Most idiotic alien invasions (science video).
Though an alien invasion of Earth is a terrible possibility, such invasions are seldom justified in science fiction, says Isaac Arthur.
In this science video, he’ll go through some of the worst reasons aliens have ever invaded human civilization in fiction, as well as some situations that may really happen.
Aliens have long been a staple of science fiction, and one of the most popular tropes is the idea of an alien invasion of Earth. These invasions often serve as a backdrop for epic stories of heroism and resistance, as humans fight to defend their planet from extraterrestrial threats.
However, not all alien invasions are created equal. Seemingly nonsensical or absurd reasons motivate some, which can be amusing to consider. Here are a few of the worst reasons aliens have ever invaded human civilization in fiction:
They wanted to steal all of our socks. In one memorable episode of the animated TV show “Invader Zim,” the alien protagonist launches an invasion of Earth solely to steal all the planet’s socks. While it’s certainly an unusual motive, it’s hard to imagine that conquering a planet would be worth it just for a few pairs of socks.
They were tired of being pestered by humans. In the movie “Mars Attacks!” a group of aliens invade Earth because they are tired of being pestered by humans sending probes and other spacecraft to their planet. While it’s understandable that they might be annoyed by all the human attention, it seems like a bit of an overreaction to launch an all-out invasion.
They wanted to turn Earth into a giant bowling alley. In the movie “Mars Needs Moms,” a group of aliens invades Earth intending to turn the planet into a giant bowling alley. It’s an amusing idea, but it’s hard to see how destroying an entire planet and its inhabitants could be justified for the sake of a few games of bowling.
Of course, not all alien invasions are motivated by ridiculous reasons. There are plenty of scenarios in science fiction where aliens invade Earth for more plausible motives, such as to exploit our natural resources or to conquer the planet for strategic reasons. And while it’s difficult to say what an actual alien invasion would look like (if it were to happen at all), it’s likely that the motivations would be more practical than wanting to steal our socks or turn Earth into a bowling alley.
