A UFO expert has claimed that the universe could be filled with 'woke' aliens.

Outer Space

Outer Space

Philip Mantle has spent over 40 years researching aliens and reckons they may have social issues such as racism and gender equality.

He said: ''Some such things may well be universal no matter where in the galaxy you originate.

''But let us hope that such an ET civilisation may have already gone through these issues and now live in peace - and that as a result we can learn an awful lot from them.''

Mantle has ''little doubt'' that aliens exist and feels that they may have already experienced similar challenges to the human race.

The 62-year-old said: ''Of course if intelligent species exist elsewhere in the universe then they may well have gone or are still going through similar processes to we ­humans here on earth.

''This could be anything from social issues like racism, gender issues, ­political differences, religious and ­ethical differences.''