HOL Ravenclaw

— Lend your ears, lend your hands. Lend your movement, anything you can. —

After finishing the astronomy assignment, you take in the room again, yet nothing has changed. The homework group is in tableau, with only the fluttering of Saffron’s aethereal wings and eyes as they hover silently nearby.

“If aliens are real,” you pickup as though the conversation never dropped, “why would they be hidden from witches and wizards? I get hiding it from muggles, but isn’t it a bit silly keeping them away from the magical community?” We’re so used to beasts of unusual shapes and wondrous abilities. Is intelligent life elsewhere that much of a leap?”

“Your magical community would certainly have statistically more members likely to be able to handle this kind of disclosure versus the non-magical community,” Saffron agrees, “however, you are still relatively on the same level when it comes to the consciousness of your place in the greater cosmos. To know beyond a shadow of doubt that earth is surrounded by advanced extraterrestrials, not to mention how connected you already are, would be enough to send most of your people into hysterics if not presented in the right way and time.”

Chewing on this with some distaste, you return to confronting what this has to do with you, “So you’re saying I’ve met the Greys?”

“Come with me,” a hand is extended, which you accept, and instantaneously find yourself spirited away from the Hogwarts tower into an open field of stars out in the galaxy.

Saffron continues speaking without delay, expressing that, “Zeta Reticuli, where the Greys visit you from, is a binary star system that can be viewed from your southern hemisphere on very dark nights, especially during what you would call your months of October through December. It is located in the constellation of Reticulum, meaning ‘small net,’ referring to the small net of the same name at the focus of an eyepiece on your telescopes, which assists in measuring the position of stars.”

Desperate to interrupt for so many reasons, you resolve to keep quiet, curbing your anxious energy by pulsing the tip of your thumb in hurried rhythms against its neighboring index finger of your right hand, which is closed in a loose fist at your side.

“Not only have you met the Greys,” Saffron helps ease the tension building in your chest, “You’ve been to their home.”

The starscape in front of you zooms and blurs into lines of light as you feel momentum pulling you from your navel, then things settle again and you’re looking at what must be Zeta Reticuli.

Confirming this to be true, Saffron returns to your previous question.

“Although you cannot consciously recall it, you’ve previously agreed on numerous occasions to help bridge the divide between humans and Greys, which has included visits between each of your respective homes.”

A variety of expansive, saucer shaped aircraft are traversing the blaze of dual stars in front of you, the closest of which reveal the expected tiny beings with large heads and wide eyes milling about inside.

“Why would humans want to work together with the Greys if they’re as greedy and heartless as it sounds?”

“Because,” Saffron smiles sympathetically. “The Great War affects us all.”

Task:
Gathering information and resources around outer space can be quite a process for many extraterrestrial races. Provide some assistance to the Greys while you’re around, offering your energy by playing the following Game! You will receive 1 bean/sapphire for every 5 points you earn. You must reach a score of 40 points for this task to be considered “complete,” and reaching a score of 75 points or more will earn you the full 15 beans/sapphires (as shown in example image below).

Please post a screenshot of (or links to) your best score, remembering to keep imagery under 600x600 pixels when posted directly.


{click to play Space Cube}

Alternatively you may use a minimum of 100 words to share any thoughts and Opinions you may have on extraterrestrial life. Does the idea intrigue or repel you, or are you relatively indifferent to the notion?

This task is worth 15 beans/sapphires, with an additional 15 bonus beans/sapphires for completing all Week One tasks by end of activity. Deadline is 11:59pm (HOL time) on Sunday July 28th.

Opinions
I have been intrigued with extraterrestrial life since childhood. Since it is found in various forms in many science fiction stories, I am no stranger to the different ways people imagine alien life. I had once come across a theory that there are things beyond our perception of light and sound since we can only detect a certain range of frequencies. The theory also attempted to blanket explain everything supernatural, extraterrestrial, or fantastical, with the speculation that just because we cannot detect it does not mean that it cannot exist. Without enough evidence, I am not in a position to agree or disagree, but I wouldn't be conceited enough to claim that humankind is aware of everything that exists, given the countless occurrences neither magic nor science can explain. As an unrelated example, at one point, perhaps more recently, I also came across a theory that said that we live inside a giant computer simulation and that our destiny is controlled by some sort of coding. This hasn't been proved or disproved, but as a matter of opinion, I believe in keeping one's mind open to endless possibilities. Speaking of aliens and extraterrestrial life, all the science and magic I have been taught say that humans, even witches and wizards, or any other life forms cannot survive in space, given the conditions that humans have determined as necessary for life to exist. But, that's not enough evidence to prove that life forms with different needs for existence are not possible. Muggles would be unaware of, say for example, the fact that Dementors can survive on souls and not food. While Dementors are not considered a life form, they are an entity that can respond and react. Aliens could very well be something similar, if not a life form, and could very well survive on things unthinkable to witches and wizards. What's beyond the ever-expanding space in the universe, is something to ponder.

Opinion:

As Galena so eloquently stated, I do not have the scientific knowledge or background necessarily to prove or disprove the possibility of so-called alien life. I also concur that it would be rather conceited of the human race to believe that we are the only (or most intelligent) life forms in the whole entire world of what we consider ‘outer space’. And while we tend to think of aliens as hostile, I’m not exactly sold on that idea. Assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that these life forms possess superior intellect to our own, they could have quite easily invaded and conquered Earth. The fact that they have chosen not to do that speaks volumes to me.

I have always been inclined to believe in ‘aliens’, and for as long as I remember I have been fascinated with them. I blame this on my Mom, actually. She was (and is) a great fan of the Muggle television show, Doctor Who and introduced it to me at a very young age. It is one of the very few things my mom and I have in common, but our tenuous relationship aside, it exposed me from early on to the very real possibilities of life forms other than human.

Opinion
I believe that we, as practioners of magic, would be utter idiots to assume that extraterrestrial life does not exist. To have the belief that our race is simply the best and most advanced, discarding even the slight possibility of life beyond our universe, is a common Muggle thought of life. Intelligent and accepting, as both Muggles and witches and wizards alike, it is our moral imperative to not only promote but also lead the exploration of the existence of others.
In my opinion, the world isn't always black and white but operates in shades of gray. To concentrate on the actions of a few as greedy and heartless would be wrong, as everyone works towards advancing their own interests. It is crucial to understand the reasoning and rationale behind someone's actions before making assumptions. I look at things strategically as one should and then make my opinions on whether the extraterrestrial life we hope exists can be a boon or a disaster in disguise.