Law and Magic Blog

Cryptozoology

MSNBC.com offers this look at the latest in cryptozoology, packaged as a career for writer Loren Coleman. Mr. Coleman is probably best known for his association with the tv series In Search Of (2002 version). Also check out MSNBC.com's X-File Odysseys.

Wait, Wait, E.T.: TV Really Isn't a Vast Wasteland

Astronomer Frank Drake is worried that aliens, if they're watching and listening, may form erroneous opinions about us based on tv signals. In response to a question from Spiegel Online about what ETs might see (and understand, I suppose), he said, "Particularly at night there are so many crime programs on television, violence and blood and all that. That is a really inaccurate picture of our civilization."

Well, maybe so. On the other hand, assuming they have been watching and listening, or have already visited, and understand our pop culture (big, big assumptions), maybe they've decided we've got nothing interesting to say. After all, our desire to communicate with extraterrestrials presupposes that they want to engage in the conversation, too.

Read more here.