I don't believe
they're back. Some nice computer graphics combined with the required (but not believable) astonished audio commentary.
Hey, I like Close Encounters and The Day The Earth Stood Still, too, but we may be fooling ourselves when we look around and see the abundant life here on Earth and say, "Sure, got to be others out there, billions and billions, right? Wrong.
Read the Rare Earth Hypothesis. The probable answer to
Fermi's Paradox is that this is, indeed, "This Island Earth", and that most of the universe is actually not conducive for life.
From the Wiki:
RARE EARTH HYPOTHESISIn planetary astronomy and astrobiology, the Rare Earth hypothesis argues that the emergence of complex multicellular life on Earth (and, subsequently, intelligence) required an improbable combination of astrophysical and geological events and circumstances. The hypothesis argues that complex extraterrestrial life is a very improbable phenomenon and likely to be extremely rare. The term "Rare Earth" originates from Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe (2000), a book by Peter Ward, a geologist and paleontologist, and Donald E. Brownlee, an astronomer and astrobiologist, both faculty members at the University of Washington.
That said, during the years 1975 and 1976, there were many UFO incidents involving SAC airbases, when I was in the Air Force. I was woken up one early morning and told to report to my desk at the public affairs office when two triangle-shaped UFOs flew over March AFB, over the weapons storage area, then across Orange County and out to sea - witnessed by Air Force security policemen, base staff on duty during the pre-dawn hours, an Orange County Sheriff's helicopter, etc. Clocked at mach speeds, but no sonic boom. At the press conference the next day, a reporter asked my boss, the major in charge of public affairs, what he thought they were, off the record. The major shrugged and said, "Beats the hell out of me." After the press conference, we referred all queries to UC of Riverside, the nearest university, according to Air Force policy at that time. As the reporters were leaving, an old reserve Lt. Colonel told me, "I've seen this before. In Europe, Greenland, northern tier [Malmstrom AFB]. They always fly over the weapons storage areas and the missile silos." I was astonished. "What do you think it means," I asked. His reply was: "Well, if you knew the kids were playing with matches, wouldn't you check on them now and then?"
