ET Exists and 95% of educated people believe in alien life but won't admit it to friends and family
If you've got a sneaking suspicion that there is alien life out there, you are, er, not alone! In fact, a study shows 95 per cent of us – including top academics, doctors and scientists – believe in extra-terrestrial beings … but we won't admit it. Fear of being laughed at has led most people to say they don't believe in galaxies far, far away. To investigate belief in extra-terrestrial life, researchers from Harvard University in the US and Reichman University in Israel quizzed 6,114 highly educated and scientifically interested people with degrees, postgraduate qualifications and doctorates. The average age was 49, with most based in the UK, US, Spain and Canada. The study found that 95 per cent believed extra-terrestrial intelligent life exists. Only one per cent – just 60 people – believed alien life definitely or probably does not exist. But the group also estimated only half (48 per cent) of their peers would share their belief that intelligent alien life exists.
In This Article:
Global study of highly educated people finds near-universal private belief in extraterrestrial life
Researchers from Harvard University in the US and Reichman University in Israel quizzed 6,114 highly educated and scientifically interested people with degrees, postgraduate qualifications and doctorates. The average age was 49, and most respondents were based in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain and Canada. The study was conducted by Harvard University in the United States and Reichman University in Israel.
Belief vs willingness to speak out
The study found that 95 per cent believed extra-terrestrial intelligent life exists. Only one per cent – just 60 people – believed alien life definitely or probably does not exist. But the group also estimated only half (48 per cent) of their peers would share their belief that intelligent alien life exists. "Beliefs about extra-terrestrial intelligence existence remain socially constrained despite near-universal private acceptance." "Concerns about appearing unscientific, particularly among educated people, may suppress expression." "The association of extra-terrestrial intelligence beliefs with fringe communities and conspiracy theories creates reputation risk." "This misperception creates a self-perpetuating cycle: individuals remain silent about their beliefs, interpreting others' silence as sceptics." A caption reads: "A new study shows that 95 per cent of highly-educated people believe alien life exists. Pictured: The character E.T. from Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic of the same name" (Stock image).
Cosmic closet and pluralistic ignorance
The ArXiv study termed the hidden beliefs as people staying in the 'cosmic closet', adding that it "represents one of the largest documented cases of pluralistic ignorance" – where people conform to a norm they disagree with, as they mistakenly believe most others accept it.
Britain’s space science voice says aliens are out there
Last month one of Britain's top space scientists declared she is 'absolutely convinced' there are aliens out there. Dame Maggie Aderin–Pocock, from University College London's Department of Physics and Astronomy, said she expects a 'positive detection' of life on another planet by 2075.
