I’ve been rewatching Close Encounters for the first time in a few years, and I am thinking about how terrible their flight technology is. Not only does it disrupt electronics/electrical systems and local gravity, but it causes severe radiation burns (or at the very least UV burns) from very limited proximity. Here on Earth we ban supersonic flights over occupied areas because of sonic booms—can you imagine how many laws would be passed against using something highly radioactive and capable of shutting down the power grid and all electronic devices (including—one assumes—medical ones)? Setting aside the destruction of lives done with decades-long abductions, how irresponsible is it to use such technologies near the ground on an occupied planet? Should we really be trusting these jokers?
My first thought after reading this was: “Can you imagine how many laws would be broken if someone fired a nuke in anger somewhere?”
The CE3K guys were almost comically cute compared to the aliens in Independence Day. Of course, one episode of contact was relatively peaceful. The other was packed full of cheesy one-liners, but far more entertaining.
Tripler
I wonder what the Roswell aliens would think.
I don’t think it would be advisable to trust any aliens, even if they are here, “To Serve Man”.
Seriously, there is no reason to expect that an advanced alien civilization would be in any way particularly concerned about the health and well-being of humanity or individual humans. In general, when a more technologically advanced culture comes into contact with native people, the latter generally come off much the worse for wear, even when the damage isn’t intentional. Look at that little shit, E.T., taking over a small boy’s volition to make him humiliate himself and others, using children as human shields and servants, and generally acting like a conquistador who has been abandoned by his crew. And that is a depiction that doesn’t end up with the White House being blown up or aliens creating clone people to take over society.
Stranger
May I introduce you to the NR-1? Adorable little thing it was, and the only real major shielding was between the crew compartment and engineering, just enough on the outside of the vessel that the pier didn’t glow in the dark when moored.
Displacement 400 tons
Length
45 m (147 ft 8 in) overall
29.3 m (96 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam
3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) at stern stabilizers.
Draft
4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Box keel depth (below base-line): 1.2 m (3.9 ft)
Installed power one nuclear reactor, one turbo-alternator
Please note the microscopic size, and nuclear reactor.
The sail is now a static display at the sub museum in Groton. Yes, I know the base is Submarine Base New London, I can’t help it if they don’t seem to know the name of the town it is actually in. Sort of like Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard is actually in Kittery Maine, an entirely different state from Portsmouth New Hampshire.