what is the chance of other life forms in space?

Question

advanced civilizations

Answer 1

A 50-50 chance...either there IS, or there ISN'T

Answer 2

While working at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, Dr. Frank Drake conceived a means to mathematically estimate the number of worlds that might harbor beings with technology sufficient to communicate across the vast gulfs of interstellar space. The Drake Equation, as it came to be known, was formulated in 1961 and is generally accepted by the scientific community.


N = R* fp ne fl fi fc L

where,

N = The number of communicative civilizations
R* = The rate of formation of suitable stars (stars such as our Sun)
fp = The fraction of those stars with planets. (Current evidence indicates that planetary systems may be common for stars like the Sun.)
ne = The number of Earth-like worlds per planetary system
fl = The fraction of those Earth-like planets where life actually develops
fi = The fraction of life sites where intelligence develops
fc = The fraction of communicative planets (those on which electromagnetic communications technology develops)
L = The "lifetime" of communicating civilizations
Frank Drake's own current solution to the Drake Equation estimates 10,000 communicative civilizations in the Milky Way.

Answer 3

I think the chances are very very high. Because the universe is infinite in size, or so it looks from what we can see. Correctly speaking we can only speculate on the size of the universe and thus, chance of being life.

If the universe is infinite, then there is an infinite chance there i other life forms, and obviously an infinite amount of them.

If the universe is not infinite, then the chance of life is significantly reduced.

Assuming the universe is restricted in size makes us look at the chances of life within our sizable and scalable space. These chances are calculated from what we know of our own planet and how life has propagated here.

Basically, it depends on the size of the universe.

Answer 4

Well advanced civilizations.. if we're considered advanced, well then it seems fairly likely :?.. the answer though is of course unknown, as are many of the variables in the equation that would tell the probability- Drakes equation;

N= N(*)F(p)N(e)F(L)F(i)F(c)L

(everything in parenthesis is sub)

N is the number of civilizations Currently capable of communicating with other civilizations, N(*) is the number of stars in the galaxy, F(p) is the percentage of stars with planets, N(e) is the number of planets with environments favorable to life, F(l) is the number of planets with some type of life ((*strickly a guess at .1), F(i) is the number of planets with intelligent life, f(c) is the number of civilizations with ability to communicate with other civilizations, and L is the longevity of the civilization. (how long it takes 'advanced civilizations to destroy themselves)

Answer 5

This formula will help determine the possibilites of life out there in space.The Drake Equation was developed by Frank Drake my friend in 1961 as a way to focus on the factors which determine how many intelligent, communicating civilizations there are in our galaxy. The Drake Equation is:

N = N* fp ne fl fi fc fL
The equation can really be looked at as a number of questions:

N* represents the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy
Question: How many stars are in the Milky Way Galaxy?
Answer: Current estimates are 100 billion.
fp is the fraction of stars that have planets around them
Question: What percentage of stars have planetary systems?
Answer: Current estimates range from 20% to 50%.
ne is the number of planets per star that are capable of sustaining life
Question: For each star that does have a planetary system, how many planets are capable of sustaining life?
Answer: Current estimates range from 1 to 5.
fl is the fraction of planets in ne where life evolves
Question: On what percentage of the planets that are capable of sustaining life does life actually evolve?
Answer: Current estimates range from 100% (where life can evolve it will) down to close to 0%.
fi is the fraction of fl where intelligent life evolves
Question: On the planets where life does evolve, what percentage evolves intelligent life?
Answer: Estimates range from 100% (intelligence is such a survival advantage that it will certainly evolve) down to near 0%.
fc is the fraction of fi that communicate
Question: What percentage of intelligent races have the means and the desire to communicate?
Answer: 10% to 20%
fL is fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilizations live
Question: For each civilization that does communicate, for what fraction of the planet's life does the civilization survive?
Answer: This is the toughest of the questions. If we take Earth as an example, the expected lifetime of our Sun and the Earth is roughly 10 billion years. So far we've been communicating with radio waves for less than 100 years. How long will our civilization survive? Will we destroy ourselves in a few years like some predict or will we overcome our problems and survive for millennia? If we were destroyed tomorrow the answer to this question would be 1/100,000,000th. If we survive for 10,000 years the answer will be 1/1,000,000th.
When all of these variables are multiplied together when come up with:
N, the number of communicating civilizations in the galaxy.


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The real value of the Drake Equation is not in the answer itself, but the questions that are prompted when attempting to come up with an answer. Obviously there is a tremendous amount of guess work involved when filling in the variables. As we learn more from astronomy, biology, and other sciences, we'll be able to better estimate the answers to the above questions. Many of these questions will be addressed in depth in future issues of Enigma.



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Answer 6

There is a formula

Bottom line ...100%

- The astronomer Paul Wrey developed an equation designed to calculate the possibility of life existing on other planets:

N = R Fp Ne Fl Fi Fc L

N = the number of civilizations with whom we can connect

R = the rate of star formation (10 stars per year in our galaxy)

Fp = the fraction of stars that develop planets

Ne = planets suitable for life

Fl = planets that actually develop life

Fi = planets that develop life that is intelligent

Fc = civilizations that communicate

L = civilizations at the stage at which communication can occur

We have begun to get an idea of what numerical values to assign to the first three variables (R, Fp and Ne). The rest are still unknown. In order to calculate the remaining variables, we need a model for how life processes occur.

- There are two primary hypotheses for the origin of life:

1. Molecules capable of self-reproduction developed from a chance combination of compounds. Based on mathematical calculations, this is highly unlikely. Some organic compounds, such as sugars and amino acids, are fairly easy to create in laboratory conditions. But the question is, how easily could these compounds reproduce themselves? Even one RNA molecule would need to have hundreds of amino acids. The possibility of this occurring is extremely tiny. It is the equivalent of a hurricane passing through a collection of spare parts and creating a Boeing 767.

This is not entirely impossible. In an infinite universe, every possibility will occur at some point. However, the chance of its occurring twice is so remote that these calculations indicate to us that nobody else is out there, at least, nobody with whom we can communicate.

2. The Copernican principle, a.k.a. the principle of mediocrity, assumes that we are nothing special. There must be some ordinary mechanism by which life came into being. However, we have not been able to identify such a mechanism. Therefore, the chances of our finding life on other planets do not appear to be very good.

- It was recently reported in the news, that a meteorite from Mars contained evidence suggestive of life. However, this evidence is controversial. In order to determine whether it supports the Copernican principle, it is necessary to answer the question as to whether this life is related to life on earth.

- With regard to the nature of our own life, evolutionary theory needs to explain why our intelligence is much higher than is needed purely for survival. A high degree of intelligence is found in every culture. However can the evolutionary hypothesis explain the existence, for example, of calculus, or of symphonies?

- If aliens do indeed exist, it is highly unlikely that they will resemble us very strongly. In conclusion, although aliens may exist, we probably will never know.

Answer 7

Absolutely not! The Highest Authority in the Universe says so in His Letter to Mankind ( Psalms 115:16 )

Answer 8

there's a huge chance. it's just that the universe is too big. there are billions and billions of stars on billions of galaxies. each star is just like our sun. meaning, they have their own planets themselves. so maybe, somewhere out there is a planet the same size as ours, and the same distance from their sun as ours. so life forms are possible. it would be so boring if we're the only ones in this vast space of nothingness

Answer 9

I personally think all that stuff is a bunch of crap! I highly doubt that there is any other life form in space. I think it is dumb that the government is spending all this money for space stuff when there is homeless and starving people in this country. Besides why does anyone care if any other life was anywhere out there.

Answer 10

As big as the universe is believed to be, there is probably life on other planets.
but the distance to find other life forms may be unimaginable

Answer 11

Listen as far as I am concerned there has to be other life forms besides us.Have we been to EVERY planet out there no.But yes I believe with allllllll the many planets out there there has to be life.