Do you think there is life outside planet Earth?

Answer 1

So far we've seen no verifiable evidence of other sentient species. That said, I believe with some certainty that somewhere in our galaxy at some past, present, or future time, a sentient species did/does/will exist.

Why haven't we heard from them?

Perhaps they are not technologically advanced enough to be heard. They may be mastering stone knives right now, or experiencing their own Rennaisance.

Perhaps they are here right now. Any species sufficiently advanced to travel interstellar distances would be able to hide or masquerade with ease. That Boeing 737 that just flew by may be a surveillance craft.

Perhaps they are so far away they will never notice us and vice versa.

Perhaps they existed a million years ago and died out.

Perhaps they will exist a million years from now.

It is really impossible to know for sure.

The Drake Equation suggests that there is sentient life out there. The Fermi Paradox casts doubt. Play around with the calculation form at the second link and see what you think.

Answer 2

With the extreme massive size of the Universe and all the variables in place its almost impossible to say that there is and there isn't. Many scientists are just now finding out how certain variables (like the heliosphere, the magnetosphere of the Earth, the tug of war between the moon and the Earth, the distance from the Earth to the Sun, and the declination of the rotation of the Earth) all played in being able to create a habitable planet that we have. That being the case, the chances from a here-centered point of view seem slim.

However, we must recognize that life must not exist exactly as we have it here. That being the case, the proabilities become better. The problem we have at the present time is the inability to communicate across the vast depths of the Universe to find these forms of life. This is also the hope of the various Pioneer and Voyager missions that we launched in the early 1960s to 1970s.

As a point of interest, two of these satellites just reached the Terminal Shock (the end of the Sun's influence on space and the unofficial end of the Solar System) within the last couple years. This goes to show how much more time we are going to need before we can answer this question definatively. Maybe a few more posters can place more information about SETI and other programs of that nature.

ShadowGate

Answer 3

Yes. The universe is absolutely colossal. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the Earth. And probably more than half of those stars have planets orbiting them (given current estimates). Given that knowledge, and the knowledge that life on Earth has found some way to thrive in just about every condition on the ground, in the air, in the ocean, and even inside rock, I would find it impossible to believe that there isn't life elsewhere in the universe.

I think we will undoubtedly eventually discover life from extraterrestrial sources. The vast distances between stars will eventually be crossed. Mostly, a civilization needs patience in order to achieve this. (becuase of the time it would take for data to be transmitted back to the home planet)

Answer 4

If you mean off planet Earth, yes. The universe is so rediculosly large with so many stars and possible planets that the possibility of life is high. However, I doubt we'll ever come into contact with any other form of life due to the astronomical distances.

Answer 5

The answer depends on three things. One is your faith. Two is the evidence for organic molecules in the universe (which have been found in nebular systems). Three is how we view "life."
The first thing is totally up to the individual.
The second is based on observations.
The third is based on our current understanding of what constitutes life - carbon-based cells that have, possibly, evolved from simple to complex over billions of years. Is that composition and process absolutely necessary to develop life?
My viewpoint? I like C. Sagan....and yes the odds are very good that something "alive" exists out there but physical laws prohibit contact at this time (barring any sci fi).

Answer 6

yes.Remember that life on earth is found in the most unezpected locations.
in antartica,near the boiling springs of yellowstone,3 miles under the surface of earth. in the deepest oceans.Some bacteria hibernate for million of years and others live in temperature of 110C.
So if life can be found in such extreme environnements,no wonder that it can exist outside earth.
However intelligent life is another thing.Earthe produced it after 3.5billion oe the emergence of life itself,so intelligent life
needs a great laps of time in order to evolve.

Answer 7

Of course. Why should we be alone? It may be trillions of light-years away, but there must be a planet with the same conditions as Earth.

Answer 8

Yes, we live on the exterior of the planet Earth.

Answer 9

i dont, but my mom does. I acutally dont really know. That would be cool if there was

Answer 10

Yeah......
What about you?