--- title: "Economics Professor: UFOs Could Be a Big Deal For the Economy" description: "An economist examined the possible effects the discovery of aliens among our midst could have on global markets." date: "2021-05-06" modified: "2021-05-06" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/economics-professor-ufos-big-deal-economy" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "aliens" - "economics" - "ufos" --- # Economics Professor: UFOs Could Be a Big Deal For the Economy ![An economist examined the possible effects the discovery of aliens among our midst could have on global markets.]() *\Image: Image via Pixabay\* ## Taking UFOs Seriously The Pentagon is reportedly getting ready to unleash a flood of still-unreleased data on several run-ins with "unidentified aerial phenomena" that Navy pilots have had dating back to at least 2004 (the release will happen later this year). Congress even set up an [entire taskforce]() to investigate whether the incidents represent an actual threat. In other words? The US is finally starting to take [UFOs]() seriously. And with that shift, experts are starting to grapple with some pretty big questions. In a tongue-in-cheek [opinion piece for *Bloomberg*]() titled "If the Pentagon Takes UFOs Seriously, So Should Markets," economist Tyler Cowen examined the possible effects the discovery of aliens among our midst could have on global markets. Cowen's prediction: "Most market prices won’t move very much." Markets may become a little more volatile with little green men strolling around, but with no actual threat to our personal wealth and investments, the numbers wouldn't budge much. "If aliens really are among us, they do not seem determined to influence the course of worldly events," Cowen writes. ## Alien Markets "Even if you took the extreme view that one million of them are living under the ocean — would that affect Wall Street expectations for the number of iPhones sold next year?" he adds. "Maybe it would increase demand for a fly-by camera option." Besides, if the aliens aren't happy with our existence, they'd probably have a leg up and "zap us into oblivion" anyways, Cowen argues. "After such an act of obliteration, neither gold nor Bitcoin will do you any good." What's more likely, according to the writer, is that an alien presence would represent a boon to the tourism and sci-fi industries. But for now, we will have to wait and see how having new forms of intelligence mingling with humans on Earth will stack the numbers. **READ MORE:** [If the Pentagon Takes UFOs Seriously, So Should Markets]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on UFOs:** *[MIT Researcher Says UFO Research Could Lead to New Laws of Physics]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()