Contrary to popular science fiction, the discovery of alien life is more likely to be met with enthusiasm than panic, according to a new study. Researchers at Arizona State University analysed public reactions to past potential extraterrestrial findings and found that positive language consistently outweighed negative responses.
The study, published in Frontiers of Psychology, examined media coverage and participant responses to events such as Nasa's 1996 announcement of possible microbial life on a Martian meteorite and the dimming of 'Tabby's star'. Across 15 articles and responses from 1,000 online participants, positive words appeared more frequently than negative ones, with individuals viewing alien life as bringing more potential rewards than risks.
Lead author Prof Michael Varnum noted that while fictional portrayals like H.G. Wells' 'War of the Worlds' evoke terror, the public is likely to react positively, especially to microbial life. 'If our findings provide a reasonable guide, then the answer appears to be that we will take it rather well,' the researchers wrote.
The study also found that participants expected humanity as a whole to be less enthusiastic than they personally were, but overall, the outlook was optimistic. Prof Lewis Dartnell of the University of Westminster welcomed the findings, noting that upcoming missions could soon detect signs of Martian bacteria.
