Hawking's comments are the kind of judgement I would except from a scientist. Now, I tend to have a bit more empathy toward those who believe they have been kidnapped - they may be stuffing from delusions brought on by past trauma like sexual abuse at an early age or some such horrible thing. I would believe it would be members of own species before I accept it is some being from another star.

I got to know some victims of abuse about the same that Whitley Striber was getting some publicity about his "experiences" and I could not help but notice a simularity. There are monsters out there and they are us!

And then those in the UFO industry who profit from the victims are right up there - emotional predators.

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I came for the astronomy but I do love the physics!