From Martians undone by germs to predators who insist on sporting duels, we explore the most ridiculous alien invasion tactics in fiction, and what they reveal about strategy, science, and human resilience.

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Credits:

The 10 Worst Alien Invasion Strategies

Episode 733; July 1, 2025

Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images

Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

0:00 Intro

0:48 10. The “Park and Wait” Strategy

2:02 9. Invading a Planet That Can Kill You

3:46 8. Single Point of Failure: The Hive or Control Ship

5:22 7. Telegraphing Your Arrival

6:50 6. Overly Convoluted Takeovers

8:30 5. Broadcasting Your Weakness

9:55 4. Playing Fair & Ritual Combat

11:54 3. Overconfidence & Underestimating the Locals

13:07 2. Hive Minds That Collapse Instantly

15:03 1. Ignoring the Home Field Advantage

16:06 Outro

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