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Aliens could use rogue planets in the solar system as spaceships to travel to Earth, boffins say.

A recent study found that if extra-terrestrial beings do visit, they’re more likely to arrive on a small planet than a flying saucer because it is easier and more efficient.

Scientists don’t know exactly how many of the tiny planets are in the galaxy and they are notoriously hard to detect.

Irina Romanovskaya, a professor of physics and astronomy who carried out the study, claimed: “This increases the chance that some advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, if they exist, might hitch a ride on free-floating planets.

"Which is why I call such hypothetical civilizations Cosmic Hitchhikers. Extraterrestrials could use free-floating planets to transport large groups or populations escaping oncoming existential threats…

“Or to misplace unwanted populations, to send large numbers of post-biological species to explore distant worlds or to spread populations of their species to several planetary systems to preserve the continuity of their civilization.

“Extraterrestrial civilizations could also send Cosmic Hitchhikers in the form of smart machines, probes and other technologies to survey stars, planetary systems and even interstellar medium.”

The expert’s theory is based on sound evidence and Irina reckons rogue planets have many advantages over flying saucers because they have their own resources and don’t need artificial gravity.

He says it could provide an ideal escape for aliens escaping a dying planet to travel through the solar system, before using a normal spaceship to make the final, shorter jump to Earth.

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But there are no guarantees the alien trip would work and they could end up floating eternally in deep space.

Irina explained: "If a free-floating planet carrying extra-terrestrial species or their technologies were gravitationally captured by a planetary system with the help of extraterrestrial technologies, then the captured free-floating planet would keep interstellar travellers or their artefacts.

“Therefore, extraterrestrial artefacts might exist on some captured free-floating planet residing as wide-orbit planets in the outer regions of planetary systems."

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