Yes, the moon landing was real. Nope, there were never any microchips in the COVID-19 vaccines. Now please, don’t start panicking about the government’s evil alien plans.
On July 26, former member of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force David Grusch testified at a Congressional hearing on UFOs.
Grusch claimed UAP investigations had resulted in the collection of both non-human biological matter and advanced alien technology. He also mentioned that unspecified brutality had occurred to prevent knowledge of the findings becoming public.
In other words, aliens are here on Earth – Grusch claims – and the government is hiding them from us.
The announcement is exciting news. Any step closer we can take toward confirming alien life is a win for scientists, sci-fi lovers and humankind as a whole. However, because of the American tendency to exaggerate, the aftermath of this declaration will likely have its share of dramatic conspiracy theories.
The last time an alien-themed conspiracy theory raged in the U.S., Americans rallied to plan a Naruto-style storming of Area 51, a U.S. Air Force facility in Nevada which many still believe serves as a secret research lab for retrieved alien life-forms.
While a good joke about the government’s secrets can be fun, what happens when people take such a joke too seriously?
According to a 2021 study by the University of Quebec, rapidly spreading conspiracy theories can have serious psychological consequences on a nation’s citizens, communicative and political environments. A powerful enough conspiracy theory can quickly increase the spread of misinformation, affecting how people process and trust the information they receive,
For instance, the development of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic revealed how fast a scared public will cling to conspiracy theories. As a 2021 study published in the National Library of Medicine emphasized, with the quick communication available today through social media – misinformation and conspiracy theories are more dangerous than ever.
About 42% of unvaccinated Americans continue to avoid the vaccine due to their distrust, according to a survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau.
Let’s return to Grusch’s announcement and consider the vastness of space. As NASA explains it, the solar system Earth belongs to is only a small piece of our galaxy, the Milky Way. In turn, the Milky Way is one of more galaxies than we are yet capable of counting.
If we can’t even begin to fathom the true size of our universe, it would be silly – and perhaps arrogant – to argue there couldn’t be life elsewhere. Perhaps Grusch’s claims are true.
American citizens have long been claiming UFO sightings, with incidents gaining momentum in the 1940s and ‘50s, according to the Library of Congress.
The idea of extraterrestrials has been present in our stories, entertainment and scientific study for decades. It’s a beautiful thought, after all, to imagine we are not alone in the infinite cosmos but rather a miniscule fraction in an unending tapestry of unique life.
However, we currently don’t possess the technology to thoroughly investigate or confirm much of anything about life in space, even with Grusch’s recent announcement.
We also don’t possess the societal capacity for further wild conspiracy theories to become the basis of new echo chambers.
Deep distrust in government today is a huge source of argument along partisan lines. It is also one reason we witness snail-paced legislative progress, causing further dissatisfaction with the government.
According to a 2019 study by the Pew Research Center, 75% of the surveyed Americans feel the public’s trust in the federal government is declining, with 64% concerned that this decrease makes national problem-solving more difficult.
Another 64% feel public trust in fellow citizens is similarly declining and affecting community effectiveness.
Grusch’s announcement has already resulted in fresh suspicions and conflicts along party lines.
For instance, Rep. Time Burchett (R-Tenn.) accused President Joe Biden of covering up UFO-related investigation, referencing how the administration dealt with the Chinese spy-balloon in February.
As we continue to battle environmental, social and economic injustices which we can confirm are very much real, we must avoid instilling unnecessary fear and spreading misinformation.
Be curious, stay educated and privately phone home to your family and friends with all the space theories you like. But, please, think before you spread any harmful conspiracies that may form; we’re safe from the chest bursters yet.
