Hawking said that any alien civilization that could find a way to transverse the vast distances it would take to reach us would be so advanced that they would treat us as nothing more than an anthill. Something that one steps over or around in a forest.
As to whether UFOs are aliens or alien technology: There's probably a natural, earthly explanation for the phenomenon. We just haven't figured it out yet. Although those so-called "tic tac" objects are completely mystifying to me. How can we explain them?
As to Hawking's "insect" analogy: Any advanced civilization with the technology to reach us here millions (billions?) of light years away from them would presumably have already used that technology to explore other worlds. So on the list of other worlds to have explored, to be worthy of study, where would we be?
Again presumably not very high up on that list. At least in terms of technology.
But an advanced alien civilization would also realize - I would think - that we are sentient, conscious human beings with some advances that ants don't have. Our technological understanding, our civilization may look "ant like" to them in the manner that entomologists study them; but we as living, thinking, conscious things are far advanced from ants. After all, technological advancement is not the only way to measure a civilization. The ancient Greeks were like insects to us in terms of their scientific knowledge. But they asked questions that are timeless: What is the good life? How do we live? What is beauty? What is the truth? Wouldn't an alien entity be curious about us because we ask those transcendent things?
Recall that the scientists in 16th century Elizabethan England were just figuring out how magnets worked. Kids stuff. But they produced Shakespeare at the same time. I would think aliens would find interest in what he wrote if not what the scientists of his generation discovered. So would we be just insects to them, just dust, or something more?
As Hamlet said: "What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world. The paragon of animals. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me. No, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so."
If these advanced aliens saw us as the latter then we are of no interest. But if the former then we might just be an interesting species.
