Aliens could wipe us out with ‘coded message’ that shuts down electronics and unleashes killer robots, astrophysicists warn

Aliens could wipe us out with ‘coded message’ that shuts down electronics and unleashes killer robots, astrophysicists warn

ALIENS will choose to destroy humanity by "hacking" our planet over blasting us with space weapons.

That's the bonkers claim made by one group of scientists, who warn a single message sent by ET could wipe out all life on Earth.

That message, loaded with computer viruses, is a more efficient way to attack our planet than a fleet of warships, a team of German and American scientists said.

It could shut down our computer systems or gift us the plans to an alien technology that will eventually turn on us.

"After all, it is cheaper to send a malicious message to eradicate humans compared to sending battleships," researchers from the University of Hawaii and Sonneberg Observatory in Germany wrote in a paper on their theory.

The team said messages sent by aliens would likely first be picked up by telescopes on Earth.

There are a number of ways they could be used to destroy us.

One would be to suggest the aliens are about to destroy our sun.

Even if it wasn't true, the resultant chaos on Earth would prove catastrophic for humanity.

Another way would be to introduce an artificial intelligence that takes over or shuts down our computers or electricity grids.

One suggestion from the team is that instructions on how to build nano-robots that are sold as a new miracle cure for cancer could be sent in the message.

These robots may eventually turn on us, chewing up Earth or its inhabitants until there's nothing left.

The scientists said Earthlings need to be careful if we ever have the opportunity to open or decode messages sent by extraterrestrials.

A number of projects around the world are looking for radio signals sent by aliens, including a team at China's new state-of-the-art FAST telescope, the largest telescope in the world.