--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we ever establish contact with…" description: "\"If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens living on a planet around a distant star ... They would be made of similar atoms to us. They could..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg" --- # If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens… ![“If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens living on a planet around a distant star ... They would be made of similar atoms to us. They could trace their origins back to the big bang 13.7 billion years ago, and they would share with us the universe's future. However, the surest common…” quote by Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg) > “If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens living on a planet around a distant star ... They would be made of similar atoms to us. They could trace their origins back to the big bang 13.7 billion years ago, and they would share with us the universe's future. However, the surest common culture would be mathematics.” [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligent extraterrestrials would share the same atomic makeup and cosmic history, making mathematics a universal language. **In simple terms:** Aliens would be made of the same stuff and understand math. Key Takeaway Focus on math as a bridge to other intelligences. Themes science cosmology communication philosophy Mood curious speculative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - space exploration - SETI research - international scientific collaboration Key Concepts astrobiology universal constants shared heritage Questions to Reflect On - What other universal concepts could connect species? - How might non‑mathematical communication differ? A Different Perspective Assumes existence of intelligent life; may overlook cultural differences beyond math. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Aliens Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens-living-3001555/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Atoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) [Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bangs/) [Big bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Billion Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billion-years/) [Billions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billions/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-culture/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Intelligent Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-aliens-3001554/) [Living on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-on/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/share/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-future-1658900/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [The Moon is our local port opening to the universe; in the future, it's through that port we will sail our ships to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-moon-is-our-local-port-opening-to-the-universe-in-the-future-it-s/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I read in one of the scandal sheets that there are UFO aliens living right now down deep in the Antarctic. I believe those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiny-tim/i-read-in-one-of-the-scandal-sheets-that-there-are-ufo-aliens-living/) [Tiny Tim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiny-tim/) > [“We have a very important thing in common with the aliens: We are all in a struggle against this universe we live in! The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-have-a-very-important-thing-in-common-with-the-aliens-we-are-all/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [If we do find ET, we will at least have something in common with them. They may live on planet Zog and have seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-do-find-et-we-will-at-least-have-something-in-common-with-them/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The stupendous time spans of the evolutionary past are now part of common culture (though maybe not in the United States Bible Belt, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-stupendous-time-spans-of-the-evolutionary-past-are-now-part-of/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [It will not be humans who watch the sun's demise, six billion years from now. Any creatures that then exist will be as different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/it-will-not-be-humans-who-watch-the-sun-s-demise-six-billion-years/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Most educated people are aware that we're the outcome of nearly 4 billion years of Darwinian selection, but many tend to think that humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/most-educated-people-are-aware-that-we-re-the-outcome-of-nearly-4/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Pop is about speaking everybody's language. The imagery and iconography we instantly recognize. When you can rely on things that the public already knows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/pop-is-about-speaking-everybody-s-language-the-imagery-and/) [Nuno Roque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-roque/) > [The transcendent experience is common to every culture in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/the-transcendent-experience-is-common-to-every-culture-in-the-world/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [“Newspapers provided a common culture of aspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-emmerson/newspapers-provided-a-common-culture-of-aspiration/) [Charles Emmerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-emmerson/) > [As our world becomes smaller, through a growing common culture, the true test of community will be our tolerance for our most profound differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-teasdale/as-our-world-becomes-smaller-through-a-growing-common-culture-the/) [Wayne Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-teasdale/) > [Copyright protects corporate monopoly rights over culture and provides much of the profits to media conglomeratesm encouraging the wholesale privatization of our common culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-waterman-mcchesney/copyright-protects-corporate-monopoly-rights-over-culture-and/) [Robert Waterman McChesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-waterman-mcchesney/) > [The ethical life... is maintained in being by a common culture, which also upholds the togetherness of society... Unlike the modern youth culture, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-ethical-life-is-maintained-in-being-by-a-common-culture-which/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Africa is one continent, one people, and one nation. The notion that in order to have a nation it is necessary for there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/africa-is-one-continent-one-people-and-one-nation-the-notion-that-in/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [Countries will cooperate with each other, and are more likely to cooperate with each other when they share a common culture, as is most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/countries-will-cooperate-with-each-other-and-are-more-likely-to/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) ## More by Martin Rees > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The advance of science spares us from irrational dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-advance-of-science-spares-us-from-irrational-dread/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“The Sun contains about a thousand times more mass than Jupiter. If it were cold, gravity would squeeze it a million times denser than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-sun-contains-about-a-thousand-times-more-mass-than-jupiter-if-it/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“We, and the visible universe around us, may exist only because of a difference in the ninth decimal place between the numbers of quarks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/we-and-the-visible-universe-around-us-may-exist-only-because-of-a/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Crucial to science education is hands-on involvement: showing, not just telling; real experiments and field trips and not just 'virtual reality.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/crucial-to-science-education-is-hands-on-involvement-showing-not-just/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [I have no religious belief myself, but I don't think we should fight about it. In particular, I think that we should not rubbish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/i-have-no-religious-belief-myself-but-i-don-t-think-we-should-fight/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“More energy is needed to rise a millimetre above a neutron star's surface than to break completely free of Earth's gravity. A pen dropped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/more-energy-is-needed-to-rise-a-millimetre-above-a-neutron-star-s/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The next humans to walk on the moon may be Chinese. Only China seems to have the resources, the dirigiste government, and the willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-next-humans-to-walk-on-the-moon-may-be-chinese-only-china-seems/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [If we ever established contact with intelligent life on another world, there would be barriers to communication. First, they would be many light years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-established-contact-with-intelligent-life-on-another-world/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [There is an ever-widening gap between what science allows and what we should actually do. There are many doors science can open that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/there-is-an-ever-widening-gap-between-what-science-allows-and-what-we/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [An insect is more complex than a star..and is a far greater challenge to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/an-insect-is-more-complex-than-a-star-and-is-a-far-greater-challenge/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The physicist is like someone who's watching people playing chess and, after watching a few games, he may have worked out what the moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-physicist-is-like-someone-who-s-watching-people-playing-chess-and/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [We are 'nuclear waste' from the fuel that makes stars shine; indeed, each of us contains atoms whose provenance can be traced back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/we-are-nuclear-waste-from-the-fuel-that-makes-stars-shine-indeed-each/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Just as there are many Jews who keep the Friday ritual in their home despite describing themselves as atheists, I am a 'tribal Christian,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/just-as-there-are-many-jews-who-keep-the-friday-ritual-in-their-home/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Explore all 143 Martin Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) ## More Aliens quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Ay-firmative,' Eve said, and tried for a smile. 'Sorry. An Aliens reference always makes me feel better at times like this. Exept I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/ay-firmative-eve-said-and-tried-for-a-smile-sorry-an-aliens-reference/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The respect for human rights, essential if we are to use technology wisely, is not something alien that must be grafted onto science. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-respect-for-human-rights-essential-if-we-are-to-use-technology/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/robin-williams-was-an-airman-a-doctor-a-genie-a-nanny-a-president-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 1,329 Aliens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens living on a planet around a distant star ... They would be made of similar atoms to us. They could trace their origins back to the big bang 13.7 billion years ago, and they would share with us the universe's future. However, the surest common culture would be mathematics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Rees" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intelligent-aliens-living-on-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aliens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intelligent-aliens-living-on-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/martin-rees-3002_aliens_if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intell_1116682.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we ever establish contact with intelligent aliens living on a planet around a distant star ... They would…” — Martin Rees", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martin Rees", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we ever establish contact with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intelligent-aliens-living-on-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-establish-contact-with-intelligent-aliens-living-on-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```