AliEn (ALICE Environment), a grid framework. Alien (FILE converter), a Linux program. Alien Technology, a manufacturer of RFID technology.

In law, an alien is a person who is not a citizen or national of a given country, though definitions and terminology differ to some degree depending on the continent or region of the world. The term "alien" is synonymous to "foreign national".

Aug 24, 2017,05:40pm EDT

Afraid Of Aliens? The Science Doesn't Back You Up

Ethan SiegelSenior Contributor

Starts With A BangContributor Group

Science

The Universe is out there, waiting for you to discover it.

This article is more than 2 years old.

The crashed X-Files’ alien SPACESHIP, USED as a promo for season 10 of the show, represents our hopes and FEARS concerning making contact with an intelligent alien species.

The crashed X-Files’ alien spaceship, used as a[+]

X-FILES / FOX / RODRIGO CARVALHO

Imagine what it would be like to come across an intelligent, alien species that found us and came to Earth. From War of the Worlds to Independence Day, the overwhelming majority of alien depictions are of malevolence, violence, and the destruction of any galactic competitors. Whether they enslave us, destroy us, or devour us, our fictional view of aliens shows them as hostile, selfish, and with complete disregard for humanity. From Elon Musk to David Brin to Stephen Hawking, many fine human minds fear exactly this fate. YET there’s no evidence at all that there’s any malevolence to aliens. In fact, for the evidence that does exist, hiding our presence from aliens may be the worst decision humanity could possibly make.