Initial news reports indicated that the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs had designated Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, to make first contact with any aliens that arrive at Earth. Dr. Othman asserts that this report completely misunderstood her role at the UN:
If aliens were to arrive in Earth orbit, who do you think should make first contact?
Link via Sci Fi Wire | Image: Fox
Othman sent the paper an e-mail saying, "It sounds really cool but I have to deny it." She will be attending a conference next week, but she'll be talking about how the world deals with "near-Earth objects."
If aliens were to arrive in Earth orbit, who do you think should make first contact?
Link via Sci Fi Wire | Image: Fox
In either case, if that doesn't scare them off, it will surely convince them that there is no intelligent life on Earth.