What if we came into contact with extraterrestrial intelligences – especially if they or their robots invaded the solar system or even landed on Earth? This question is not only a fascinating topic in science fiction, but is now also being seriously discussed by scientists (see the bdw cover story 3/2024). There are even separate subdisciplines such as exosociology, psychology and law. In view of the unidentified flying objects (UFOs), which are now occupying even US politics, the Pentagon and NASA, the issue has become significantly more explosive in recent years, even if it is by no means clear what is hidden behind the ominous UFOs and from where they come from.
Daniel Gerritzen has been critically inspecting the UFO reports since 1947 (he also mentions earlier ones) and describes them seriously. The exciting book contains over 40 pages of references. A disturbing number of sightings are inexplicable, although they have been recorded not only by eyewitnesses but also by radar and cameras. Above all, the renowned author and co-founder of the German-speaking research network Extraterrestrial Intelligence is concerned with the possible social and political consequences of initial contact. His detailed, reasoned conclusion is alarming: humanity would not be mature, but would plunge into a crisis of unprecedented proportions, even if the aliens had no evil intentions. Rüdiger Vaas
Daniel Gerritzen
The cosmic crisis
Why aliens won’t save us
Matthes & Seitz, 351 pages, 24,–
ISBN 978-3-7518-0389-2