How can people say definitely that there is no life out in space?

Question

Those of you who say there's no E.T life out in space somewhere must have a good reason. Scientists agree that we were basically lucky to have Earth and to get where we are now. So if we have that chance, it is very possible that trillions of miles away in other galaxies, there might be life as well. I'm not talking about UFOs. But for any kind of life, there must be some out there. Last time I checked, no one ever travelled outside our Solar System. So for those who say there isn't any life out there, how can you say for sure?

Answer 1

People can't logically say there is no life out in space. There most likely is and we just haven't detected it (yet).

To quote Carl Sagan, "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

Answer 2

Only the uninformed or religiously blinded can say in seriousness that there is definitely no life out in space. We don't know enough about space in general or the creation of life to be so certain.

In terms of probability (using Drake's equation, for instance), it is very unlikely that there is _no_advanced_ life elsewhere in the universe, let alone lower life-forms.

We know from our own environments here on earth that life inhabits some of the most harsh environments, for instance near "black smokers", underwater magma vents at great depths. These produce what would be a toxic environment to most life, and the conditions include almost total darkness and immense pressure, yet these sites are islands of life in the otherwise almost barren depths, supporting flora and crustaceans mainly.

We can be reasonably sure that there is only a very small chance of life on other planets within our own solar system though, and virtually no chance of any life on our neighbouring planets being "advanced". That was not always the case though, and there is a chance that advanced life might have developed on Mars or Venus millions of years before life on Earth was created, but is now extinct.

Answer 3

We can't say for sure. All we can do at this point in time is to speculate that it might be possible. What people are saying is that to date we have found no evidence of life other than life on the earth. Thats not the same as saying, "there is no life in space". It is saying at this point we simply don't know.
Another point to consider in this discussion is the fact that the only example of what constitutes life that is available to us at this point is the life forms we observe on earth. It may turn out at some point in time that we discover a life form on another planet that is vastly different from the type of life we have here. That compounds the problem of looking for and finding other life since we're not sure exactly what we're looking for. We may be observing life on other planets right now and not recognizing it as life (due to the fact that we only have one example of life we know of currently).

Answer 4

There is no proof that extra terrestrials exist,and we may never get any proof,but is certain that other life proliferates throughout the universe.
It happened here on earth and there are billions of other planets with the same conditions that would surely produce life.
Eventually that life would learn to speak and as a result become technological.
Hopefully,one day we will intercept a signal that will be proof but if we never do it just cannot be that we are alone.

Answer 5

Definitively? We can't even say our own SOLAR SYSTEM is free of extra-terrestrial life, let alone the universe... Many scientists believe that an astroid found hailing from Mars contians fossilized bacteria. Many more think that there is a definite possibility for life to exist on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons.

"Definative" is hardly the case when it comes to extraterrestrial life.

Answer 6

No one can tell. You do not, however, have to travel physically outside of the solar system to find evidence for life in the Galaxy.

Search the electromagnetic spectrum for unnatural phenomena is our best bet, or to look for planets held out of natural equilibrium.

Answer 7

I think that stems from the religious concept of God creating man. If he built the earth for us, then he also built the universe, even the concept of time itself. If you believe this, it doesn't make sence that Romulans are going to spring to life as a part of nature and eventually make contact with us. Personally I'm facinated by space and the concept of aliens. But I believe in God so I doubt we will ever find out that aliens are real. But they make darn good movies!!!

Answer 8

there has to be intelligent life in space, because i doubt that we are the only planet far enough from the sun, i bet that some ware out there, there is another planet with life, other than ours. but i highly doubt that there is any reason to invade earth. E.T. PHONE HOME ☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺

Answer 9

The people who say there's no life in space are probably referring to 'intelligent' life. I think probes have found life on Mars.