SINGAPORE - The coronavirus pandemic has shown us how susceptible our future is to disruption and how more such disruptions are likely to occur, up to and including alien invasions, said pioneer Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin.

"Aliens are not an unrealistic concern," said Liu, 57. "It is as realistic as the coronavirus...We could encounter aliens in 10,000 years' time, or they could appear tomorrow morning. And when they do, all the problems we face now will pale in comparison.