What is Not Good Science?
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What is not "good" science?

There are lots of obvious answers - astrology is one. Here is another, but perhaps not as obvious: UFO's. Stories of UFO's can be found on any news stand and are prime candidates for movies. They have also been studied by scientists, and while most UFO sightings can be explained as natural (i.e. earthly) events, some cannot. The difficulty arises because the scientific method cannot be applied. If we could convince potential visitors to announce their arrival in advance, so that we could set up our instruments and gather data when they make their appearance, we could turn UFO experiences into good science. Without that, we are faced with consideration of a series of isolated events, narrated by observers and supported in some cases by photographs and video tapes (of often questionable authenticity). What can we do? We can apply logic and our understanding of the laws of Nature. Do these laws allow for visitors from distant galaxies? Yes, they do. Is the probability that we are being visited outweigh the probability of other more earthly causes for these events? Again, I leave the answer to you.