Professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California- Irvine, Michael Dennin is well-known for popularizing science for the public. In the first half, he discussed miracles, free will, and why science and faith do not have to exist in conflict. The "fullness of reality" could be thought of as God, he suggested. We can ponder the properties of God, he said: "If you're a religious person, you're going to say that God knows you...and has some sort of relationship with you," and "what an atheist is really saying is that reality has no consciousness, no connection to people." Prayer could be thought of as a kind of non-physical communication with God, he added.
Dennin said we all have a sense that we're making active choices in our lives, particularly when we seek out a change or improvement-- so it's hard to argue that free will doesn't exist. He believes that miracles are authentic, and though they may be unexpected, as in cases of sudden medical recoveries, they don't violate the laws of physics. He also touched on his role on the TV's "Ancient Aliens," serving as the long-running show's friendly skeptic. He believes in extraterrestrial life, but most likely, they haven't visited us yet on our planet. For more, check out the podcast Dennin co-hosts, Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear-Based Technologies.
-----------------
In the latter half, UFO researcher and investigator Dev Rugne talked about how ufology and UFOs have impacted her life. At a young age, she became fascinated with the UFO topic, and has had a number of personal sightings and paranormal experiences. A Field Investigator with MUFON since 2008, she was hired by MUFON in 2009 for the Star Impact Project, which was contracted by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS). The report protocols she followed while working with BAASS were eventually adopted by MUFON, she detailed. She has been intrigued by the different shaped aerial craft that people have observed over the years, including triangular, rectangular, and cylindrical. "I really believe that what we're seeing is that they could be 'ours' and 'theirs,' (meaning both human-made and off-planet).
Rugne detailed a case from decades ago in a rural area, where she revisited the site and interviewed one of the witnesses. A huge triangular craft was seen above the trees that had indescribable swirling blue lights on its underside. There was something like an explosion, the witness told her, and the object morphed into what appeared like individual neon-colored tubes of light, then finally changed into a small red light before zipping away. Rugne also talked about her interest in cryptid cases involving the so-called Dogman, a 7 ft. tall werewolf creature, said to be capable of running on two legs as fast as a car.
News segment guests: Christian Wilde, Kevin Randle