Well, wouldn't it be a simlar situation to someone with facial deformaties or something that makes them look different, and 'wrong' to some people?
Then the hate starts.
That preying mantis is beautiful, and I would much prefer to meet a mansize version of that compared to one of those really freaky looking greys, or
some humans for that matter.
I've been thinking on this topic lately too, and I suspect some alien races would certainly NOT look ANYTHING like a human being. We've created the
two legs, hands & head & posture for something to relate to, something that would give us something in common with a totaly foreign being.
I believe in many hundreds of worlds populated with life, from the highly advanced races, planets say 1-2 million years ahead of us, and more simple
worlds populated by a variety of creatures, not so sophisticated. Maybe some worlds would be populated only by bacteria, where as others with slightly
more advanced animal & insect life, perhaps simlar to that portrayed in the Discovery Channel's docudrama 'alien planet'.
Can't get the youtube link working, so here's a pic instead for an example of what I'm talking about, this is a 'groveback' which sucks nutrients
from the ground and is stationary for so long trees grow on it's back! (fictional of course, for now)
www.yourdiscovery.com... for background info on the show.
Then there is the possibility that such life could blow all our science out of the water and have evolved to breathe a totaly foreign gas, not eat or
drink or breathe, the possibilities are ENDLESS, we just don't know how other planets do their math. The things Earth life needs might be totaly not
what another planet needs.
I expect if an alien creature came here, they would need their suits on because our planet would be highly toxic to them, our air might burn them, our
water poison them, our viruses & germs could wipe them out. The common cold for instance could be like the bubonic plague to an alien.
Also, as another poster points out, large insect based organisms wouldn't be able to survive here without a spacesuit or artificial atmosphere.
[edit on 27-6-2010 by The Chez]
[edit on 27-6-2010 by The Chez]