Our Alien Friends: An essay on first contact.

A 10 page essay on the probabilities of and consequences of first contact with a space faring intelligent race. Examining the possible risks involved and our own future with regards to exiting the Earth.

Also examines our current state of observational exploration of exo-plants as part of our ongoing optical search for other worlds.

Expresses a general disagreement with Prof. Stephen Hawking's assessment of the danger such an encounter would pose to the human species.