What happens after they say: "We come in peace". Aliens could contact Earth at any moment and we need to know what to say to them, according to scientists.
Scientists say we shouldn't ignore the idea that there could be extraterrestrial life. A young group at the University of St Andrews in Scotland has begun work on a plan for what to do if we encounter aliens on Earth.
With the help of experts from around the world, they will put together powerful protocols and treaties, and evaluate any evidence of intelligent civilizations.
Their preparatory work will take place in a new research center at the university, dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).
"Science fiction is filled with explorations into human society after discovery and even encounters with otherworldly life or intelligence," said John Elliott, scientist.
He added that they need to coordinate knowledge with all experts, not only to evaluate the evidence, but also to take into account the human societal response as communication with extraterrestrials begins to come to life.
Scientists will manage the complete process of searching for evidence, confirming discoveries, analyzing their language patterns and managing potential response.
"And the time to do that is now. Scanning signals of presumed extraterrestrial origin for language structures and attaching meaning is an elaborate and time-consuming process during which our knowledge will advance in many steps as we learn the "extraterrestrial language."
The group believes that limited attention has been paid to the consequences to society if foreign intelligence is discovered.
While the United Nations has processes and entities created for the threat of an asteroid strike, nothing similar exists for extraterrestrial life.
In June, NASA announced that it was beginning its first study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs.
Over the course of nine months, scientists are looking at the actual data at UAP and determining which sightings are naturally occurring or not worth investigating further.
The Hub researchers write that societal interest has increased significantly recently, due to the discovery of thousands of planets around distant stars in our galaxy and, closer to 'home', through the exploration of nearby worlds such as Mars and Venus, looking for signs of life, present or past.
"The possible discovery of extraterrestrial life is likely to raise all kinds of concerns that would follow the discovery, and we are still completely unprepared as a species."
In July, a study revealed that aliens could send messages through interstellar space using quantum communication.