The broadcast of War of The Worlds is unique because I feel like it has elements of both science fiction and science fact. On the science fiction side, I feel that the advanced nature of the extraterrestrials lends itself to this category. The time it took for the aliens to reach Earth seemed like science fiction as well. I assume that the explosions on Mars that the story mentioned, were the launch of the alien creatures. From the time of the explosions and the arrival of the alien cylinders, it seems that they moved through space at a speed of which we have no scientific capability. Another science fiction item mentioned would have to be the heat rays that the aliens were using.
I think one of the only times that I can recall that science fact comes through is the observation of Mars. It makes sense that there would be people watching Mars for strange phenomenon, as there is a space rover on Mars right now searching the planet. Whether there is life on the planet remains to be seen, but it would certainly be an exciting discovery if it were to be true.
Life on Mars would be huge, though life anywhere in our solar system would change everything we think we know about life... religion, and our place in the universe. Even simple life would radically shift our understanding of the greater universe and just where we fit into the picture.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that life found anywhere else in our solar system would changed everything we knew and think. I also wonder how many scientists are actually still trying to determine this, because even NASA's funding has been cut down tremendously. Are there private organizations out there still conducting this kind of research?
ReplyDeletePersonally I love the idea of aliens and would be pretty excited if we one day prove life on other planets. With that said, I don't believe there is life on other planets. Microorganisms and early life forms sure, but nothing that can fly in a space ship traveling from planet to planet in an instant. I believe that the way in which the story was broadcasted was the one reason it created such a movement.
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