Reaction to extra-terrestial life.

[Anomalocaris]

What would you think the world's reaction be if we did discover other life? Also, would there be any reason for it to be covered up? (Bored at work, random ass thought)

I guess it depends on the circumstances. I personally don't think the discovery of life on Mars or Europa would be that philosophically important. I sure if Christianity and Islam can survive the sun being the center of the solar system and the earth being round, they could survive the discovery of extra-terrestrial life. They have to do so much brain twisting to be religious in the modern world, what's a little more?

On the other hand if intelligent extra-terrestrial life contacted earth I would shit my pants. That would mean so much more and open up the whole universe to us. Seems unlikely though.

In my opinion the most likely scenario for contact by likely intelligent aliens would involve profound mystification and total incomprehension by us.

The scenario would be something along the lines of aliens 3 billion years more advanced then us doing whatever they do with universal gravitational constants, cosmological constants, and other what we conceive of as bedrock of the cosmos in much the same way that we might pour concrete to hold up a mailbox post. We would suddenly find all our understanding of the fundamental universe turned upside down, and some would see the hand of god.

In the meantime the hand of the aliens would pass on, the effects of its actions upon us, or even our existence, a matter of supreme disinterest to them. Aliens 3 billion years more advanced than we won't routinely dumb down their data packets to enlighten us.

There will be no two way meaningful,communication.