If we ever become part of a intergalaxy society will we be known as "Humans" or "Earthlings"?

Question

When other planet dwellers refer to us what will we be?

Answer 1

I would say we would be referred to as Humans. The reason being is that "Earthings" could be applied to any form of life on our planet. Whereas Humans are a specific type of life form regardless of where it originated.

Perhaps we are also not the most intelligent species on the planet, but merely the best to adapt to our surrounding because of our opposable thumbs. Whales for instance might have the ability to have better cognative thought, but lack the ability to develop deeper understanding since they don't have written communication. This mindset was illustrated in Star Trek IV. And also mentioned in Hitchhikers Guide in reference to Dolphins.

Answer 2

In the Galactic Encyclopedia you are referred to as Humans. Terrans have been taken by Terrxcytcls as a shortened form for their name and Earthling is not pronounceable by more than 60% of Galactic citizens. Your species will, unfortunately, only be a footnote in the Galactic records. Over the centuries, your planet was a curious place to visit once or twice and was not considered very interesting . Sure, your wars showed us how undeveloped you are as a species and your infantile,(in cosmic terms) dependence on god concepts does not bode well for you. We are now showing an interest in you because it is not often that we get to observe a species commit suicide. You are so close to maturing as a sentient species and it will be a shame to see you kill yourselves. There are just not enough of you becoming rational enough to force the issue. You let the least among you determine your fate, so be it.

Answer 3

We can't even decide what to call our ethnicity yet (or is that race?). Black used to be ok but now it's African American. Orientals? No. no, Chinese American. And where is Caucasia? So if this politically correctness proceeds onwards to the stars, we'll be known as many things. Humans, earthlings, ape descendants, bipedal water bags, terrans, homo sapien... and on and on. And after a few years when the stereotypes set in, we'll get tired of being called that name. Then we'll need to get a new name to get away from that and the cycle continues.

Answer 4

This question is totally different that the colonization of *stars* and the response above is not relevant. I think the OP is asking the question in relation to the possibility that we colonized other planets or if we made contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life.

Answer 5

If we ever encountered intelligent life in the universe, the overwhelming likelihood is that thye would be so different from ourselves that communication would not be possible. How would you communicate, say, with a being that communicated by intricate and constantly changing patterns of heat on the surface of an appendage ? Certainly, if communication were established, their version of it would be so different that they would not be using any of our words, or any words at all for that matter.

Answer 6

We will not be known at all, George W. Bush has the intent of nuking Iran and from that the nuclear 3rd world war starts causing the Ice age where we (survivor's and being frozen due to ice-age) become specimen's for cruel scientific experiment's in the lab's of those intergalactic societies we would of known if the 2000 presidential race wasn't FIXED!

Answer 7

We will be known as our race is, so if there are more humans in another planets we will be called like that, if we're unique ( Extremely doubtful ) we might be called earthlings.

Answer 8

Earthly Humanoids!

Answer 9

If we ever figure out how to travel faster than light, we might become part of some U.N.-like organization. I suspect we will be known as "Terrans".

"Terra" is the name of Earth in most romance languages. Thus, it is used more widely than "Earth".

Answer 10

I believe far in the future, we will be known as Earth Dwellers....but Beings is good too...