The concept of interstellar beings is pretty ancient, with even Greek philosophers pondering about the idea. But the concept of these beings acting maliciously is a relatively new one, which really took hold at the turn of the 19th Century thanks to H.G. Wells and his 1898 book "War of the Worlds." Today, aliens feature in many popular horror films such as the "Alien" series and "A Quiet Place" and action blockbusters like "Independence Day." First we invent extaterrestrial monsters, then we imagine them killing us.
But this fear has true scientific merit: Legendary theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking warned his fellow scientists to stop trying to contact alien civilizations because he believed they would likely be hostile. Two years ago, a Washington Post editorial warned "Contacting aliens could end all life on earth. Let’s stop trying." And earlier this summer, four scholars were invited by the SETI Institute (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, the world's premiere organization for seeking intelligent life off-planet) to release an Indigenous studies working group statement on the issue. They cautioned "First contact with aliens could end in colonization and genocide."
