Chapter 1: The Cosmic Perspective

When we gaze into the cosmos, we confront a timeline that stretches far beyond our understanding. The stars and celestial bodies that appear so vividly may have ceased to exist long ago. The light we observe from distant galaxies has traveled for eons—sometimes billions of years—before reaching us, meaning that what we see might be nothing but echoes of the past.

Each twinkling star is a storyteller, recounting tales from eras gone by. But what narratives does our planet project to the universe? If an alien civilization were to observe Earth from afar, what would they discern about us?

The reality is that the stars we perceive might no longer be present, and the reverse is equally puzzling. From many vantage points in the universe, extraterrestrial beings would not witness the vibrant world of cities, technology, and humanity that we know. Instead, they might glimpse remnants of ancient civilizations, perhaps catching a glimpse of our industrial revolution.

At distances exceeding a thousand light years, humanity would appear to be stuck in the Dark Ages—or earlier. If we extend that distance even further, we might seem like primitive humans, cooking long-extinct species over fire in caves.

If an alien observer were to look in from 65 million light years away, they would see a world dominated not by humans but by massive reptiles. The temporal snapshot that any extraterrestrial civilization perceives could influence their desire to initiate contact with us. Some speculate that aliens might already know of our existence but have chosen to remain hidden. However, it seems far more plausible that if they have detected our planet, they are merely witnessing a distant past.

At unimaginable distances, Earth might present itself as a turbulent mass of molten material. There are even regions of the universe where our galaxy wouldn’t yet be formed, leaving an empty void for billions of years to come.

The vastness of our universe is staggering. In fact, for an advanced alien civilization observing from over 99% of the potential viewpoints in the cosmos, they would see an Earth inhabited by dinosaurs—or even earlier life forms. The likelihood of them perceiving modern humans is astronomically low. They would need to be remarkably close for us to appear as anything more than cave dwellers.

Across the known universe, the chances that extraterrestrial life could look towards Earth and see humans is about 0.00000000000269%. Moreover, the term "known universe" implies that our understanding is limited. The universe continues to expand, and we have no reason to assume that our observations encompass all that exists.

Making contact with alien life involves aligning timelines as much as it does finding the right star or planet. It’s likely that life is abundant throughout the cosmos, but finding that civilization requires not only traversing vast distances but also navigating immense time scales.

One of the most mind-boggling aspects of our universe is how it blurs the lines between space and time. When we look at the night sky, we are witnessing not only different locations but also different epochs.

The time humans have had access to powerful telescopes and satellites is a mere blink in the grand scheme of the universe. Even the nearest extraterrestrial life may be akin to a solitary raft in an expansive ocean, and a moment’s distraction could obscure our view.

In the quest for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), this reality raises intriguing questions. How do we interpret signals we receive today, knowing they originate from a civilization’s past? Conversely, how should we craft our broadcasts, aware that they may only reach others eons from now? These inquiries transcend borders and carry significant implications, often without straightforward answers.

Public perceptions of extraterrestrial life tend to be clouded. Many imaginations are dominated by the cliché of green beings in flying saucers from science fiction. Few narratives effectively capture the vast array of forms that life might take or the equally varied environments they could inhabit. Accurately portraying the journeys between planets in our solar system would involve time-consuming waits that wouldn’t make for compelling television.

But this is the universe we inhabit—so vast that only our immediate cosmic neighbors can observe more than single-celled organisms on Earth. While it is highly probable that other life exists, the odds of them being at the right place and time for meaningful contact with us are incredibly slim.

In essence, it’s conceivable that aliens might perceive us as dinosaurs. However, the more alarming possibility is that they are simply far too distant to even consider us.

Chapter 2: Insights from the Cosmos

In the video titled What if DINOSAURS Were ALIENS?! (Story & Speedpaint), the creator explores a whimsical concept that challenges our perceptions of dinosaurs and aliens, suggesting intriguing connections between these seemingly disparate subjects.

The second video, How To Understand Dinosaurs, Nephilim, and Extraterrestrials Like Jonathan Sarfati, delves into the intersections of paleontology and extraterrestrial theories, providing insights that may reshape how we view both dinosaurs and potential alien civilizations.