The Aliens

The Fermi paradox is back in discussion: the cosmos shows no signs of alien civilisations despite billions of stars. The Great Filter hypothesis argues some step between lifeless planets and long-lived technological societies is extraordinarily hard, and the open question is whether humanity has already passed that step or still has it ahead. Commenters are weighing which scenario is more reassuring.

The SETI Institute is marking 65 years since astronomer Frank Drake introduced the Drake Equation at a historic meeting in Green Bank, West Virginia. The equation was never intended to give a definitive count of alien civilizations, but to frame the scientific factors — star formation, habitable planets, and the likelihood of life and intelligence — that would determine how many might exist in our galaxy.

A new maintenance release of Alien Arena, the open-source arena shooter, has been published. Version 7.72.4 is being noted in the Linux gaming community, where the retro FPS has long been popular as a free alternative to classic arena shooters like Quake. No details of the specific changes in this release were given.

Joe Rogan is back in the headlines on multiple fronts. The podcast host has renewed a multimillion-dollar deal with Spotify, securing his show's future on the platform. Separately, he drew attention for pointing out what he called a major problem with polling around Donald Trump, and a UFO whistleblower told him about alleged underwater alien bases. The mix of business news, politics and alien claims is driving wide interest.

A sci-fi story is circulating in which aliens invade Earth and humanity is forced to deploy bio-armor technology to fight back to the bitter end. The premise, presented in Chinese-language media, is drawing attention for its dramatic depiction of a last-stand battle between humans and extraterrestrial forces, though details about the work itself remain limited.

Doritos has revisited its recipe, prompting trade commentary on what lessons other food brands can draw from the move. Industry publication BakeryAndSnacks frames the relaunch as a case study in how established snack makers can refresh formulas while protecting brand identity and consumer loyalty, raising questions about how far brands should go when tweaking familiar products.

Mexican singer Belinda marked her annual Halloween celebration, 'Beliween', with an elaborate extraterrestrial theme, transforming herself into an 'Alien'-style creature for the 2026 edition. Outlets including El Financiero and INFO7 covered the look, highlighting her tradition of staging themed parties that draw wide attention on social media each year.

A new paper on arXiv argues that science contains an 'alien space' of directions that are internally coherent yet cognitively unavailable to human researchers — ideas that could be valid but that our minds cannot naturally grasp or explore. The essay is drawing attention among readers interested in the philosophy and future limits of scientific discovery.

A new film in the Alien franchise has secured a screenwriter, though it is not a sequel to Alien: Romulus. Separately, James Cameron's 1986 classic Aliens, which holds a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score and won two Oscars, arrives on Hulu on November 1. Together the news has stirred fresh interest in the long-running sci-fi horror series, with fans weighing what the next installment might be.

Marvel's Alien vs. X-Men crossover series is drawing attention with a newly released preview of issue #2. The preview teases a storyline centered on Cable facing what is described as future shock therapy. The miniseries pits the Alien franchise against Marvel's mutant team, and readers are reacting to the previews ahead of the issue's release.

Japanese film 'We Are Aliens' (我々は宇宙人) is drawing online attention, with people searching for which cinemas are showing it. Discussion in Japan centres on finding screening locations and showtimes, suggesting growing interest in the title among filmgoers. Details about the film's plot, cast and release schedule remain limited in the circulating chatter.

An essay argues that good education requires teachers to combine genuine care for students with rigorous academic standards, suggesting the two are complementary rather than opposed. It contends that compassion without high expectations shortchanges pupils, while strictness without warmth alienates them. The piece is prompting reflection among educators on how to balance these qualities in classrooms.

A Minecraft content video by creator Junkeyy shows the player taming a giant alien worm and keeping it as a pet in the game. The video is drawing large audiences, with over 1.5 million likes, reflecting the ongoing popularity of imaginative modded Minecraft scenarios and creature-taming content among gaming viewers.

Latino Republicans in Maryland are voicing concern that aggressive immigration enforcement could hurt their party ahead of the midterm elections. The worry is that hardline tactics may alienate Latino voters and communities the GOP has been trying to win over, creating political tension within the party as campaigns get underway.

SETI Institute researchers are pairing astronomy with game theory in the hunt for technosignatures, arguing that when we listen may matter as much as where. Their approach focuses on the anti-solar point — the region of sky directly opposite the Sun — on the theory that two civilizations could coordinate contact there. The idea is drawing interest from space and science audiences.

A new roundup lists five video games that resemble Alien: Isolation, the 2014 survival horror title known for its tense stealth gameplay against a single relentless alien. The piece is aimed at players looking for comparable atmospheric horror experiences, though the specific games on the list are not detailed in available coverage.

A writer reflects on the intersection of religion and the existence of extraterrestrial life, touching on what theologians call parentheology, while jokingly declining to go as far as imagining alien 'pleasure saucers'. The piece also wryly suggests that dodging paywalls by clearing cookies amounts to its own kind of neoreligious ritual around preserving one's free article status.

Montgomery County Community College's Theatre Arts program, in partnership with West End Student Theatre, is presenting a production of Annie Baker's play 'The Aliens' from November 5 to 8. Local outlets in the Pennsylvania region are publicising the run, which features student performers and offers audiences several chances to catch the show during its four-day schedule.

Republican Party messaging widely seen as hostile toward Indian immigrants could cost it support among South Asian voters, a fast-growing electoral bloc in the United States. Bloomberg reports that anti-Indian rhetoric within the party risks alienating communities that have been trending Republican in recent elections, complicating GOP outreach efforts.

The turn-based city builder Governor of Antares now has a store page ahead of release. The game is set on a frontier planet where players build and defend a colony against hostile alien flora and fauna, meet shipment quotas set by the Emperor, and navigate intrigue within a corrupted Imperial Court. Gamers are sharing the news and discussing the colonial strategy premise.

Researchers have proposed using game theory to determine when humanity should listen for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations, arguing that timing and strategy matter as much as sensitivity in the search. The work suggests rational decision-making models could guide how and when telescopes scan for alien transmissions.

A ranked list of the five most controversial superhero movies of all time is circulating online, inviting readers to check whether their favorite made the cut. The piece taps into ongoing debate among film fans over which comic-book adaptations divided audiences and critics most, from pitches that alienated fanbases to releases that flopped despite huge expectations.