Earthlings likely to welcome alien life rather than panicking, study shows

Should aliens be discovered, public reaction is likely to be positive, say researchers - despite alarming fictional portrayals of contact

"The fear I felt was no rational fear, but a panic terror," wrote HG Wells, describing his narrator's response to a Martian invasion in War of the Worlds.

But despite such alarming portrayals, researchers say the discovery of alien life is more likely to be welcomed with open arms than panic.