30 September 2026 - Approx. 13 min read
In my last article on UFOs, I talked about the Extra-Terrestrial UFO Hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, unidentified flying objects are often attributed to craft piloted by beings from another planet when no other explanation is found. This is similar to how mundane but unexplained bumps in the night are attributed to ghosts by some people. In this article, I will endeavour to present an argument that makes the ET hypothesis less likely, due to the many prerequisites that need to occur before life can develop complexity to a point where interstellar travel is possible.
6 January 2025 - Approx. 6 min read
What are the chances that we will make contact with an alien civilisation?
24 June 2024 - Approx. 4 min read
Most kiwis will be aware that this coming Friday is a statutory holiday, the recently introduced Matariki day - being on Friday June 28th.
15 August 2022 - Approx. 6 min read
NASA recently held a press teleconference where they announced that they will be investigating UAPs - Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. This is a new term being used instead of UFOs, given that UFO suffers from both not being very descriptive (Unidentified things people see in the sky might not be Flying, and they might not be Objects - planets, clouds and aurora are often mistakenly thought to be mysterious objects, but none of them are flying; and the Northern and Southern aurora aren't objects, just cool light shows caused by solar particles), and having a lot of baggage attached to it - when people read UFO, they instantly think aliens. Here's NASA announcing their project:
27 June 2022 - Approx. 2 min read
This weekend we saw the first official celebration and statutory holiday for the Māori new year - Matariki.
14 February 2022 - Approx. 4 min read
The other day I noticed that the medical misinformation site NZDSOS - where a few anti-vaccine doctors promote their “alternative” COVID ideas - had changed its look. This is an issue for me, as a few months ago I created a spoof site called NZD-SOS which I made to look like the original site. My site pointed out that there are more doctors called Sarah, Michael or Kate, for example, that have signed an open letter in support of COVID vaccination, than there are doctors who have signed the NZDSOS open letter warning against vaccination.
1 February 2020 - Approx. 6 min read
Enrico Fermi was a genius, and his mind worked lightning fast. When his co-workers were audibly speculating on how many alien civilisations might live in our galaxy, he simply looked up and asked: “Where are they?”
1 May 2018 - Approx. 4 min read
How much fake news is in your Coffee News?
1 May 2004 - Approx. 3 min read
One of our members almost spots a UFO
1 February 2002 - Approx. 3 min read
Tony Blair and Cherie took part in a 'rebirthing ritual' during a holiday in Mexico, says the Dominion (17 December). They were guided through the ritual while dipping in a Mayan steam bath. At least they were clean.
1 May 1999 - Approx. 1 min read
A company which made staff walk barefoot over burning coals in a training exercise has escaped prosecution. Seven sales trainees suffered burns during the "motivational" session run by insurance giant Eagle Star. Two of the workers needed specialist treatment at a burns unit.
1 May 1999 - Approx. 6 min read
ROBERT Temple's book The Sirius Mystery suggests that astronauts from Sirius visited Earth in ancient times, 5000 years or more ago. These beings were amphibious humanoids, with the lower body fish-tailed. The evidence for this amazing assertion hangs largely on legend and folklore plus one piece of very puzzling astronomical evidence.
1 February 1997 - Approx. 3 min read
1996 was an interesting year. Rush Limbaugh became the Republican nominee for President; Roseanne killed off her popular TV character; cures for baldness, arthritis, and AIDS were
1 February 1997 - Approx. 1 min read
Alcohol makes complex astronomical concepts very difficult to comprehend. Alcohol makes complex astrological concepts much easier to comprehend. 11. Astronomers occasionally make accurate predictions. 12. Telescopes come in a staggering array of shapes and sizes. All ouija boards look the same. 13. Nancy Reagan never asked an astronomer for advice. 14. Transposing two object's coordinates makes a big difference. Transposing two people's horoscopes makes no difference at all. 15. Astronomers believe in the truth of relativity. Astrologers believe in the relativity of truth. 16. Your VISA card limit is of little interest to an astronomer. 17. Carl Sagan does not have an 0900 number. 18. An astronomer plans his evening according to the position of the stars, moon and planets. An astrologer plans his life according to the position of the stars, moon and planets. 19. The main difference between astronomers and astrologers: astronomers never try to contact dead astrologers!
1 August 1990 - Approx. 9 min read
A recent best-seller illustrates the history of the triumph of intellectual theory over ignorant pragmatism or reactionary ideology.
1 February 1989 - Approx. 5 min read
During the past few days the world's soothsayers have been trotting out their annual predictions for the year ahead, ranging from massive flooding of low-lying New Zealand to the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro by swallowing a giant insect. But psychics and stargazers have taken a battering over the accuracy of their predictions — we have been waiting two years for AIDS to claim a world leader for example — with little to commend astral messages.
