75% of Britons think that aliens exist somewhere in the universe, with 32% believing intelligent alien life has visited Earth at some point
The prospect of alien life existing somewhere else in the universe has sparked imaginations for centuries.
But the simple question of ‘do aliens exist’ doesn’t tell the full story, as there is a huge difference between believing that some microorganisms exist on a moon in a galaxy far, far away, and believing that there’s a high chance of something intelligent coming from Mars.
A new YouGov survey finds that three-quarters of Britons (75%) think it is likely that at least some kind of alien life, even if it’s microscopic, exists somewhere in the universe, with six in ten (62%) believing it’s likely that such life exists somewhere in our solar system.
The British public are also optimistic about the possibilities of intelligent alien life, with 69% believing that it exists somewhere in the universe, though just 37% of Britons see it as a possibility that intelligent extraterrestrials inhabit our solar system.
Few Britons outright doubt the possibility of alien life, with only one in seven (14%) being inclined to believe that Earth is the only life-sustaining planet in the cosmos, while just one in six (18%) say it is unlikely that intelligent alien life exists somewhere.
The question of intelligent alien life visiting Earth is a well-established trope in science fiction, but a significant minority of Britons see it in more realistic terms. A third of the public (33%) say they believe it is likely that intelligent aliens have visited our homeworld at some point, including one in nine (11%) who believe it is very likely. This compares to roughly half the public (48%) seeing such a possibility as unlikely.
Some go even further. Around one in five Britons (19-22%) claim to believe it is plausible that intelligent aliens have visited Earth in the last century, that such lifeforms contributed to early human civilisations, or that at least some Earth species are descended from aliens. One in seven Britons (14%) also say they believe it is likely that intelligent aliens are currently alive on Earth.
Why do we lack evidence of aliens?
The Fermi paradox is a scientific observation highlighting the contradiction between what some scientists see as the high likelihood of intelligent alien life existing and the lack of evidence so far for its existence. Several explanations have been given to as to why the discrepancy exists, but which do the British public see as most likely?
Nearly four in ten Britons (38-39%) feel that the lack of evidence for aliens can be best explained by human technology being not advanced enough for us to communicate with them, or by alien life being too far away from Earth to contact us.
One in six Britons (16%) say that one of the most likely reasons we have not encountered aliens is that while intelligent alien life knows we exist, it chooses not to communicate with us. One in seven (14%) see limitations of alien technology as one of the most plausible explanations for a lack of proof of extraterrestrial life.
Government cover-ups of alien contact are seen as one of the top explanations for the Fermi paradox by 10% of the public, while 9% believe that it’s most likely a case of bad timing, with alien life having visited Earth before the development of human civilisation. A gloomier 6% believe one of the most likely reasons is that intelligent life tends to destroy itself before being able to develop the technology to communicate across the cosmos.
What should we do if we proved that aliens exist?
Although we lack evidence of aliens right now, there may come a day when scientists prove that Earth is not unique among the stars as the only planet to have produced life. Such a day would be a momentous day for science, but would the public see it this way?
Britons tend to say they would not be bothered if humans found proof that aliens exist, with nearly half of the public (47%) saying they would be neither happy nor unhappy. Nonetheless, a third of Britons (32%) say they would be happy if it was proved that life on Earth was not alone in the universe, compared to just 7% who say they’d be unhappy at the news.
Men are much more likely to say they’d be happy to find out aliens were fact rather than just speculation, with 42% saying so, compared to just 23% of women. Younger Britons would also receive the news more positively, with 38% of 18-24 year olds and 36% of 25-49 year olds saying they would be happy, compared to just 24% of over 65s.
If we discovered alien life, it would likely have repercussions for human life, with some claiming it could impact the foundations of religion. But just one in six Britons (17%) feel that it would actually disprove the existence of God, while 42% disagree. And among those who say they belong to a religion themselves, 59% say that ET can co-exist alongside their chosen deity.
The question of ‘what next’ would also likely become a major issue. While 38% of Britons are unsure what we should do in that scenario, the public tend to prefer keeping a low profile and trying to remain undiscovered over trying to make contact with aliens by a margin of 37% to 25%.
However, while we are unsure about the existence of alien life, most Britons (54%) support scientists sending messages into deep space in the hope of them being received by intelligent extraterrestrials, while only one in five (20%) are opposed to humanity trying to communicate with aliens.
Men and more likely to feel we should be reaching out, with 64% in favour of scientists sending messages into deep space, compared to 44% of women.
Do you think aliens exist? What do you think about our relationship with space, and everything else? Have your say, join the YouGov panel, and get paid to share your thoughts. Sign up here.
Photo: Getty
