Any Astronomers here: life elsewhere?

Question

I've been wondering this for a while.

If life is fairly unlikely, and I thought that's what scientists thought, then why is it that whenever I read a news item about our probes exploring our solar system, they always seem to EXPECT to find life?

Is this what actual scientists think?

Or is it just the article writers, raising the sexy possibility to get readers' attention?

What is the current thinking about how prevelant life is?

I do realize they're looking for microbes, not civilizations.

And I wasn't talking about life being ANYWHERE (in, say the entire galaxy, or other galaxies), so much as EVERYWHERE. Or at least everywhere there's water.

As soon as I read "astronomers think there could be water" say on a moon of Jupiter, or on Mars, the next sentence talks about them looking for life.

Wish I'd asked which of you are astronomers; if other people could say that, too, I'd appreciate it.

It DOES seem likely to me that there's other life of some kind somewhere; I just don't expect to find it in our solar system.

Sigh.

Looks like no one is going to answer the question I asked, which was about the chances of life in our solar system.

Not life anywhere.

Not civilization.

Any takers?

Any astronomers?

Answer 1

Hi. Thinking is based on the premise that where life CAN develop, it most likely WILL develop. But we are talking microbes and jelly fish here.

Answer 2

Your conclusion is in error. Scientist believe that the chances for life are reasonable, given that we accept anything right down to the smallest microbe. The building blocks to spawn and encourage life are scattered everywhere. All you need are some "right conditions".

Once you start talking about other cultures capable of the technology to master space travel, it gets a bit dicey. Drake's equation estimates the probability at about 100 civilizations within the Milky Way galaxy at any one time. But, distance is a BIG factor. And civilizations can "wink out" before they are discovered by others who managed to come farther than the averge distance.

So the odds are against bumping into space "critters" coming to this planet, unless, of course, it's for food -- us.

Answer 3

We don't know if life is unlikely, but life on Earth took hold almost as soon as possible, which suggests otherwise. However, even if it is unlikely - say, a billion-to-one chance - there are 200 billion stars in our galaxy alone, most with planets, some with planets that could support life. So easily a half-billion inhabitable planets in the galaxy - and billions of galaxies in the universe. So yes, we expect it to be out there SOMEWHERE. To find it? If we're lucky.

Answer 4

Chances that it exists somewhere are pretty good. What stage of development it is in, and if it has even started yet, or has started and been completely wiped out by something is another deal all together. Nothing suggests we will ever find something that is an exact copy life forms on Earth at this exact moment.

Answer 5

Extraterrestrial life looks more likely all the time.

That does not imply intelligent life within a reasonable distance, however. Don't confuse extraterrestrial life with extraterrestrial civilization.

Answer 6

I think writers try and sugar coat articles to capture the readers attention.

Answer 7

which scientists, and which definition of life are you asking about?
the prevelance of life is only limited by the imagination, since it creates it's own definition of what qualifies as life.