Once again science fiction intersects with reality. In a recent example media reports brought together concerns over global warming with the fears of alien invasion. The Guardian described one possible scenario:
It may not rank as the most compelling reason to curb greenhouse gases, but reducing our emissions might just save humanity from a pre-emptive alien attack, scientists claim.
Watching from afar, extraterrestrial beings might view changes in Earth’s atmosphere as symptomatic of a civilisation growing out of control – and take drastic action to keep us from becoming a more serious threat, the researchers explain.
This highly speculative scenario is one of several described by a NASA-affiliated scientist and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University that, while considered unlikely, they say could play out were humans and alien life to make contact at some point in the future.
This topic was explored in a report titled “Would Contact with Extraterrestrials Benefit or Harm Humanity? A Scenario Analysis”. Should first contact be negative, and we find ourselves threatened with possible extinction given our use of natural resources, we should remember the words “Klaatu barada nikto.”
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