You've seen it in the movies. Contact with aliens often ends badly for humans. So why do we keep trying to get in touch with them? We don't even know if aliens really exist. But if aliens do exist, and if they're advanced enough to detect our existence, chances are they're doing one of two things. Either they're avoiding us, or they're on their way.But the most important question is, will they come in peace?

Subscribe to the What If Discussed podcast: http://bit.ly/yt-what-if-show-podcast
Listen to the world’s top thinkers in science, astronomy, technology, academia and futurism pondering your most popular “what if” questions.

Join our Patreon community and help make What If better: http://bit.ly/whatif-patreon

Can you translate this episode into another language? Add subtitles and we will link your YouTube channel in the description: https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_video?v=s2Eh1EnJVzM

Thumbnail image credit: ESO/L. Calçada. Artist’s rendering showing ESO's Extremely Large Telescope using its lasers to filter out noise in the atmosphere during the image capturing process.

Watch more what-if scenarios:
Planet Earth: http://bit.ly/YT-what-if-Earth
The Cosmos: http://bit.ly/YT-what-if-Cosmos
Technology: http://bit.ly/YT-what-if-Technology
Your Body: http://bit.ly/YT-what-if-Body
Humanity: http://bit.ly/YT-what-if-Humanity

T-shirts and merch: http://bit.ly/whatifstore
Suggest an episode (detailed): http://bit.ly/suggest-whatif
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/whatif-newsletter
Feedback and inquiries: https://underknown.com/contact/

What If elsewhere:
Instagram: http://bit.ly/whatif-instagram
Twitter: http://bit.ly/whatif-twitter
Facebook: http://bit.ly/facebook-whatif
What If in Spanish: http://bit.ly/YT-Spanish-what-if
What If in Mandarin: http://bit.ly/YT-Chinese-what-if

Thank you to our loyal patrons:
Gabe
Steve H.

What If is a mini-documentary web series that takes you on an epic journey through hypothetical worlds and possibilities. Join us on an imaginary adventure through time, space and chance while we (hopefully) boil down complex subjects in a fun and entertaining way.

Produced with love by Underknown in Toronto: https://underknown.com