Do you believe in life on other planets?

Question

Perhaps not that "aliens" have visited earth, but that there is life on some of the trillions and billions of other planets in this rapidly expanding universe?

Answer 1

Bud - I believe in the possibility that life may exist elsewhere in the universe. GBU

Answer 2

In short yes, there is life out there.

Remember, we have only landed on our moon and have robitic sensors on only a few of the other planets. The rovers on Mars had detected evidence that Mars once had water. Also, at 15 billion light years, the universe is a rather BIG place. Not to have any other life out there would be a huge waste of space.

Answer 3

When you considere the odds, with countless trillions of planets, at least some of which are able to sustain life (as we know it - and how many others capable of sustaining life as we, at present, DON'T know it), I'd say it's a very safe bet that life (of some sort) exists elsewhere in the universe.
And these scientists agree:
"Life beyond Earth
Kathleen Connell: What are your personal feelings about the possibility of the existence of life outside of our Earth?
Complex organic molecules such as ethylene glycol have been detected in interstellar space. Organic molecules are the building blocks of life.

Steven Soter: The problem is, of course, we have no direct evidence. And [in terms of theory] we're not much better off, because we do not know how life began on Earth. We're almost clueless there. If we knew that, we would have some grounds for knowing how common the process is. But I'm basically a Copernican; I believe that there's nothing special about the Earth's position in the universe. I'm impressed by the ubiquity of the chemistry that makes life. We see complex organic molecules in interstellar clouds. It's everywhere. And I'm impressed by the fact that life began on Earth almost as soon as it was possible, almost as soon as the intense early bombardment by asteroids and comets tapered off and a stable environment emerged. The oldest evidence for life follows very soon after that, which suggests that where it's possible, it will take hold. And then on top of that you've got, it now looks like, something on the order of a trillion planets in our Milky Way galaxy alone, and a hundred billion other galaxies. Those numbers are staggering. My own opinion-and it's, I stress, still only an opinion-is that the universe is full of life, that we're not alone. And, that we may be close to finding out in our own solar system if there's other life; and, on a somewhat longer time scale, whether there's life on the planets of other solar systems.

Kahtleen Connell: In other words, are you saying you believe that life is a cosmic imperative, in a way?

Steven Soter: Oh, no. I don't think it's an imperative. That's going too strong. But I would be surprised, very surprised, if we found that life is very rare in the universe.
In a universe brimming with stars, it is difficult to imagine that life exists nowhere else.

Kathleen Connell: And Ann, what are your feelings about it?

Ann Druyan: Well, not surprisingly, I agree with what Steve is saying. It would be a giant surprise. You look at any image of a star-choked field in the sky, and the notion that life and intelligence only came to be on our one particular planet, when we're talking about hundreds of billions of stars, and then perhaps five to ten times as many planets, is just untenable. The odds just don't sound likely that this is the only place where life has come to be. And then of course if you factor in the ubiquity of organic molecules, the building blocks of life, it makes it even more of a stretch to imagine that life only happened here. It just doesn't make any sense. I think it's very likely that there's life. I second what Steve says. I don't believe that there's any imperative for life. I think it's a natural process of the universe, and therefore probably widespread.

I guess I so desperately want to see us put this planet right. It's so horrifying to me that a fifth of us are starving every night, and that forty thousand children die every single day. This planet seems to be in such sorry shape. And I can't ever think about the rest of the universe without coming back home and thinking what the implications for life here would be if we were to really have some definitive proof of extraterrestrial life. All of science to me, everything that we have learned, is important to the extent that it brings us to our senses. So when I think about it, at least I know enough to know I have no idea what it would be like. But beyond that it's just a kind of a dream. And it's only really meaningful to the extent that it makes us treat each other better. Once we get our act together that way, then I can think of countless ways to be interested in the possibility of life elsewhere."

For those religiously minded (in a Chrisitan way), I'd also quote this:
"JOHN 14:2.
In My Father's house are many mansions."

Answer 4

OK, this is just one opinion. Do I believe life exists else where in the universe? Yes, I would say it might even be common. Any environment where you consistently have liquid water you have the potential for life. As far as intelligent life, other beings that we could interact with is a different story. Do I think we are the only intelligence in the universe, no. I think however we may be the only sentient species in our galaxy.

Answer 5

It certainly looks extremely plausible. In fact it is rather difficult to believe that life could not have evolved anywhere else or at another time in such a vast, varied universe where there are a lot of cyclical phenomena as well. What is even more interesting to ponder over is whether life is just what we know about or are their such varieties of life that we may not even recognise as life!!

An extreme possibility could well be that everything has life even though in our own time horizon we do not notice any self oriented activities being indulged in by it!!!
Some food for thought (or imagination?)

Answer 6

We don't have any evidence for or against extra terrestial life. There are so many other stars and planets I personally think that the universe is teaming with life.

Answer 7

I certainly believe that it's a possibility. And "life" doesn't have to generally mean people or aliens. There could be growing plants or organisms on other plants that we don't know about.

Answer 8

it is not listed in any religion that there is anything existing out of this world,but then again u never know.personnally,i believe that the universe is so vaste that there must be at least some sort of life,if not people,but plantation or water...

Answer 9

Without at all intruding into anyones "religious" beliefs in the equation, it seems logical than in the BILLIONS of other possible worlds that may exist,,, WE AIN'T ALONE, in a Universal sense.

To think so is ego centered, narrow in focus, and blatant in avoiding reality.

Answer 10

The odds favour it. Life on our world is made of the common stuff of the stars, seems logical it would come together as life on other worlds.