Is the universe a lot of wasted space?

Question

Think about how odd it is that the Earth is in such a condition that it could support life. It's the right size and chemical composition, has the right sized moon to keep it stable on its axis, is the right distance from the sun for temperature purposes, etc. Just a little bit off - smaller moon -- no moon -- less water, whatever -- and we'd be another barren world.

Our solar system only has 1 planet with life. How likely is it that other solar systems have a planet that has the characteristics of an Earth? Can such a likelihood be estimated?

There are hundreds of billions of solar systems in our galaxy alone...... are they all empty? How likely is it that a life giving planet could develop and be in existence at the same time we are? Yikes.... 1 in a hundred billion? 1 in 200 billion?

kevrigger -- no, I don't think life will take the form of star trek aliens -- however, the only planet we've seen so far with life on it is the planet Earth.

Answer 1

I agree the probability is very very low, almost non-existent because of the dependence of so many parameters that are fine-tuned on this earth. If this would be the case in any other solar system, having a planet that would have all the essential parameters in the range to be life-supportive this does not mean that there is life. Biology can give clear evidence that life can not create itself out of non-living matter plus energy. So the search for extraterrestrial biological life is an attempt to find something which as a probability much lower that 1 in 200 billions.

Answer 2

Perhaps you're thinking of finding a planet exactly like earth. We're more likely to find a large moon of a gas giant with the necessary ingredients for life. As long as there are the proper materials, or the means for the proper materials to form, life will take hold and grow to the best of its abilities. Perhaps if we had no moon and less water, the molecules would have formed in a different, more efficient way to suit that environment; the moon's absence does not necessarily mean no life could form.

Specifically, you're only mentioning planets that humans could inhabit, whereas "aliens" are aliens, and as such would have developed a different way than humans.

So in actuality, there is an excellent chance for life to develop.

Answer 3

> How likely is it that a life giving planet could develop and be in existence at the same time we are?

Well, now, that's a peculiar question. I'd say those odds are about 100%, given the fact that we WOULDN'T exist if our life-giving planet hadn't developed. This is kind of like asking, "Wow, what are the odds that my mom would happen to become pregnant exactly nine months before I was born?"

The way I look at it is: probably every planet is unique in its own way (so far, just looking at the ones in our own neighborhood, we find unexpected unique characteristics on each planet). Every time we look at a new planet, something about it surprises us. Maybe the unique and surprising thing about earth is that it harbors intelligent life--in particular, intelligent life which is restless and likes to explore, and is biased toward believing that ALL intelligent life must have those same characteristics.

We may someday find that the planets that don't happen to have the perfect conditions for intelligent life, nonetheless have the perfect conditions for some equally bizarre thing that we can't even imagine today. I think it's too early to conclude that we are the "chosen planet."

Answer 4

Very likely they can support life but Earth supports life because we are it's the right time that the Earth is at the best climate to support life because a few billion years ago the Earth was all magma, didn't have water and the atmosphere didn't have oxygen and eventually i will not have water or oxygen anymore due to global warming but it is possible that we are the only extraterrestrials or only a few other planets have life or are justing starting or ending life because not all planets are on the same timescale as Earth and also some planets could have already had life on it for a few billion or million years and some planets won't have life for another million or billion years . So it's possible that life exists on other planets or is going to or already had life and it's not unlikely but the aliens don't have to be like humans, they could be intelligent blue dogs. lol

Answer 5

A current estimation of the Drake Equation is set at a chance of 0.08 of some alien life form contacting us.

There are planets found which are like earth, at the right distance from their star etc etc. And remember, the universe is exceedingly vast. Out solar system is part of the milky way galaxy, that galaxy is part of a cluster, that cluster is moving in yet another structure which is so large, light would take longer to travel from side to side that the universe is old.

Answer 6

What do we really know about life ? Not much really. Except from the life that evolve on our own planet. But does "LIFE" has to be limited to what the earth has to offer ?

I believe LIFE is far more complex than we think. All form of life on earth evolved according to what was available to them on earth.

On another planet, completly hostile to humans, life could exist in a completly different form we don't know anything about.

To give you an example, supposed your the 1 first man to walk the earth, you get to a pound in see a fish swimming. How can you explain that a fish can survive underwater and that you cant ?

It's the same thing for life. Earth is not the only recipe book for life.

Answer 7

i don't think of it somewhat is a waste of area. only because of the fact we are the sole sentient beings that all of us understand of does not advise that each little thing else in the universe is a waste. issues like stars, distant planets, asteroids, despite, would possibly not look functional to us, yet to deem them ineffective because of the fact of that certainty may well be surprisingly egocentric. nevertheless we would have a lot greater awareness of the universe presently than ever beforehand, we've only scratched the exterior of what this is all there for. this is completely a risk that what all of us understand as our photograph voltaic device is nicely a tiny fragment of something completely incomprehensible. we could be a piece of yet another exceedingly huge residing creature, or Earth ought to easily be a rock with residing issues on it that exist right here for no reason. Sorry for the long answer, yet that's my opinion.

Answer 8

Wasted space, how can space be wasted when no one from Earth have visited it!
What you are saying is that any place you have not been is wasted space.
You talk about Earth being just right for life, yes life as we know it, but there are creatures that live in the deepest Oceans, and things that live in super heated springs, plus sea creatures that live around what the call smokers with gas that would kill us, but these sea creatures are alive.
So do you still think that the Earth is the perfect place for life, life as you know it, but there are things alive that would die if subjected to where we live.
When you look at things, don't just look at part of it, you have to look at every thing that people have discovered over the years and beyond.

Answer 9

According to recent studies of Jupiter and its moons, most of all Europa, we may find life on Europa. Europa is a moon covered in ice, and it is very likely that under the ice there are thermal vents that melt the underbody of ice, causeing great underground oceans. Scientists think it is very possible to have life there under those conditions. They have found many species on Earth that are in the same situation. So life in our solar system may not be as big of a deal as we thought. We might have life just right next door.

Answer 10

I suppose you think all intelligent life will be in the form of Star Trek aliens right? Life could take some unimaginable forms.