Are we the only intelligent life in the universe?

Answer 1

No

Answer 2

Depends what you mean by intelligent but I would suggest that we're not even the only intelligent life on this Planet.

If you want to define intelligence as being able to develop weapons and create pollution capable of destroying the entire Planet then we are the only intelligent life here.

If by intelligence you mean the ability to solve problems and communicate information, live together in harmony, make tools, feel sadness and other basic emotions then we are not alone - apes, elephants, whales and dolphins all have some or all of those characteristics.

On a broader level, the Universe is so vast that the chances of intelligent life evolving only once here on Earth, an obscure planet orbiting a very average star in the outer spiral arm of a very ordinary galaxy are unbelievably small.

Perhaps a more relevant question would be "given that intelligent life has almost certainly evolved elsewhere in the Universe, and given the huge distances involved, will we ever come into contact with it?"

Answer 3

The question can't be answered with any degree of certainty because we can't examine the entire universe. You're just going to get a lot of whimsical opinions.

Further, there is no way to even predict with any accuracy the CHANCES of there being intelligent life elsewhere, because life, as we define and understand it, appears to be a purely random happening.

A close estimate is that there are at least 1.2 times as many stars in the universe as there are grains of sand (to a depth of one foot) throughout all the worlds beaches, yet in all that sand, you'll never find a gram of lutetium because it simply isn't found in beach sand.

People like to proselytize when it comes to these sorts of topics, but the truth is, pure numbers, no matter how large, don't guarantee anything is more likely than anything else. Intelligent life may be very common, or it may be rare, or it may be singularly unique, although if that's the case, as Sagan put it, "it's an awful big waste of space."

Answer 4

we are definalety not alone, our galaxy alone is old enough for a great many star spanning civilisations to have developed and fallen several times,
we could even be in the 'back garden' of a whole empire of intelligent species, but unlikely.
if you imagine the size of the universe, and then the age of the universe, and then take into account that even out planet took this long to develop intelligent life (which has been around for a blick of an eye) do you think it is likely we will ever meet any other intelligent life? UFO debate aside, because if their is a way of breraking the light speed barrier then we dont know it. it would be pointless for an alien race to come see us at snails pace from star to star.
the real answers are yet to arrive

Answer 5

Define Intelligent

Answer 6

I saw a deep space picture from the Hubble telescope the other day. It showed at least 30 galaxies in one frame and some were coloured red, meaning they were over 13 billion light years away!

I doubt very much that we are alone in the universe but to class us as intelligent creatures is a bit far-fetched :-p

In this solar system, for all we know, there may be a creature that is able to survive in the sulphuric acid clouds of Venus and something that can suffer the coldness of Uranus (excuse the snigger - I'm still a child at heart! hahaha). That doesn't mean that they aren't intelligent, just means we haven't found them yet!

xxx

Answer 7

I would go along with all the people who put a big question mark against humans being intelligent.

Walking down the average city street, or watching the news on an average night, is enough to make you wonder.

Considering the way most humans treat other creatures less able than they are, I hope the aliens never find us, or are a bit more compassionate and altruistic than the average human, if they do. Otherwise, you might just end up in a zoo, or a farm, be used for medical and psychological research, or just exterminated as a dangerous pest..

Answer 8

There is no evidence of alien life in the universe, however, there is plenty of evidence of non-human intelligent life on earth which is part of the universe - think of chimpanzees and dolphins.

As to alien life elsewhere in the universe, statically there is a very good chance of intelligent life somewhere in the universe - basically only a small percentage of stars have planets - only a small percentage of those planets will be suitable for life to evolve - and only a small percentage of that life will have evolved to be intelligent - but the number of stars in the universe is so immense that it is inconceivable that Earth was the only place that intelligent life evolved.

Answer 9

Someone once said that if we were the only intelligent life then it would be a terrible waste of space The number of stars we have found with planets and the probability that most stars will be the same means that life must have developed on other planets during the last 15,000,000,000 years We can't be that unique!

Answer 10

If only you were a bit more intellegent. Over the centuries, your planet was a curious place to visit once or twice and was not considered very interesting . Sure, your wars showed us how undeveloped you are as a species and your infantile,(in cosmic terms) dependence on god concepts does not bode well for you. We are now showing an interest in you because it is not often that we get to observe a species commit suicide. You are so close to maturing as a sentient species and it will be a shame to see you kill yourselves. There are just not enough of you becoming rational enough to force the issue. You let the least among you determine your fate, so be it.

Answer 11

I think that wherever the conditions are right biological life will exist. What do you mean by intelligent? For instance, if the Earth were exactly as it is now except humans did not exist, would you say intelligent life existed on the planet. I think that the type of intelligence possessed by humans would be exceptionally rare--even on planets that are teeming with biological life.