It seems as though the world has been mildly obsessed with the idea of an alien invasion ever since the Discovery Channel aired a documentary in April 2010 entitled “Into The Universe With Stephen Hawking,” in which renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking cautioned against attempting contact with extraterrestrials, who he suggested are likely hostile. His daughter Lucy, however, ignored this warning.

In February 2011, Lucy Hawking, writer-in-residence for Arizona State University’s Origins Project, launched a writing contest called “Dear Aliens,” which asked students to answer the following questions: What would you say to extraterrestrials if earthlings are contacted from outer space? If you had to speak for humanity, what would you say?