NASA scientists study the possible interactions that we may have with an alien race

Yep, it isn't a joke. Very recently NASA scientists with the collaboration of the Pennsylvania State University analyzed the interactions that we may have after a contact, be it indirect or direct, with another alien race.

This little study basically wants to tell us this: "We don't know if we are ever going to meet any extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI), but if we do, we better be prepared. If we are never going to meet any ETI, we can still use this as a guideline to help human civilization to avoid collapse and achieve a long term survival" 

Based on what we know, these are quite a bit of possibilities, and NASA is actually taking the matter kind of seriously. The list of the possible scenarios takes for granted that this alien race is intelligent and more advanced than us. This is actually a very solid possibility, the human race hasn't been here for long, and studying the exponential speed at which new technlogies are developed, we can easily say that we are kind of new to the universe, both biologically and technologically.

Taken from http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1104/1104.4462.pdf  :

"The outcome of contact between humanity and ETI depends on many factors that cannot be fully
known at this time. The scenario analysis presented in this paper therefore serves as a means of
training our minds to recognize patterns and analyze outcomes before contact with ETI ever
occurs. Actual contact may not precisely follow the scenarios considered here, but any amount
of analysis to prepare ourselves for contact will increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.
Therefore, the analysis presented here serves as a step toward developing a comprehensive
strategy for responding to contact with ETI.

Based on the infeasibility of sustained exponential expansion through space, it seems less likely
that ETI will destroy us because of their lack of resources. Nevertheless, ETI could still decide
to harm us intentionally because of their own ethical considerations, or they may cause us
unintentional harm through invasive species or cultural collapse. It is also entirely possible that
contact with ETI will have little impact on Earth or humanity, especially if the form of ETI life is
vastly different from life on Earth. SETI often assumes that any two intelligent civilizations in
the universe could communicate, but we cannot neglect the possibility that the human species
will be completely unable to comprehend the language or communication efforts of ETI. The
possibility of a neutral ETI encounter, then, is just as worthy of consideration as a scenario with
friendly or hostile ETI. "