Post by MoMo on Oct 8, 2011 15:44:00 GMT -6
Grey aliens (or "Greys") are alleged extraterrestrial beings whose existence is promoted in ufological, paranormal, and New Age communities, named for their skin color.
Paranormal claims involving Greys vary in every respect including their nature (ETs, extradimensionals, demons, or machines), origins, moral dispositions, intentions, and physical appearances (even varying in their eponymous skin color). A composite description derived from overlap in claims would have Greys as small bodied, sexless beings with smooth grey skin, enlarged head and large eyes. The origin of the idea of the Grey is commonly associated with the Betty and Barney Hill abduction claim, although skeptics see precursors in science fiction and earlier paranormal claims.
Greys are typically depicted as grey-skinned diminutive humanoid beings that possess reduced forms of, or completely lack, external human organs such as noses, ears or sex organs. Their bodies are usually depicted as being elongated, having a small chest, and lacking in muscular definition and visible skeletal structure. Their legs are shorter and jointed differently than one would expect in a human. Their limbs are often depicted as proportionally different than a human's; their humerus and thighs are the same lengths as their forearms and shins, respectively.
Greys are depicted as having unusually large heads in proportion to their bodies. They are depicted as having no hair anywhere on the body, including the face, and no noticeable outer ears or noses, but only small openings or orifices for ears and nostrils. They are depicted as having very small mouths, and very large, opaque black eyes with no discernible iris or pupil. Sometimes Greys are alternately depicted as having no noticeable nostrils or mouths.
ENCOUNTERS
Greys are commonly included in alien abduction claims and are a focus of ufology, with attributes that may differ from those described above. These claims include two distinct groups of Greys that differ in height. Abductees say that they recognize the leader of their abductors by its "demeanor." Some ufologists and abduction researchers believe that taller Greys, with their reported increased authority and apparently more complex psychology may be the only Grey type to be biologically alive and that the shorter form could be their artificially constructed robot or cyborg servants.
Some alien abduction reports have depicted variant skin colors such as blue-grey, green-grey, or purple-grey and sometimes not grey at all. The skin is typically described as being extremely smooth, almost as if made of an artificial material like rubber or plastic.
Abduction claims are described as extremely traumatic, similar to an abduction by humans or even a sexual assault in the level of trauma and distress. (Research has shown that emotional impact of perceived abduction can be as great as or even greater than those of combat, sexual abuse, and other traumatic events.)
The eyes are often a focus of abduction claims. They are said to not move or focus in any observable way from the naked eye. Claims often describe a Grey staring into the eyes of an abductee when conducting mental procedures. This staring is claimed to induce hallucinogenic states or directly provoke different emotions. Although abduction claimants often say that the Grey was only inches from their face during the staring mindscan procedure, they often do not subsequently claim feeling breath or seeing the Grey's chest move from breathing.
EVOLUTION?
According to English reproductive biologist Jack Cohen, the typical image of a Grey, given that it would have evolved on a world with different environmental and ecological conditions from Earth, is too physiologically similar to a human to be credible as a representation of an alien. Their physical structure has been sometimes viewed as supporting the Panspermia theory of origins, although the "parallel evolution" required is not scientifically plausible. The "parallel evolution" concept, utilized as a plot device by Star Trek writers Gene Roddenberry and Gene Coon and referred to as "Hodgkins Law of Parallel Planet Development". However, even this fictional theory does not explain such remarkable Grey-human similarities as the facial geometry, the apparent sternal-xiphoidal process, the evident pectoral-trapezial architecture, and the number of toes per foot.
One theory that could explain such seemingly impossible coincidences is the idea that extraterrestrial beings had some influence on the evolution of life on Earth in the distant past, specifically that extraterrestrials were directly involved in the evolution of primates, including humans. This was supposedly done by genetic engineering, cross-breeding, or a combination of both. This idea, regarded as nonsense by the mainstream science community, first gained widespread exposure with the 1968 publication of Chariots of the Gods? by Erich von Däniken and has since been the source of much controversy, and has inspired numerous other books with various related theories.
Proponents of this theory of alien genetic/evolutionary intervention on Earth argue that if the Greys (or similar beings) were performing genetic manipulations and/or experiments with pre-human life forms on Earth, then it would be logical, and perhaps almost expected, that these alleged aliens may have attempted to influence the evolution of life forms here in a direction consistent with their own genetic makeup, and similar to their own physiology and general physical structure, since genetically that is what they would presumably be most familiar with.
Since there is no evidence of what types of life or physiology might evolve on other habitable planets, no way to accurately gauge the likelihood or unlikelihood of coincidences in evolution on two separate planets, and no conclusive evidence of any alleged past extraterrestrial genetic manipulation in our own evolution, the debate over the evolutionary feasibility of the Greys (or any other bipedal, humanoid extraterrestrial species) is ultimately nothing more than speculation on both sides.
Conspiracy theories
Some conspiracy theorists believe that Greys represent part of a government-led disinformation or plausible deniability campaign, or that they are a product of government mind control experiments. Dr. Steven Greer, founder of the Disclosure Project, head of CSETI, and a prominent UFO conspiracy theorist, claims to have over 400 "government, military, and intelligence community witnesses" that have offered testimony to the existence of aliens and UFO and/or efforts to cover up their existence and who have stated that they would be willing to defend their claims under oath.