there are 220 billion stars in OUR galaxy.... out of the 220 billion there are 110 billion with planets orbiting them just like ours....and scientists have discovered that there are more galaxies in our universe then there are grains of sand on earth....not to mention that there may be more than one universe...
...its really hard to wrap out mind around, and I dont know about you but there has to be more life out there then just us...
2006-11-13 00:52:00 · 7 answers · asked by Bar19one 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
My gut agrees with you, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions. A sobering (and excellent) read is Rare Earth by Ward and Brownlee. One is an astronomer, the other a geologist. They make a convincing case that sentient life elsewhere in the universe is probably quite rare. At a minimum, they make minced meat out of the Drake Equation. Still, with so many possibilities ...
The other thing to remember is that first and possibly second generation of post-Big Bang stars could never have supported planets with life of any kind. It took billions of years before stars produced sufficient quantities of heavy elements that are essential for life.
and, all those stars and all those galaxies don't exist simultaneously. As we look farther out into space, we are more and more likely looking at objects that no longer exist.
so, having said all that, we must consider this. a) sentient beings are probably quite rare - whether you accept Ward and Brownlee's extreme argument or not. b) that life could only have existed for, say, the last 8 or 9 billion years of the universe's existence. c) the distances to other stars in our galaxy are vast, but the distances *between* the galaxies are mind boggling vast (there's a reason that even in Star Trek, with it's fantasy warp drive, the story lines are all confined to our own galaxy).
Just food for thought.
2006-11-13 01:23:10 · answer #1 · answered by Brendan G 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There definitely is life outside of Earth. I love the boldness of your question. You've got a very good point that I certainly would never dispute!! Seems also that you've got a very clever head on your shoulders. I think you've got a good sense of humor to match your intelligence-- I mean that in a very good way. I laugh too, when people are so limited in their thinking. Perhaps some folks are having too difficult a time dealing with life on Earth that they cannot even comprehend the thought of life on another planet. Truth is, our little "helper" friends from other planets are here to help us not confuse or harm us. Keep up with the good work. I know you'll be successful in whatever you do!
2006-11-15 01:17:56 · answer #2 · answered by carolyn w 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure about the 110 billion stars with planets, or that there are very many like ours, but I agree with you, there is most definitely life on other planets.
The other person who answered and said that bacteria doesn't cut it is wrong. ANY life outside our planet is proof positive that life exists on other worlds. Besides, with the amount of OUR galaxy that we have observed, there is still about 90% that we have no idea about. Odds are that there is not only life on other planets, but that at LEAST one of them has either highly developed animals, or intelligent life of some sort.
2006-11-13 09:05:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Half the Milky Way's solar systems are NOT "just like ours." While we have found a handful of solar systems that are remotely close in design to ours, we haven't found any "Earth-like" planets in a Goldilocks zone with Gas Giants to absorb most of the larger asteroids/comets/etc.
I DO agree there is more than likely intelligent life somewhere else in the multiverse. I would have to believe it would be harder to ONLY have it here on Earth.
Google "The Drake Equation" for more info on this subject.
2006-11-13 09:26:32 · answer #4 · answered by dlondo99 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The probability of extraterrestrial life has been calculated several times by reputable organizations like AAAS.
The probability turns out to be very, very close to 1 (1 represents certainty).
Data from a book and calculations by Amir D. Aczel can be found by clicking on the following link:
http://www.math.hawaii.edu/~ramsey/ET.html
2006-11-13 09:28:06 · answer #5 · answered by cfpops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Consider that space is full of life, and that it is called Heaven, and that the reason we can't see it is so we can have science with faith. Without faith we might be satisfied to believe we came from bacteria if we find some out side of earth. If I were an astronaut in space, I'd rather find angels than bacteria under a rock. My faith tells me that they both exist. Faith, yes, there really is life not confined to earth.
2006-11-13 10:01:47 · answer #6 · answered by bailingwirewillfixit 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
hey. statistics do not equal facts. show me an intelligent being from another planet and i'll believe you. bacteria isn't going to cut it either.
2006-11-13 08:59:35 · answer #7 · answered by practicalwizard 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋