1. Goal: To examine intelligent life in the universe
Objectives:
Where are they?
Would they come here?
Are we going to die?
What might they be?

2. Have we already been visited?
~9000 reported UFO sightings per year worldwide (7000 in the USA)
Most can be easily explained
Large fraction during July 14th. 10% on Jan 1st
Seems uncommon at best. Lifetime probability: 1 in 600

3. Where are they?
We have seen that the distances to these civilizations might be large (25000 light years)
We cannot detect that far
Time, it’s not on our side

4. Large numbers 400 billion stars in galaxy
Possibly trillions of planets
Cannot find us?

5. Other reasons to stay away:
Our species can be violent
Germs/dieses/viruses
Prime directive
Need a different climate/environment

6. First Contact?
Why don’t movies ever show this going well?

7. Reality check
The more advanced in technology a species gets the more easily it can destroy itself
Technological Darwinism: survival of the most civil
Any race that was violent/destructive/warlike would most likely destroy itself before it would have a change to accomplish interstellar travel

8. Philosophical statement
Any race, humans included, should make sure that their technological achievements do not greatly outpace their social achievements
Both are required.
One must not let the genie out of the bottle before one is ready to make their wish.

9. Therefore
It is most likely that First Contact would be with a kind species that would try to help us and not harm us
However, if I am wrong, there is nothing we can do about it (sorry Hollywood).
They could just bombard us from space until we surrender.

10. Will interstellar life be like us?
Biological life has a lot of drawbacks.
We need air + water + food
Have to avoid disease and high energy photons of light
Bodies break down eventually
Our cells shrink as they multiply, eventually can not do so
Parts are hard to make/transfer

11. Mechanical Life
However, at some point and time a species could evolve from biological to mechanical
It is very possible that any interstellar species would be mechanical
Don’t need air/water/food
Only need energy
Parts easy to replace and “brain” can be transferred.
Easier to add found information to a collective/download from collective.
Could live indefinitely

12. Would they want Earth?
Possibly, but it is more likely that without need for air/water they would prefer Mercury for its iron content and abundance of solar power.
So even if they took over our solar system, they might still ignore us.

13. Suppose we do meet Communication might be difficult Clash of cultures?
Speciesism and xenophobia
As advanced as we are, we would seem like ants.
Domestication?

14. Conclusion
We are hard to find and have not been around long enough to be detected
Life that comes to our solar system will probably be peaceful towards us
Very possible interstellar life could be mechanical not biological
Make sure we advance our hearts at the same rate of our iphones