re: I'd fear to tread the surface of Mars too!
For someone new coming in to simply be dismissed with a few words and NO explanation of reasoning doesn't do much in the newcomer's eyes as far as giving a lot of credit
Ever hear the expression "when in Rome, do as the Romans do"? The smart tourist, as the newbie in a new land, takes some time to observe and learn about local customs. It's when the tourists rush in without learning the lay of the land, and behave like the proverbial bull in the china shop, that relations become frayed.
The HabitableZone Space/Sciences board is self-admittedly biased in favor of conventional science. The culture here shows its respect for science by adopting its intellectual rigor and inbuilt skepticism, and applying standards of scientific reasoning to the assertions posted on these pages. Nobody gets a free pass, and that includes Nick--he's earned the respect he gets by having demonstrated over a long period of time that he knows what he's talking about. The smart money goes with the track record. Nick has proved himself, but you're new around here. You have to earn that respect.
The strict standards on this board have historically caused some friction. We long ago worked out a pragmatic solution: "Fringe" science, defined as tales of UFOs and crop circles and Chupacabra and the supernatural, et al, can be posted on the OffTopic board, for entertainment purposes. We're no different from most science enthusiasts in having dual natures: An appreciation of the hard facts of science, paired with a willingness to occasionally relax and enjoy good clean fun like science fiction and fantasy for the sheer intellectual entertainment of it.
According to the essay you cited about "Conventional versus Maverick Science", you might consider your point of view to be "sub-fringe", as in based more solidly on reality but challenging conventions nevertheless. Maybe so, but that's a subjective grey area, and to some people you're on the fringe, to others you're a maverick. What's more at issue here than the subject matter is the attitude. You claim that Nick's been dismissive toward you, but the mote in your own eye is your dismissiveness toward conventional science and scientific authority. Be neither a follower nor a knee-jerk disputant; stay the middle course and keep your eyes, ears, and mind open. You can learn from Nick without having to become his disciple; just recognize that you've tapped into a rich vein of knowledge and make of it what you will.