# Question for anti death ray people? Earth Invasion? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 13, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478 "2019-02-13T17:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/41 "2019-02-14T05:58:52Z")
It would be completely unnecessary and far too risky for any alien species to invade us. The biological transfer in both directions would likely kill both us and them. An entire planet is far too large to be occupied in an effective manner. It would take hundreds of millions of alien troops for little net gain. Any actual resources they might want are found in abundance in space. Any intellectual resources could be pirated from our internet without landing. Most behavioral changes could be forced through bombardment, containment and propaganda. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/42 "2019-02-14T06:58:14Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > The biological transfer in both directions would likely kill both us and them. You’re more likely to catch the flu from a crocodile or Ebola from a bowl of petunias then you are to swap germs with an alien in any sort of harmful way. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/43 "2019-02-14T07:22:35Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > You’re more likely to catch the flu from a crocodile or Ebola from a bowl of petunias then you are to swap germs with an alien in any sort of harmful way. Except that our very skin and breath are filled with bacteria, molds, etc. So we don’t even need to touch, just be in the same room to exchange or be subjected to theirs. We have evolved to deal with the ones we have. Hell, we’re covered with bacteria that could well kill us, but our bodies deal with them in all but the worst cases. What another race could consider a harmless bacteria could wipe us all out. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/44 "2019-02-14T07:22:56Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Any intellectual resources could be pirated from our internet without landing. They would have to make sure they stay [within acceptable boundaries that don’t arouse suspicion](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=870582). ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/45 "2019-02-14T07:32:28Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Except that our very skin and breath are filled with bacteria, molds, etc. So we don’t even need to touch, just be in the same room to exchange or be subjected to theirs. > > We have evolved to deal with the ones we have. Hell, we’re covered with bacteria that could well kill us, but our bodies deal with them in all but the worst cases. What another race could consider a harmless bacteria could wipe us all out. It’s not about contact, the bacteria and viruses on Earth are all evolved to infect creatures with earth-like biochemistry. Aliens are going to be so totally different that there’s just no way that their microbes will be compatible with our cells. That’s why diseases like aids or Ebola can jump to us from other apes, and simpler viruses like influenza can even jump over from a bird or a pig, or how smallpox evolved from cowpox. Or something like rabies that can survive in both birds and mammals. You never hear about a disease jumping from a cold blooded crocodile – or a fish or a plant – to humans. Their bodies are just so different from ours that the germs that live in us can’t live in them, and vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/46 "2019-02-14T07:37:16Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Hey, Ztigork! Got another transmission we picked up from that weird-ass planet, Get this! They think we want to go there! I swear, I am not making this up!" And -this is the part you’ll never believe- they’re made of MEAT! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![NJ\_Kef\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b487fb/32.png) [@NJ\_Kef\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ_Kef_1)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/47 "2019-02-14T13:00:27Z")
I’m not worried. I’ve got a board with a nail in it. Soon, I will have bigger boards with bigger nails. Invading space aliens don’t stand a chance! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/48 "2019-02-14T13:38:36Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Or something like rabies that can survive in both birds and mammals. Birds can get rabies? Watch out for hummingbirds! ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/49 "2019-02-14T14:08:23Z")
Joke’s on you, I love getting my anus probed and will gladly pay in cows! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/50 "2019-02-14T20:56:48Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > You never hear about a disease jumping from a cold blooded crocodile – or a fish or a plant – to humans. Their bodies are just so different from ours that the germs that live in us can’t live in them, and vice versa. You’re misunderstanding what a disease is. Your skin is covered with bacteria that COULD cause you illnesses, but generally doesn’t, because you’re healthy and your body is used to dealing with it. A totally, completely unknown bacteria being introduced isn’t going to be ‘incompatible’ with our biology. It will be incompatible with our immune system, which has never seen anything like it. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/51 "2019-02-14T21:23:52Z")
Think of the Queen? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/52 "2019-02-14T21:50:38Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Joke’s on you, I love getting my anus probed and will gladly pay in cows! [“All that we have learned is that one in ten doesn’t really seem to mind”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tZar4wRP40) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/53 "2019-02-14T22:25:02Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Think of the Queen? I believe it is “Think of England.” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/54 "2019-02-14T22:30:45Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I believe it is “Think of England.” Well, that sounds less attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/55 "2019-02-15T02:09:38Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > A totally, completely unknown bacteria being introduced isn’t going to be ‘incompatible’ with our biology. It will be incompatible with our immune system, which has never seen anything like it. A microbe from another planet isn’t going to be a “bacteria”, though. It might not even be carbon-based. It likely wouldn’t recognize us meat-people as potential food. Sure, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to snort cultured Mars-laria, but that’s because our immune systems would probably recognize it as foreign and attack it. I mean, some people’s immune systems attack peanut proteins. Doesn’t make peanuts infectious. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/56 "2019-02-15T02:37:14Z")
Does my health insurance cover colonoscopies? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/57 "2019-02-15T04:28:54Z")
Never mind death rays, 1920s vintage or modern; just [turn the wildlife loose](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/606r1y/textearth_fuck_yeah_found_on_tumblr/) on those aliens. They’ll never know what hit 'em. > [@](#): > > - > > They were expecting military resistance.\* **They weren’t counting on bears.** ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/58 "2019-02-15T04:48:25Z")
Never been anti-death ray. And how do you know I don’t have a couple stashed away for just such an occasion? More importantly, considering it’s Valentine’s Day, I personally wouldn’t mind a little anal probing. Okay, _a lot_ of anal probing. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/59 "2019-02-15T16:55:44Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > **Bone** linked to it in post #4 when he moved the thread out of GD. That’s good, but it was a suggestion for the OP. Or to anybody who parodies a thread without referencing it. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478/60 "2019-02-15T17:13:39Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > A microbe from another planet isn’t going to be a “bacteria”, though. It might not even be carbon-based. It likely wouldn’t recognize us meat-people as potential food. > > Sure, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to snort cultured Mars-laria, but that’s because our immune systems would probably recognize it as foreign and attack it. I mean, some people’s immune systems attack peanut proteins. Doesn’t make peanuts infectious. I just have to point out that “mars-laria” is a quality joke. In that vein, I submit “mars-sars” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anti-death-ray-people-earth-invasion/829478.md?page=4)