Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke once had this to say about the possibility of aliens: “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
People have wondered if other lifeforms exist out in space for centuries. In modern times, the idea really took off in science fiction: the iconic radio drama The War of the Worlds (published 1898), the adorable E.T. in Spielberg‘s classic, and the recurring green aliens Kodo and Kang in The Simpsons.
Science – particularly astrophysicists – tend to believe in the probability that alien life does exist. The universe is simply too vast, and there is too much we don’t know about it, for anyone to believe strongly that it doesn’t.
As it turns out, that’s a view shared by young Aussies. When we asked a bunch of them for our fourth episode of 27 Pedestrians, the resounding answer was “yes”.
“I think the universe is too big for there not to be some other kind of living species out there,” James, 30 said.
Beyond that, Aussies have vastly different opinions on how aliens might look like – and whether they’ve already made contact with Earth.
“Yes, I believe in aliens,” Cloudy, 24, said. Her definition of aliens extends beyond the scope of just ‘life on other planets’.
“I also think of aliens as beings from other dimensions that may or may not have physical bodies, or at least bodies that we recognise. So ghosts, for example? I consider to be aliens.”
Zoe, 21, reckons you only have to look at our oceans to believe aliens walk (or swim) among us.
“I believe that octopuses as a species are aliens. I don’t think people talk about that enough,” she said.
“And I’m passionate about this because I just thing that octopuses, as a species, they can not only change the colour of their skin to camouflage, but they can also chance the texture of their skin and each of their tentacles as a mind of its own. They each have cerebral activity. I just think that is an extraterrestrial alien.”
Others, like Oliver, 25, is hopeful aliens do exist, but reckon if they were intelligent, they’d have a pretty scathing assessment of humanity.
“I hope if there was, they’d be looking at us going, ‘What have they done?’” he said.
“They have all these great resources and great opportunities and they’re still fighting over the colour of their skin.”
You can check out all their answers in the video above, or remind yourself of who our 27 Pedestrians are right here.
