Whatever ET Is
And talking of cute aliens: There’s so much we don’t know about the hero of Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi sentimentfest: Where does he come from? What does he want (Apart from going home)? What is he capable of, besides controlling plant life and making bikes fly? Why is he such a lightweight when it comes to drinking? None of that matters, though, when you consider the chance that whatever aliens are out there, they might be as ugly-cute and filled with love as this one.
Vulcans
As anyone who’s seen any amount of Star Trek can tell you, there’s so much that Vulcans can teach humanity, whether it’s their tolerant attitudes to external cultures, their impressive self-defense techniques or just their ability to hang with space hippies. With only three centuries to go before James T. Kirk has to go from Iowa to saving the universe on a near-weekly basis, it’s probably time they appeared and started sharing some of their secrets. (More on Techland: Scarlet Johannson Is Our Latest Sexy Killer Alien)
Betazoids
I admit; there’s definitely something scary about the idea of aliens that can read your mind, but thank Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Deanna Troi for making it seem like a good idea in two different ways. Not only did she show that there’s nothing that scary about such a passive, understanding alien telepath, she also made it seem like a really good idea to have a telepath as your therapist. Just imagine how many sessions you’d save on if your therapist could literally read your mind and tell you what you were really thinking all along.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4m6RqDkeI4&w=450]
(More on Techland: 5 Alien Invasions To Worry About)
Timelords
Sure, it’s safe to say that Doctor Who has taught us that almost everyone from the planet Gallifrey, with the exception of the good Doctor himself, is uptight, too fond of high collars in their costuming and enunciates with the skill of a classically-trained English stage actor. But all of that would be worthwhile for access to time-travel technology, even if it meant traveling in a beaten-up blue phone box from the 1960s.