Can We Guess If You Believe in Intelligent Extraterrestrial Life?

Ian Fortey

Image: Haiting Yu / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Have you ever heard of the Drake Equation? Sadly it has nothing to do with Drake the singer but everything to do with Frank Drake, a radio astronomer who was trying to figure out what the odds were on our ability to find and communicate with alien life. That sounds straightforward, right? Except that there are about a half dozen variables, none of which science can pin down. Long story short, there's no real answer for the Drake equation, and we have no idea what the odds are on ever contacting alien life. A big part of the reason is that we don't know if there is any extraterrestrial life to contact. It's hard to talk to someone who may or may not even exist.

The question of alien life doesn't have a lot of science behind it right now. Is there life out there? Is it intelligent? Some people are confident in the odds and assume that of course there must be life, just look at all the life on Earth alone! Others are not so convinced - there's nothing else in our solar system, and we haven't even found a planet that looks like it could sustain life. Maybe we're an anomaly. Maybe, maybe, maybe. So, which side of the coin are you on? Answer a few questions, and we'll guess what you think about finding intelligent life out there!

There is no end of stories featuring aliens. Which fictional aliens do you think are the most realistic?

Anything in the "Star Trek" universe

E.T.
None of them seems realistic to me.

Xenomorphs

What do you feel is the biggest benefit of space travel and exploration?

Discovering the unknown

Expanding our world
I think it's a waste of money, really.

Access to resources

When do you think a human will set foot on Mars?

Within 10 years

I'm not sure.
Whenever they get around to it

Within 25 years

The moon landing was one of the biggest events in all of history. Do you think we should go back?

Of course!

If there's a reason
Why?

Yes, we should build a base there.

What's your opinion on space tourism?

I think it's awesome.

It's pricey but cool, I guess.
Not for me

I would love to go to space sometime.

We have eight planets in our solar system ever since poor Pluto got the boot. Aside from Earth, which one seems the most interesting to you?

Mars

Saturn
Uranus

Jupiter

There are lots of theories about how we could travel between stars one day. Which approach is the most interesting to you?

Faster-than-light speed travel

Artificial black holes
I don't think it's possible.

Wormholes

What's the greatest movie about traveling in space ever made?

"Star Trek"

"Interstellar"
"The Martian"

"Star Wars"

It's 1,000 years in the future and we have colonies on Mars and the moon. Would you ever leave Earth permanently?

I'd love to live on Mars.

I might want to visit, but move? I don't know.
I'm happy where the oxygen is.

I could get into a moon base.

There's a universe of difference between life and intelligent life. Do you think there's life in some form out there?

No doubt

It's a possibility.
There's just no evidence.

I assume so.

There have been so many legendary explorers in human history. Who was the most incredible?

Magellan

Marco Polo
Columbus

Jacques Cousteau

Which of these unusual pets would you be willing to have?

Giant African Land Snail

Capybara
Fennec Fox

Tri-Color Burrowing Scorpion

If we met another intelligent race, do you think they'd be friendly?

I think so.

Anything's possible.
Not a chance

I hope so.

If you could learn a new language, which of these would you most like to learn?

Klingon

Spanish
Mandarin

Russian

How open are you to eating foods you've never experienced before?

I love trying new things!

I'm willing to give some things a try, but not just anything.
I won't eat it if I know I won't like it.

I'm pretty open.

Do you often get a chance to go on vacation?

I try to get away at least once a year.

I wish I could get away more.
Not really

As often as I can

What's the greatest distance you've ever traveled?

I've gone to other countries.

I haven't been very far.
I've been all around the country but I haven't left it.

I've been all around the world.

Which alien from pop culture do you think is the least realistic?

Xenomorphs

The Predator
Vulcans

ALF

Would it be a good thing if humanity encountered friendly aliens?

How could it not be?

I assume so.
I'd be suspicious of them.

It seems like we could get a lot of benefits.

Some amazing things go on in space. What are the most interesting cosmic phenomena, in your opinion?

Supernovas

Solar flares
Black holes

Asteroids

If you're going to be in space, you need a cool vehicle. Which of these would you pick?

USS Enterprise

Serenity
Event Horizon

Millennium Falcon

If we can't explore space right now, there are lots of places to explore on Earth. Where would you go if you could?

The depths of the ocean

The Australian Outback
New York City

The Amazon

Do you think intelligent life, if it existed, would even want to meet us?

Of course!

Depends on their intentions, right?
Probably not

I hope so.

Do you believe humanity will ever get to the point where world peace is achieved?

I think so.

I have no idea.
I don't think that's in human nature.

I hope we can.

What do you want to be your legacy in life?

My children

The people I've touched
A world that's a better place than when I found it.

The things I have created

Not to get too heavy on you, but why did life start on Earth specifically?

A perfect mix of conditions

I don't think we'll ever know.
I think a higher power was involved.

Random chance

Lots of people think aliens have visited and abducted them from the Earth. What's your opinion on those stories?

They can't all be fake.

They sound a little unbelievable to me.
It's all fake.

Anything's possible, right?

Have you ever wondered what Earth would have been like if a meteor hadn't ended the dinosaurs?

Super intelligent dino-people!

I haven't, actually. But now I am!
Doesn't matter, you can't change the past.

I think the dinosaurs would have stayed mostly the same.

If an alien showed up at your home E.T.-style, what would you do with it?

Try to befriend it

Run!
Turn it into the government

Find out what it wanted first

Where do you think the aliens would go if they showed on Earth tomorrow?

Wherever they wanted

Someplace inconspicuous
Hopefully to the government

To the biggest city they could find

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

5 Minute Quiz 5 Min