For many, the concept of "green men" means a hint of aliens. Usually we are talking about the mysterious and aggressive alien invaders who secretly abduct people at night in the field. This description has been used for decades by science fiction. But who first came up with the idea that aliens might look that way? And how did the concept itself come about?
Perhaps you thought that the source should be sought in science fiction. Yes, but you have to rewind to the 12th century. The roots of the green men lie in the old English legend “The Green Children of Wolpit”.
The story in the form of a fairy tale described the village of Woolpith (eastern England), where one day two children with green skin appeared mysteriously. In all other respects, they resembled human children, only spoke in an unknown language and refused any offered food.
Gradually, they learned the human language and explained that they came from the underworld, where all living things are colored green. But it was quite a peaceful story, since the children did not try to enslave all of humanity. Where did the idea of the invaders come from?
The term “little green men” itself began to be used in the 1940s. after the release of the “Encyclopedia of Science Fiction” by Harold Lawlor. The image of annoying aliens was described by Frederick Brown in the book “Martians, go home!”. Then this image began to appear in entertainment television shows and cartoons (for example, in one episode of “Flintstones” in 1965). Various photographs allegedly obtained from NASA's secret laboratories or other American projects, such as Site 51, also played a role. They depict humanoid aliens with loose green skin, large heads and huge black eyes.
Can aliens really be green? Ufologists tend to gray color and call such aliens srey. Interestingly, in the essay “Man of the millionth year” (1893), HG Wells wrote that people evolve into such creatures (gray little men with big heads and a weak small body).
Scientists are in no hurry to put forward any theories. All images of aliens, invented by science fiction, are based on the human idea of life. It can be creepy tripods, giant creatures resembling octopus, or disembodied jelly creatures.
The problem is that science still cannot prove that life on other worlds exists. And if there is, then how to prove that it needs our conditions for development (air, heat and water)? Researchers do not think that they will meet green men. But they will be incredibly happy if they are lucky to find at least primitive extraterrestrial organisms.
