The effects on human society, institutions, and environment resulting from contact with an extraterrestrial civilization could include, among others, sweeping changes in science, technology, religion, politics, and ecosystems. The actual magnitudes and types of change resulting from contact could vary greatly, depending on such factors as the extraterrestrial civilization's benevolence or malevolence, how technologically advanced it is, and the level of mutual understanding between it and humanity.[1] The medium of communication with extraterrestrial intelligent life forms, be it electromagnetic waves, communication with extraterrestrials in their physical presence, or perhaps an extraterrestrial artifact, could also influence the results. Based on these factors, different scenarios are used to describe the implications of various types of civilization and methods of contact.
The implications of extraterrestrial contact have often been likened to those of the meeting of two vastly different human cultures on Earth. Such meetings have led to the destruction of the civilization being contacted (as opposed to the "contactor" civilization, which initiates contact), and this is one possible result of extraterrestrial contact.[2] However, as the nature of extraterrestrial civilizations is unknown and no known contact with one has yet taken place, it is impossible to say what the result would be. In spite of these difficulties, various systems have been created to assess the implications of such contact.
The study of the cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact is distinct from the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). While the latter looks for evidence that intelligent civilizations exist beyond the Earth, the former attempts to predict the impact on human society should contact be made.
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The cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact is the corpus of changes to terrestrial science, technology, religion, politics, and ecosystems resulting from contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. Although closely related to it, the study of the cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact is distinct from the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, which attempts to locate intelligent life as opposed to analyzing the implications of contact with that life.
The changes which actually result from extraterrestrial contact would vary greatly in magnitude and type based on the extraterrestrial civilization's benevolence or malevolence, its level of technological advancement, and the level of mutual comprehension between itself and humanity.[1] The medium through which humanity is contacted, be it electromagnetic radiation, direct physical interaction, or perhaps an extraterrestrial artifact, could also influence the results of contact. Incorporating these factors, various systems have been created to assess the implications of extraterrestrial contact.
The implications of extraterrestrial contact, particularly with a civilization far ahead of humanity technologically, have often been likened to the meeting of two vastly human cultures on Earth, and in particular the Columbian Exchange. Such meetings have generally led to the destruction of the civilization receiving contact (as opposed to the "contactor", which initiates contact), and therefore destruction of human civilization is a possible result of extraterrestrial contact.[2] However, as the nature of extraterrestrial civilizations is unknown and no conclusive contact with any has yet taken place, it is impossible to say with complete accuracy what the result of contact would be.