Space is a large place and since time immemorial, humanity has gazed up on to the stars and posed a single big question: Are we alone? To most of us, the thought of aliens descending on earth is a prospect of a movie. The scientist does not want to take this idea lightly! They apply huge telescopes in order to hear whispers of distant planets. When aliens finally come, it would be the holiday of holidays when humans would have bigger planets than it was before.
What if Aliens Visited Earth?
Having a spaceship land tomorrow would transform the entire world within a beat of a heart. What would you do if you woke up and had a huge ship floating above your city?
This is what would be referred to as First Contact. It refers to the initial encounter of humans with a living object of another star. Everything that we and our knowledge knows would be affected by the alien contact. We would have to consider our laws, our safety and even our history.
This landing would not probably be as different as in comic books. Majority of scholars think that in case a civilization were able to traverse the stars, they would be far superior to us.
They may not even resort to radio waves and rockets. They may communicate using quantum or use wormholes. That is why, it is so intriguing to consider the question of what would happen, in case aliens visited our planet!
You may also read :- What If Humans Colonized Mars?
Understanding the Possibility of Extraterrestrial Visitors
There is a formula known as the Drake Equation which scientists use to make their guesses about the number of alien neighbors. Our galaxy has billions of stars and the majority of them have planets! Thousands of civilizations would be possible even with the fact that there may be only a handful of those planets with life.
They would most likely be Type I or Type II civilizations in case they visited us. These are races which have been taught to make the most of all the force of their planet or even of their entire star. Human beings are still only mastering how to harness the power of the sun and wind compared to them.
The universe is a rather large place. Otherwise it will be alone, and appears a dreadful waste of space. — Carl Sagan
Explore What if Aliens Visited Earth and Our Reaction
How would we react? It may scare many people at the beginning. This is referred to as xenophobia which is the fear of things that are unfamiliar or unknown. But how many other people would be quite excited! Plans have taken years to be made by scientists at the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) to do this.
They possess Post-Detection Protocols. These can be termed as a giant to-do list to the world. Rules must be obeyed Yea, should we find aliens:
- Check the signal with other scientists to ensure that it is real.
- Report to the United Nations and the world leaders.
- Wait till there is a world consensus and then we can send a message back.
The Science of First Contact Scenarios
A visit might occur in a number of ways. This could be the case with aliens sending a robotic probe. This compares to the way we had sent the Voyager spacecraft to see other planets. A diminutive robot could even circle the earth and observe us over a long period of time before saying "hello." The other concept is that they can digitalize a message with all their history and art.
In case they arrived physically, then they would require highly developed propulsion systems. We have rockets today which are too slow. And it would be thousands of years before you can get to the nearest star! Warp drives or light speed travel would help the aliens reach here within the lifetime of human beings.
What if Aliens Visited Earth: The Social Impact
An encounter with alien people would alter our self-perception. Today, we tend to concentrate on our differences such as the country of our residence, or the language we use. However, in the case of the arrival of aliens, we, all, would simply be humans of the planet Earth. This would result to worldwide unity since everyone collaborates to communicate with our new friends.
Changes in Technology and Science
The alien contact would have significant technological advantages. Simply envision the state of affairs had they demonstrated how to access inexhaustible clean energy. In a few seconds we would prevent pollution and repair the climate! They may also possess remedies to the diseases which cannot be fixed at present.
- New Materials: They may make metals or plastics that are stronger than anything that can be found on our Earth.
- Space Travelling: We could also know how to travel to other galaxies.
- Communication: We may devise a method of communicating with the universe without any delays.
The Religious and Philosophical Shift
The question that many people would ask themselves is how the world religions would treat aliens. Majority of scholars believe that religions would make adjustments. Aliens can be perceived as friends in the creation of God by some. Some people would also ask whether aliens possess their gods or tales. The time of contemplating the meaning of life would be a very profound one.
Challenges and Risks of an Alien Visit
Not everything would be easy. Biological risks are also to be considered. Any alien may possess alien germs just as the earth explorers were sometimes able to bring new germs to new locations. It would take a lot of care to ensure that we do not infect one another. That is why quarantine processes would be highly significant.
The Language Barrier in Space
It is a question of how to communicate with a person without a mouth or ears. It would be a huge riddle to talk to extraterrestrials. Mathematicians believe that mathematics would be the universal language. Numbers are universally identical at work. $2 + 2 = 4 whatever planet you belong to! As a first chat we can use prime numbers or binary code.
Are Aliens Hostile or Friendly?
In films aliens have a tendency to steal our water or gold. However, scientists such as Dr. Michio Kaku claim that that is unlikely. When a civilization is intelligent enough to travel between stars, then they are unlikely to require our rocks. They are able to discover gold and water on dead moons or asteroids where no one is. Probably they would be innocent scramblers, like we learn about animals in nature.
Expert Opinions on Extraterrestrial Life
I have read numerous reports of space agencies and leading intellectuals. This is what some of the wisest have said about this matter:
In the event of aliens coming to us, it would be just like in the case of Columbus entering America which did not go well with the Native Americans. — Stephen Hawking
Whereas Dr. Hawking was concerned other people are optimistic. Jill Tarter, a renowned astronomer, is of the opinion that a long time civilization cannot have survived as long as it did without learning how to be peaceful. She believes that they would introduce wisdom and good instead of war.
Current Efforts to Find Them
We are already looking! The following are some of the ways that we are currently searching life:
- James Webb Space Telescope: This is a telescope which studies the atmosphere of planets far away to determine the presence of life.
- Breakthrough Listen: This program is built on the largest radio telescopes and is used to listen to alien radio stations.
- The Perseverance Rover: It is now on Mars in search of small fossilized space bugs.
Preparing for the Future
Although aliens are not coming this weekend, by considering the possibility that aliens would visit the earth, we can become better humans. It serves to remind us that we live on a tiny beautiful blue spot in a great sea of stars. We ought to care about our residence as well as others so that when we finally meet our neighbors, we can be proud of what we are.
The article is authored by a human expert in order to provide the most precise and friendly information on the space life. I want to know whether you liked about the stars!
Would you prefer me to make you a list of the best movies and books on first contact to check out?
Frequently asked questions: What we know about you.
Could aliens breathe our air?
Maybe! They could be fond of oxygen in case they are of a planet just like the earth. However they may also require other gases. They may even be required to wear earth-suits to keep and remain safe.
Why haven't they visited yet?
This is referred to as the Fermi Paradox. The universe is huge and it is very old, and where are people? Perhaps the distances are simply too long. Or perhaps before they greet us they are waiting till we are more peaceful.
But what am I supposed to do when I see an alien?
In the first place, it is better to remain compos and be courteous! Don't try to scare them. The majority of scientists claim to call the authorities or a local university to get the help.
Do aliens look like us?
Probably not. The appearance is determined by their planet. They may be short and strong, in case their planet is of high gravity. But, they may have massive eyes, in case it is a dark world!
