Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2011-03-09]: A scientist recently examined meteorite sections with an electron microscope and discovered fossils of bacteria in it. The conclusion was direct and simple: he had discovered extraterrestrial bacteria. However his "fellow" scientists did not accept his conclusions and bombarded him with objections [sources: 1, 2, 3]. The objections were "objective": How do we know that those bacteria did not result from contamination here in Earth? (we do not know the truth, but that doen't the fact that the fossils were found in a cross-section within the meteorite matter?) How can he reach such conclusions when he is an astrophysicist and not an astrobiologist? (probably you have to be astrobiologist to make sections in meteorites and find bacteria in them) All objections were finally summarized in the "nobody believes that he found extraterrestrial bacteria", with NO ONE standing to the point that matters . No one cared to comment on the fact that there is a good possibility that these bacteria are alien (as they were found in a cross-section). Everyone stood on the fact that this scientist is not an astrobiologist and that "no one believes his conclusions" ... In other words, "since no one believes your conclusions, I do not believe your conclusions" ... The great circular self-referential censorship "logic" of the infamous "peer review" system has "hit" once again (see the article "The Limits of Science"). And a potentially important discovery was buried under the "but he is not astrobiologist"... Bravo! Great "objectivity"! Very "scientific" behavior ....
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