Leading experts shared their thoughts on a possible encounter with aliens, noting that humanity is not yet ready for such an event. Experts say this will cause significant anxiety and require significant preparation and adjustment by society, reports say dailystar.co.uk.
According to the latest research conducted by Andreas Anton from the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health in Freiburg (Germany), there are several possible scenarios for detecting aliens.
However, it is the scenario of a direct meeting between a person and a representative of an alien civilization that causes the greatest concern among experts.
Mr Anton claims in his research: “We suspect that a biological life form could potentially cause more fear, because the immediate question would be what ‘they’ want here. There is also a built-in assumption that they have a relatively close base or can travel super fast (perhaps faster than light) and are therefore technologically very far ahead of us,” Anton and co-authors write in their paper.
“However, the question of whether the encounter takes place with a biological life form or with the emissaries of a machine civilization may remain unresolved for a long time.”
One of the most important questions remains determining who these aliens are and what their goals are. The rapid advances in technology and the ability to travel faster than light make them potentially more technologically advanced, adding to the uncertainty and fear about how this will affect our civilization.
Psychology teacher Dr. Malcolm Schofield, from the University of Derby, has previously warned that confirmation of the existence of aliens could cause people to experience ‘ontological shock’, calling into question long-held beliefs about reality.
He emphasizes that it will be crucial for psychologists to mitigate the possible consequences and ensure people’s well-being in the event of such an event.
“Events like this will have a serious impact on society and people’s beliefs. Our task is not only to prepare for this, but also to provide support and understanding to maintain psychological balance,” emphasizes Dr. Schofield.
In the light of such studies and statements of specialists, it becomes clear that a meeting with an alien civilization requires not only scientific and technical preparedness, but also psychological support from society as a whole.
