The discovery of aliens could trigger World War III.
Aliens could start World War III
A study by geophysicist Kenneth Wisian and religious studies expert John Traphagan has warned of dire consequences for Earth if and when extraterrestrials are found.
The boffins suggest that knowledge of alien technology "if wielded solely by one nation here on Earth might enable it to dominate the world".
However, a paper published in the journal Space Policy says that the fears are unfounded and highly unlikely due to interstellar communication.
The paper's author Jason T. Wright told Newsweek that "there's not much governments could do to get a monopoly on that information".
Wright did warn that humans may not be alone in the universe despite the lack of success in the hunt for aliens so far.
He said: "The radio search for alien life has only really scratched the surface.
"So there's no reason to think anyone's hiding; they might all be out in the open and we just haven't checked the right stars or frequencies yet."