If every star has at least one planet, and probably many more, and all matter around the universe?

Question

is made of the same stuff, it seems very very likely that life could arise from the same processes as seen here on earth. It seems to me that the probability of there being no life (even simple single cell life) in the universe as being extremely low. How many agree with this? Do you think we will find habitable planets near the closest star, and MAYBE some simple life on the moons of jupiter? I keep hearing about the oceans on Io, and how the volcanic activity could heat the water beneath the ice etc etc. What do you think?

Cool Bekki, thanks! My reasoning on every star having planets: The models I have seen on how solar systems form has shown that the planets and stars clump up from a cloud of dust and debris created from a supernova. Whether these planets are detectable now is another story. but since all stars appear to form the same way, it seems highly likely that every star will have formed in a cloud and will also have other objects around it forming from the dust as well

Answer 1

Not every star has a planet, but some certainly do.

Dr. Frank Drake had a similar idea to yours and guessed that about half of stars have planets when he tried to figure out the likelihood of extraterrestrial life. If you believe his assumptions (which are admittedly back-of-envelope wags), intelligent life certainly exists in the universe, but maybe not as close as you are thinking. Read the wiki link to learn about Drake's estimate.

Answer 2

In statistics, probability estimates must be qualified with a thing called a "confidence level". The Drake equation is fine and good, but it really only provides the equation that must be solved to estimate the frequency of life, not its solution. We have no real way of knowing if some of the terms in it are not a number so small that intelligent life in the finite visible universe is unique to earth. No WAG is good enough for a significant confidence level in the sorts of odds often quoted. The fact is, we just don't know.