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First contact is a commontheme in science fiction about the first meeting between humans andextraterrestrial life, or of anysentient species' first encounter with another one, given they are from different planets ornatural satellites. It is closely related to the anthropological idea of first contact.

Popularized by the 1897 bookThe War of the Worlds byH. G. Wells, the concept was commonly used throughout the 1950s and 60s, often as an allegory for Soviet infiltration and invasion. The 1960s American television seriesStar Trek introduced the concept of the "Prime Directive", a regulation intended to limit the negative consequences of first contact.

Although there are a variety of circumstances under which first contact can occur, includingindirect detection of alien technology, it is often portrayed as the discovery of the physical presence of anextraterrestrial intelligence. As aplot device, first contact is frequently used to explore a variety of themes.^[1]

Murray Leinster's 1945novelette "First Contact" is the best known science fiction story which is specifically devoted to the "first contact"per se,^[1] although Leinster used the term in this sense earlier, in his 1935 story "Proxima Centauri".^[2][3]

The idea of humans encountering an extraterrestrial intelligence for the first time dates back to the second century AD, where it is presented in the novelA True Story byLucian of Samosata.^[4] The 1752 novelLe Micromégas byVoltaire depicts a visit of an alien from a planet circlingSirius to theSolar System. Micromegas, being 120,000royal feet (38.9 km) tall, first arrives at Saturn, where he befriends a Saturnian. They both eventually reach the Earth, where using a magnifying glass, they discern humans, and eventually engage in philosophical disputes with them. While superficially it may be classified as an early example of science fiction, the aliens are used only as a technique to involve outsiders to comment on Western civilization, a trope popular at the times.^{[citation needed]}

Traditionally the origin of the trope of conflict of humans with an alien intelligent species is attributed toThe War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, in whichMartians mount a globalinvasion of Earth.^[5] Still, there are earlier examples, such as the 1888 novelLes Xipéhuz, a classic of French science fiction. It depicts the struggle of prehistoric humans with an apparently intelligent but profoundly alien inorganic life form. However in the latter novel it is unclear whether the Xipéhuz arrived from the outer space or originated on the Earth.^[6]

Throughout the 1950s, stories involving first contact were common in the United States, and typically involved conflict. Professor of CommunicationVictoria O'Donnell writes that these films "presented indirect expressions of anxiety about the possibility of anuclear holocaust or a Communist invasion of America. These fears were expressed in various guises, such as aliens using mind control, monstrous mutants unleashed byradioactive fallout, radiation's terrible effects on human life, and scientists obsessed with dangerous experiments." Most films of this kind have an optimistic ending. She reviewed four major topics in these films: (1) Extraterrestrial travel, (2) alien invasion and infiltration, (3) mutants, metamorphosis, and resurrection of extinct species, and (4)near annihilation or the end of the Earth.^[7]

The 1951 filmThe Day the Earth Stood Still was one of the first works to portray first contact as an overall beneficial event.^[8] While the character of Klaatu is primarily concerned with preventing conflicts spreading from Earth, the film warns of the dangers ofnuclear war.^[9][10] Based onthe 1954 serialized novel, the 1956 filmInvasion of the Body Snatchers depicts an alien infiltration, with the titular Body Snatchers overtaking the fiction town of Santa Mira. Similarly toThe Day the Earth Stood Still,Invasion of the Body Snatchers reflects contemporary fears in the United States, particularlythe fear of communist infiltration and takeover.^[11]

Childhood's End byArthur C. Clarke depicts a combination of positive and negative effects from first contact: whileutopia is achieved across the planet, humanity becomes stagnant, with Earth under the constant oversight of the Overlords.^[12]Stanisław Lem's 1961 novelSolaris depictscommunication with an extraterrestrial intelligence as a futile endeavor,^[13] a common theme in Lem's works.^[14]

The 21st episode ofStar Trek, "The Return of the Archons", introduced the Prime Directive, created by producer and screenwriterGene L. Coon.^[15] Since its creation, the Prime Directive has become a staple of theStar Trek franchise,^[16] and the concept of a non-interference directive has become common throughout science fiction.^[17]

The 1977 filmClose Encounters of the Third Kind depicts first contact as a long and laborious process, with communication only being achieved at the end of the film.^[18] InRendezvous with Rama, communication is never achieved.

In 1985,Carl Sagan published the novelContact. The book deals primarily with the challenges inherent to determining first contact, as well as thepotential responses to the discovery of an extraterrestrial intelligence.^[19] In 1997, the book was made into amovie.

The 1996 novelThe Sparrow starts with the discovery of an artificial radio signal, though it deals mainly with the issue of faith.^[20]The Arrival (1996),Independence Day, andStar Trek: First Contact were released in 1996.The Arrival portrays both an indirect first contact through the discovery of a radio signal, as well as an alien infiltration similar to that ofInvasion of the Body Snatchers;^[21]Independence Day portrays an alien invasion similar in theme and tone toThe War of the Worlds;^[22] andStar Trek: First Contact portrays first contact as a beneficial and peaceful event that ultimately led to the creation of theUnited Federation of Planets.^[23]

The 1994 video gameXCOM: UFO Defense is astrategy game that depicts an alien invasion, although first contact technically occurs prior to the game's start.^[24] TheHalo andMass Effect franchises both have novels that detail first contact events.Mass Effect: Andromeda has multiple first contacts, as it takes place in theAndromeda Galaxy.^[25]

The Chinese novelThe Three-Body Problem, first published in 2006 and translated into English in 2014,^[26] presents first contact as being achieved through the reception of a radio signal.The Dark Forest, published in 2008, introduced thedark forest hypothesis based onThomas Hobbes' description of the "natural condition of mankind",^[27] although the underlying concept dates back to "First Contact".^[28]

The 2016 filmArrival, based on the 1998 short story "Story of Your Life", depicts a global first contact, with 12 "pods" establishing themselves at various locations on Earth. With regard to first contact, the film focuses primarily on thelinguistic challenges inherent in first contact, and the film's plot is driven by the concept oflinguistic relativity and thevarious responses of the governments.^[29]

The 2021 novelProject Hail Mary depicts an unintended first contact scenario when the protagonist, Ryland Grace, encounters an alienstarship while on a scientific mission toTau Ceti.^[30]

Due to the broad definition of first contact, there are a number of variations of the methods that result in first contact and the nature of the subsequent interaction. Variations include: positive vs. negative outcome of the first contact, actual meetings vs. interception of alien messages, etc.^[31][2]

The idea of an alien invasion is one of the earliest and most common portrayals of a first contact scenario, being popular sinceThe War of the Worlds.^[32] During theCold War, films depicting alien invasions were common. The depiction of the aliens tended to reflect the American conception of the Soviet Union at the time, with infiltration stories being a variation of the theme.^[33]

ABracewell probe is any form of probe of extraterrestrial origin, and such technology appears in first contact fiction. Initially hypothesized in 1960 byRonald N. Bracewell, a Bracewell probe is a form of alienartifact that would permit real–time communication.^[34] ABig Dumb Object is a common variation of the Bracewell probe, primarily referring tomegastructures such asringworlds,^[35] but also relatively smaller objects that are either located on the surface of planets or natural satellites, or transiting through the solar system (such as Rama inRendezvous with RamabyArthur Clarke (1973)).^[36][37] A famous example is the 19682001: A Space Odyssey, where mysterious black "Monoliths" enhance the technological progress of humanoids and other civilizations.^[1]

A number of stories involve finding an alien spacecraft, either in the space or on a surface of the planet, with various consequences,Rendezvous with Rama being a classic example.^[38]

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Many science fiction stories deal with the issues of communications.^[39]

First contact is a recurring theme in the works of Polish writerStanisław Lem. The majority of his "first contact" stories, including his first published science fiction story,The Man from Mars (1946) and his last work of fiction,Fiasco (1986), portray the mutual understanding of a human and alien intelligences as ultimately impossible.^[40][41] These works criticize "the myth of cognitiveuniversality".^[42]

The "first contact" may originate from the detection of anextraterrestrial signal ("message from space"). In broader terms, the presence of an alien civilization may be deduced from atechnosignature, which is any of a variety of detectablespectral signatures that indicate the presence or effects of technology.^[43] The occasionalsearch for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) began with the advent ofradio, which was addressed in science fiction as well. TheEncyclopedia of Science Fiction mentions an 1864 French story "Qu'est-ce qu'ils peuvent bien nous dire?", where humans detect a signal from Mars. Stories of this type became numerous by the 1950s.^[44] The systematic search for technosignatures began in 1960 withProject Ozma.^[45]

Apart fromtelepathy, languages are the most common form of interpersonal communication with aliens, and many science fiction stories deal with language issues.^[46] While various nonlinguistic forms of communication are described as well, such as communication via mathematics, pheromones, etc., the distinction of linguistic vs. non-linguistic, is rather semantic: in the majority of cases all boils down to some form of decoding/encoding of information.^[39]

Whilespace operas bypass the issue by either making aliens speak English perfectly, or resorting to a "universal translator", in mosthard science fiction humans usually have difficulties in talking to aliens, which may lead to misunderstanding of various level of graveness, even leading to a war.^[2]

Jonathan Vos Post analyzed various issues related to understanding alien languages.^[47]

Many notable writers have considered how humans are supposed to treat the aliens when we meet them. One idea is that the humans should avoid the interference in the development of alien civilizations. A notable example of this is thePrime Directive ofStar Trek, a major part ofits considerable cultural influence.^[48][49] However, the Directive often proves to be unworkable.^[50] Over time, the Directive has developed from its clear and straightforward formulation to a loosely defined, aspirational principle. Evolving from a series of bad experiences coming from the "interventionist" approach in early episodes, the Prime Directive was initially presented as an imperative. However, it is often portrayed as neither the primary concern, nor imperative.^[51]

InSoviet science fiction there was a popular concept of "progressors", Earth agents working clandestinely in less advanced civilizations for their betterment, following the ideas ofCommunism (portrayed as already victorious onEarth). The term was introduced in theNoon Universe of theStrugatsky brothers.^[52] The Strugatskis' biographer, writing under the pen nameAnt Skalandis [ru], considered the concept as a major novelty insocial science fiction.^[53] In the Strugatskis' later works the powerful organization КОМКОН (COMCON, Commission for Contacts), in charge of progressorship, was tasked with counteracting the work of suspected alien progressors on the Earth. Strugatski's novels related to the subject reject the idea of the "export of revolution". In his report "On serious shortcomings in the publication of science fiction literature",Alexander Yakovlev, a Soviet Communist Party functionary in charge of propaganda, complained that Strugatskis had alleged the futility of the Communist intervention into fascism on an alien planet.^[54]

Based on the 1940 short story "Farewell to the Master",^[55]The Day the Earth Stood Still depicts the arrival of a single alien,Klaatu, and a robot,Gort, in aflying saucer, which lands inWashington, D.C. In the film, humanity's response to first contact is hostility, demonstrated both at the beginning when Klaatu is wounded, and when he is killed near the end.

First contact is used as an example of a global issue that is ignored in favor of continuing international competition, with the decision by the United States government to treat Klaatu as a security threat and eventually enactmartial law in Washington, D.C. being allegorical for the Second Red Scare.^[56]

Initially conceived of as a film, the 1985 novelContact, written by American astronomerCarl Sagan, depicts the reception of a radio signal from the starVega. Two-way communication is achieved with the construction of a Machine, the specifications of which are included in the message. In 1997, afilm adaptation was released.^[62]

Within theStar Trek franchise, first contact is a central part of the operations ofStarfleet.^[63] While primarily depicted in the television shows, it has also been in a majority of the movies.^[64] The Prime Directive is one of the foundational regulations regarding first contact inStar Trek, and has been portrayed in every television series.^[63] Despite its importance, it is frequently violated.^[50]

In theoriginal pilot episode forStar Trek, the crew of theUSS Enterprise encounters the Talosians, subterraneanhumanoids withtelepathic abilities, when attempting to rescue the survivors of a crash. While the episode wasn't broadcast in its entirety until 1988, it was incorporated into the first-season two-part episode "The Menagerie".^[65]

The Prime Directive, also known as Starfleet General Order 1, was introduced in the 21st episode "The Return of the Archons".^[63] In–universe, it is intended to prevent unintended negative consequences from first contact with technologically inferior societies, particularly those that lackfaster-than-light travel.^[66]

"Encounter at Farpoint", the pilot episode forStar Trek: The Next Generation, depicts Federation first contact with the Q Continuum,^[67] although this encounter was only included later in production.^[68]

The Prime Directive is the center of multiple episodes in the series, including "Who Watches the Watchers" and "First Contact". In both episodes, CaptainJean-Luc Picard is forced to break the Prime Directive.^[63]

Released in 1996,Star Trek: First Contact portrays first contact between Humans andVulcans at the end of the film.This event leads to the formation of the United Federation of Planets.^[69][23]

• Ancient astronauts – Pseudoscientific claims of past alien contact
• First contact (anthropology) – First meeting of two cultures previously unaware of one another
• Potential cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact – Topic in futurism
• Search for extraterrestrial intelligence – Effort to find civilizations not from Earth
• Extraterrestrials in fiction

• Parrinder, Patrick (2000).Learning from Other Worlds: Estrangement, Cognition, and the Politics of Science Fiction and Utopia. Liverpool University Press.ISBN 0-8532-3574-0.OL 22421185M.

• First Contact, a list maintained byGoodreads
• First Contact atTV Tropes
• First Contact cartoons and comics
• Science Fiction with Good Astronomy List by Andrew Fraknoi; see the section on SETI

• Bly, Robert W. (2005)."First Contact".The Science in Science Fiction: 83 SF Predictions That Became Scientific Reality. Consulting Editor:James Gunn.BenBella Books. pp. 127–136.ISBN 978-1-932100-48-8.
• Stableford, Brian (1983)."First contact". InNicholls, Peter (ed.).The Science in Science Fiction. New York: Knopf. p. 51.ISBN 0-394-53010-1.OCLC 8689657.
• "Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters" by Ronald Story (2001)ISBN 0-451-20424-7. It was the result of a collaborative Extraterrestrial Encyclopedia Project (ETEP))

• Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
• Science fiction about first contact

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