Editing Extraterrestrial intelligence (section)

== Potential cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact ==
{{Main|Potential cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact}}

The potential changes from extraterrestrial contact could vary greatly in magnitude and type, based on the extraterrestrial civilization's level of technological advancement, degree of benevolence or malevolence, and level of mutual comprehension between itself and humanity.<ref name="ptrsa-2010">{{Cite journal |last=Harrison |first=A. A. |date=2011 |title=Fear, pandemonium, equanimity and delight: Human responses to extra-terrestrial life |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |volume=369 |issue=1936 |pages=656–668 |bibcode=2011RSPTA.369..656H |doi=10.1098/rsta.2010.0229 |pmid=21220289 |s2cid=39284787}}</ref> Some theories suggest that an extraterrestrial civilization could be advanced enough to dispense with biology, living instead inside of advanced computers.<ref name="ptrsa-2010" /> The medium through which humanity is contacted, be it electromagnetic radiation, direct physical interaction, extraterrestrial artefact, or otherwise, may also influence the results of contact. Incorporating these factors, various systems have been created to assess the implications of extraterrestrial contact.

The implications of extraterrestrial contact, particularly with a technologically superior civilization, have often been likened to the meeting of two vastly different human cultures on Earth, a historical precedent being the [[Columbian Exchange]]. Such meetings have generally led to the destruction of the civilization receiving contact (as opposed to the "contactor", which initiates contact), and therefore destruction of human civilization is a possible outcome.<ref name="daily-galaxy-1">{{Cite web |last=Kazan, Casey |date=1 August 2008 |title=The Impact of ET Contact: Europe's Scientists Discuss The Future of Humans in Space |url=http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/08/pandemics-from.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515171248/http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/08/pandemics-from.html |archive-date=15 May 2013 |access-date=21 April 2012 |publisher=Daily Galaxy}}</ref> However, the absence of any such contact to date means such conjecture is largely speculative.<!--All lead material is supported by sources within the body of the main article.-->