Aliens are likely to be artificial intelligence.
Aliens are likely to be artificial intelligence
Experts doubt that any biological creature will live long enough to travel the vast distance across the universe to reach Earth, meaning that extraterrestrials are more likely to be AI - like the robots in the 'Terminator' films.
Scientists also believe that the human race should be focusing on creating AI astronauts to hunt the aliens down.
Former NASA astrobiologist Dirk Schulze-Makuch said: "For space exploration - meaning exploration beyond our immediate cosmic neighbourhood - it is probably essential.
"We should expect more planets in the universe to be populated by AIs than by the Little Green Men of 1950s science fiction.
"Rather than look for signs of biology, we might be on the lookout for planets more suitable to AI."