Most people in UK, US believe aliens exist: survey

More than one in two people in the UK, Germany and the US believe there is intelligent life out there in the universe, a new survey has found.

Fifty-six per cent of Germans, 54 per cent of Americans and 52 per cent of people from the UK believe that living creatures who have the ability to communicate and do not come from Earth exist.

Between those who say they believe in alien intelligence and those who say they are not sure whether it exists, the alien nonbelievers are in the minority, according to the survey by the marketing research firm YouGov.

Only 12 per cent of Germans, 22 per cent of Americans and 20 per cent of people from the UK said they do not believe intelligent aliens exist, 'Live Science' reported.

Among UK respondents, 46 per cent said a digital message should be sent into space in the hopes that it reaches intelligent aliens. Another 33 per cent said no message should be sent, and 21 per cent said they were not sure.

The survey also asked those who believed in extraterrestrial life why they thought aliens had not yet made contact. More than half (58 per cent) said intelligent aliens are too far away to contact Earth.

Fifty-seven per cent agreed with the notion that human technology is not advanced enough for people to reach out to aliens.

The survey also found that men are more likely to believe in intelligent aliens than are women, and also more likely to say humanity should reach out.

A majority of men (54 per cent) said humans should try to contact aliens, while only 40 per cent of women agreed.