Monday, April 21, 2008
Intelligent Life In The Universe?
Are there intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe? All we know for sure is that intelligent life exists here on Earth. We have no evidence that life of any kind even exists elsewhere. Zip, zero, nada. That doesn't stop scientists from trying to listen for messages from aliens. (Here.)
Now a scientist has created a mathematical model that purports to show that alien intelligent life is unlikely to exist. (Here.) All this without any evidence one way or the other.
It's interesting to think about whether there are intelligent aliens in the universe but it's entirely speculative given we have only one example to work from. There's really no way to know one way or the other the odds of life elsewhere much less intelligent life. Personally, I'm perfectly fine with the possibility that we are alone. Given the vast distances between stars we might as well be alone. What's more interesting to me is thinking about how humans will move ourselves off this planet and claim the entire solar system as our home.
-tdr
Now a scientist has created a mathematical model that purports to show that alien intelligent life is unlikely to exist. (Here.) All this without any evidence one way or the other.
It's interesting to think about whether there are intelligent aliens in the universe but it's entirely speculative given we have only one example to work from. There's really no way to know one way or the other the odds of life elsewhere much less intelligent life. Personally, I'm perfectly fine with the possibility that we are alone. Given the vast distances between stars we might as well be alone. What's more interesting to me is thinking about how humans will move ourselves off this planet and claim the entire solar system as our home.
-tdr
Labels: Astrobiology, Astronomy
