must exist on the stars and planets around us, if life is common in the Universe.
These extraterrestrials are not like the flower children in Close Encounters of the Third Kind or the cowboys of Star Wars. They are creatures whom we will judge to be possessed of magical powers when we see them. By our standards, they will be immortal, omniscient and omnipotent. They are the kinds of creatures who would be capable of a trip to the Earth from another star.
How can these bizarre notions be supported by science? Here is the evidence. One hundred billion stars like the Sun surround us in our galaxy alone; according to indirect but solid astronomical evidence, many have planets made of the same ingredients as the Earth; these planets have water and air and the same vicissitudes of climate as the Earth; the molecules on their surfaces enter into the same chemical combinations subject to the same laws of chemistry and physics, as molecules on our planet. All the necessary elements for the evolution of life are present -- simple, unthinking life at first and complex, intelligent life later on.
On the basis of these considerations, I believe that life is common on the many planetary systems in the cosmos.
Moreover, recent discoveries in astronomy prove that if life exists on other planets in the Universe, most of this life is far older than life on the Earth.
The discoveries relate to the so-called Big Bang theory, which holds that the Universe began with a gigantic explosion. The Big Bang theory has now been proved to be a fact by the Nobel Prize winning work of Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who discovered the remnant of the primordial flash of light and heat that filled the Universe at the time of the great explosion. In other words, they discovered a relic of events that actually took place shortly after the beginning of the world. Although many astronomers had resisted the Big Bang theory, the Penzias-Wilson discovery has convinced very nearly the last doubting Thomas.
The importance of the Big Bang in a discussion of UFOs and life on other worlds is that it tells us when the world began; it tells us the age of the Universe. An astronomer can calculate on the back of an envelope how long ago the Big Bang occurred. That moment marked the birth of the Universe. The result of the calculation is that the Universe came into being 20 billion years ago.
The Earth. on the other hand, was born only 4.6 billion years ago. That result comes from measurements of the ages of meteorites and from the ages of the moon rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts. Since meteorites and the moon are relatively unchanged samples of solar-system material, dating back to the birth of the planets, their age is thought to give a good estimate of the age of the Earth.
Thus, many planets circling distant stars are 5, 10 and even 15 billion years older than the Earth. It follows that the Earth is a very recent arrival in the cosmic family of planets, and man is among the youngest denizens of the Universe.
Of course, the fact that life elsewhere is older than man does not necessarily mean that this life is more intelligent. However, other scientific evidence suggests that this is likely to be the case. Throughout the last 300 million years of life on Earth, only one seemingly universal trend can be discerned in evolution; this is the trend toward greater intelligence. Since before the fishes left the water, the most intelligent form of life present on Earth in each era has been the rootstock out of which new and still more intelligent forms have evolved. The line of increasing intelligence stretches unbroken from the fishes to the reptiles to the mammals, the primates and man. Apparently, intelligence -- which permits a flexible response to changing conditions -- has a greater survival value than any other single trait.
Now we come to a critical point. Why should a line of evolution that has proceeded unchecked for hundreds of millions of years suddenly stop at the particular level of intelligence that we call "human"? Homo erectus had less brain power than Homo sapiens has; the successors to Homo sapiens should have more. If the past is any guide to the future, our descendants a billion years from now will surpass us in intelligence. And if the Earth is typical of planets in the cosmos -- and everything we know in astronomy and geology tells us that it is -- intelligent beings who live on planets billions of years older than the Earth have already reached that advanced level of intelligence that our successors will only achieve in the distant future.
This argument, proceeding step by step on the basis of evidence acquired in the basic scientific disciplines, leads to the conclusion that life on other worlds is not only billions of years older than man, but also billions of years beyond him in intelligence.
What does a billion years mean in the evolution of intelligence? For an answer, look again at the fossil record. One billion years ago, the highest form of life on the Earth was a simple, wormlike animal. The creatures who dwell on planets a billion years older than the Earth must possess an intelligence that surpasses ours by as much as we surpass the mindless, soft-bodied creatures who burrow through the soil of our gardens.
These considerations bring me full circle to my opening statement: According to the best scientific evidence, intelligent life on other worlds is likely to be as far beyond man as man is beyond the worm.
Why is it so important, in a discussion of UFOs, to establish a scientific foundation for the existence of races more intelligent than man? The answer is related to the fact that the distances between the stars are so enormously great.
If a UFO reaches the Earth, its crew must have covered those enormous distances somehow; they must have started out from someplace beyond the edge of our solar system. They cannot come from the Earth's sister planets, because no intelligent life exists in this solar system except on our own planet. All the evidence acquired by NASA spacecraft in the past few years regarding Venus, Mars and Jupiter points to that conclusion. It follows that UFOs, if they arrive here, have come from another star.
There is the rub. The closest star to the Sun is 25 trillion miles away, and it would take one million years to cover that enormous distance with the fastest rockets known to man. Our science and engineering are not adequate to meet that challenge; a trip to the stars is beyond our reach at the present time. But in another billion years, our descendants -- possessed of highly evolved minds and with a science and engineering far beyond ours -- should be able to undertake an interstellar voyage. And what our descendants can do a billion years in the future, other races, a billion years older and more evolved than man, should be able to do today.
My conclusion is that UFOs—visitors from another star—are a scientifically sound concept because science tells us that it is reasonable to believe in the existence of forms of life older and far more intelligent than man.
Has the Earth already been visited by these older, more advanced beings? The first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel records a remarkable incident that took place several thousand years ago. After an account of what seems to be a landing and an exploration by unusual beings, apparently metallic in construction, verse 24 describes their departure: "And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters ..." Anyone who saw a Saturn V rocket take off will remember that the thunderous roar sounded like Niagara Falls.
Nothing man-made except the launch of a rocket sounds like that.
Are such visits occurring at this moment? Dr. Allen Hynek has made a study of reported UFO sightings and concludes that several are unmistakably UFOs --Unidentified Flying Objects. He cannot say whether these unidentified objects have come from another star, but there are good reasons for believing that such extraterrestrial contacts -- either visitors or messages -- are more probable today than ever before in the history of our planet. Since about 1960, television stations scattered across the Earth have been spraying their signals into space at a million-watt level. In the course of the last 20 years, that expanding shell of television signals, moving away from the Earth at the speed of light, has traveled 240 trillion miles; it has now swept past more than 40 stars in the neighborhood of the Sun. Old Jack Para programs, moving away from the Earth at the speed of light, have carried the message to these stars that intelligent life exists on this planet. These television signals make the Earth the brightest radio star in our neighborhood of the galaxy at TV frequencies. For the first time in 4.6 billion years, our planet is a notable object in the heavens.
If any of those 40 nearby stars harbor intelligent beings, our presence is now known to them. As it took 20 years for our signals to reach these stars, it must take 20 years for their reply, traveling at the same speed, to get back. Unless man is alone in the cosmos, we can expect to receive a message—or a visit - by the end of this century.
And would these superior beings bother to talk to us? "In their eyes," one observer notes, "Einstein would qualify as a waiter and Thomas Jefferson as a busboy."
I think they would. They are jaded: they have lived a billion years; they have done nearly everything; they are eager for fresh experiences. After all, where else in the galaxy have they seen a creature like man before?
参考译文——为什么说不明飞行物确实存在？
为什么说不明飞行物确实存在？
罗伯特·贾斯特罗
你能想象比人类更加高级的生命形式吗？这种生命形式远远超过人类就像人类超过蠕虫一样。科学确信，如果宇宙中生命普遍存在，那么在我们周围的恒星和行星上必定存在这种高等进化的生命。
这些外星人并不像《第三种遭遇》中的戴花嬉皮士，也不像《星球大战》中的牛仔。在我们看来，他们是具有魔力的生物。依据我们的标准，他们是永恒的，无所不知、无所不能的。他们是那种能从其他星球飞到地球旅行的生物。
这些奇思异想有没有科学依据呢？且看下面的证据。仅在我们的星系中，我们周围就有一千亿颗像太阳这样的恒星；间接的但可靠的天文资料表明，很多恒星都有与地球构成成分相同的行星;这些行星上有水和空气，也有与地球相似的有规律的气候变化；其表面的分子与我们行星上的分子一样，遵循同样的化学和物理法则组成同样的化合物。生命进化的要素应有尽有——先是产生简单的、没有思维能力的生命，继而产生复杂的、有智慧的生命。
基于这些考虑，我相信，生命普遍存在于宇宙中许多行星系里。
再者，天文学最近的发现表明：如果宇宙中其他行星上存在生命的话，那么这些生命中的大部分远比地球上的生命古老。
这些发现同所谓的大爆炸理论有关。大爆炸理论认为宇宙开始于一次巨大的爆炸。大爆炸理论已被诺贝尔获得者亚诺·彭齐厄斯和罗伯特·威尔逊的研究所证实，他们发现了大爆炸时充满宇宙的光和热的最初闪爆的残余痕迹。也就是说，他们发现了世界诞生不久后确实发生的事件的遗迹。虽然许多天文学家都曾抵制过这一大爆炸理论，但亚诺·彭齐厄斯和罗伯特·威尔逊的发现几乎使每一个抱怀疑态度的人都信服了。
在讨论不明飞行物和其他世界的生命时，大爆炸的重要性在于它能告诉我们世界是何时开始的，它能告诉我们宇宙的年龄。天文学家能在一只信封的背面计算出大爆炸是多少年以前发生的。那一时刻标志着宇宙的诞生。计算结果是宇宙诞生于二百亿年之前。
而地球仅诞生于46亿年前。这个结论是通过检测陨星的年龄和阿波罗号宇航员带回的月球岩石的年龄得出的。由于陨星和月球是行星诞生的时候太阳系物质的相对说来未发生变化的样本，所以人们认为，它们的年龄为估计地球的年龄提供了很好的参照。
这样算来，许多围绕遥远的恒星运转的行星要比地球古老50亿、100亿年乃至150亿年。由此可见，地球是宇宙行星系中一个相当晚的后来者，而人类则是宇宙中最年轻的居民之一。
当然，别处的生命比人类年长的事实并不一定意味着那些生命具有更高的智慧。然而，其他科学证据表明，情况可能确实如此。从地球上的生命经历的最近3亿年间，仅能看出一个像似普遍的进化规律，这就是向更高智慧发展的趋势。早自鱼类离开水之前开始，地球上每个时期出现的智能最高的生命形式，总是演化新的具有更高智慧的生命形式的来源。智慧不断提高像一条线从未间断过，它从鱼类延伸到爬行动物，再延伸到哺乳动物、灵长目动物和人类。显然，智慧——它使对不断变化的环境作出灵活反应成为可能——与其他任何单个特征相比，对于生存具有更高的价值。
现在，我们要谈一个关键问题：为什么持续了数亿年的不断的进化过程在一个特定的智慧水平上，即我们称之为"人类"的水平上突然中止了呢？智人比猿人的脑力发达；智人后代的脑力应该更发达。如果过去可以启示将来，从现在起10亿年后，我们的后代在智慧上将要超越我们。如果地球是宇宙中一个典型的行星的话——我们的天文和地质知识告诉我们事实正是这样——那么居住在比我们的地球古老数十亿年的星球上的智慧生物其智能早已达到了我们的后代在遥远的未来才能达到的那种高级水平。
这一论点是根据基础科学学科研究中所获得的证据一步步推导出来的。它导致了这样一个结论：其他世界上的生命不仅比人类古老几十亿年，而且在智慧上也超过人类几十亿年。
在智慧进化中十亿年意味着什么呢？让我们再次从化石记录中找寻答案。十亿年前，地球上最高的生命形式是简单的蠕虫似的动物。住在比地球古老十亿年的行星上的生命在智力上超越我们的程度，就如同我们超过那些在我们花园的土壤里钻洞爬行的没有思想的软体动物一样。
这些思考又使我回到开头的论述。根据最有力的科学证据，其他星球上的智能生物可能远远超过地球上的人类，就像人类远远超过蠕虫一样。
在有关不明飞行物的讨论中，为什么确立比人类更聪明的种族存在的科学根据如此重要呢？其答案与恒星间那遥远的距离有关。
如果一个不明飞行物飞达地球，其乘员一定是设法走过了那十分遥远的距离，他们一定是从太阳系边缘以外的某个地方出发的。他们不可能来自我们地球的姐妹行星，因为在太阳系中，除了我们自己的行星以外，没有别的地方存在有智慧的生物。美国国家航空和航天局近几年获得的一切有关金星、火星和木星的证据都证实了这一结论。因此，如果有不明飞行物前来这里，那一定来自另一个恒星。
问题就出在这里。距太阳最近的恒星远在25万亿英里之外。用人类最快的火箭也要一百万年才能跨越这遥远的距离。我们的科学和工程技术还不足以迎接这样的挑战。目前，到其他星球的航行是我们力所不能及的。但过十亿年，我们的后代——拥有高度发达的头脑和远胜于我们的科学和工程技术——应该有能力进行星际旅行。而我们的子孙后代十亿年后方能做到的事，那些比人类古老十亿年且更加进化的其他星球上的人，今天应该就能办到了。
我的结论是：不明飞行物——外星的来客——从科学上来讲是一个有根据的概念，因为科学告诉我们，有理由认为比人类古老、聪慧得多的其他生命形式是存在的。
这些更古老、更先进的生物是否已经造访过地球呢？《以西结书》第一章记录了一件发生在几千年前的异乎寻常的事件。在描述了某种显然是金属结构的不寻常的生物的一次看上去好像是着陆与探索之后，第二十四节描述了它们的离去："它们离去时，我听到了它们翅膀的声响，犹如大海的涛声。"任何见过土星V火箭起飞的人都会记得它那雷鸣般的轰响，听上去就像尼亚加拉大瀑布那样。
除了发射火箭，没有任何人造的东西会发出如此的响声。
这样的造访现在还在进行吗？艾伦·海尼克博士通过对不明飞行物目击报告的研究得出结论：其中好几次确实是UFO——不明飞行物。他不能确定这些不明飞行物是否来自其他星球，但有充分理由相信这种与外星的接触——无论是来访还是信息传递——现在比我们历史上的任何时候都更有可能发生。从大约1960年起，遍布全球的电视信号壳状扩散层已经扩散了240万亿英里。这一信号扩散层现在已经掠过太阳附近的四十多颗恒星。以光速从地球传播出去的老杰克·帕尔的电视节目已将地球上有智慧生命居住的信息带给了那些星球。这些电视信号使地球在电视频率上成了我们星系中最亮的无线电星球。在46亿年里，我们的行星第一次成了太空中一个引人注目的物体。
如果在那40个邻近星球上有智慧生命，他们现在已经得知我们的存在了。既然我们的信号花了20年才到达他们的星球，他们的回答以相同的速度传回来也得花20年。除非人类在宇宙中是孤独的，我们可以预期将在本世纪末收到外星的信息或回访。
但是这些高等生命会费心与我们交流吗？一位观察家曾经评论道："在他们眼中，爱因斯坦只有资格当一个侍者，而托马斯·杰斐逊只够作侍者助手。"
我认为他们会与我们交流的。他们已经活腻了：他们已经活了十亿年，他们几乎什么事儿都干过，他们渴望新鲜事儿。毕竟，像人类这样的生物他们在星系中别的地方见过吗？
Key Words:
intelligent [in'telidʒənt]
adj. 聪明的，智能的
bizarre [bi'zɑ:]
adj. 奇异的，怪诞的
n. 奇异花
evolution [.i:və'lu:ʃən]
n. 进化，发展，演变
capable ['keipəbl]
adj. 有能力的，足以胜任的，有 ... 倾向的
galaxy ['gæləksi]
n. 银河，一群显赫之人
astronomical [.æstrə'nɔmikəl]
adj. 天文学的，巨大的
complex ['kɔmpleks]
adj. 复杂的，复合的，合成的
n. 复合体
indirect [.indi'rekt]
adj. 间接的，迂回的，次要的，不坦率的，欺骗的
evidence ['evidəns]
n. 根据，证据
v. 证实，证明
planet ['plænit]
n. 行星
cosmos ['kɔzmɔs]
n. 宇宙
(复数）cosmos或cosmos
calculate ['kælkjuleit]
v. 计算，估计，核算，计划，认为
remnant ['remnənt]
adj. 剩余的
n. 残(剩)余
calculation [.kælkju'leiʃən]
n. 计算
universe ['ju:nivə:s]
n. 宇宙，万物，世界
planetary ['plænitəri]
adj. 行星的，有轨道的
envelope ['enviləup]
n. 信封，封皮，壳层
explosion [iks'pləuʒən]
n. 爆炸，爆发，激增
convinced [kən'vinst]
adj. 信服的
relic ['relik]
n. 神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物
trait [treit]
n. 特点，特征，特性，一笔，少量
flexible ['fleksəbl]
adj. 灵活的，易弯曲的，柔韧的，可变通的
cosmic ['kɔzmik]
adj. 宇宙的，广大无边的，无限的
trend [trend]
n. 趋势，倾向，方位
vi. 倾向，转向
response [ri'spɔns]
n. 回答，响应，反应，答复
n. [宗
intelligence [in'telidʒəns]
n. 理解力，智力
n. 情报，情报工作，情报
survival [sə'vaivəl]
n. 生存，幸存者
universal [.ju:ni'və:səl]
adj. 普遍的，通用的，宇宙的，全体的，全世界的
universe ['ju:nivə:s]
n. 宇宙，万物，世界
typical ['tipikəl]
adj. 典型的，有代表性的，特有的，独特的
related [ri'leitid]
adj. 相关的，有亲属关系的
planet ['plænit]
n. 行星
enormous [i'nɔ:məs]
adj. 巨大的，庞大的
surpass [sə'pɑ:s]
vt. 超越，凌驾，胜过
astronomy [əst'rɔnəmi]
n. 天文学
evidence ['evidəns]
n. 根据，证据
v. 证实，证明
evolution [.i:və'lu:ʃən]
n. 进化，发展，演变
statement ['steitmənt]
n. 声明，陈述
concept ['kɔnsept]
n. 概念，观念
exploration [.eksplɔ:'reiʃən]
n. 探险，踏勘，探测
adequate ['ædikwit]
adj. 足够的，适当的，能胜任的
departure [di'pɑ:tʃə]
n. 离开，出发，分歧
remarkable [ri'mɑ:kəbl]
adj. 显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
enormous [i'nɔ:məs]
adj. 巨大的，庞大的
incident ['insidənt]
n. 事件，事变，插曲
adj. 难免的，附带
unusual [ʌn'ju:ʒuəl]
adj. 不平常的，异常的
intelligent [in'telidʒənt]
adj. 聪明的，智能的
verse [və:s]
n. 诗，韵文，诗节
unidentified ['ʌnai'dentifaid]
adj. 未确认的，无法识别的，身份不明的
except [ik'sept]
vt. 除，除外
prep. & conj.
shell [ʃel]
n. 壳，外壳
v. 去壳，脱落，拾贝壳
intelligent [in'telidʒənt]
adj. 聪明的，智能的
qualify ['kwɔlifai]
vt. 使合格，限定，描述
vi. 合格，取得
harbor ['hɑ:bə]
n. 海港，避难所
vt. 庇护，心怀，窝藏<
expanding [iks'pændiŋ]
扩展的，扩充的
superior [su:'piəriə]
n. 上级，高手，上标
adj. 上层的，上好
presence ['prezns]
n. 出席，到场，存在
n. 仪态，风度
planet ['plænit]
n. 行星
参考资料：
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