Is There Life On Other Planets?

Is There Life On Other Planets?
Answer 1: Is there life on other planets? Well, the short answer is: YES. Probably. There are a few things we need to consider when hypothesizing this question.

• The amount of other space systems in the universe
• The ‘Goldilocks’ Zone
• The Drake Equation
• Current evidence
• The length of time needed for intelligent evolution
• Will contact with aliens be friendly?

Indeed, we are yet to make any sort of public, formal contact with beings from other worlds, but looking at the maths, and considering the vast amount of stars out there that could support life in our galaxy (let alone the universe), then it is highly likely.

There are roughly 200 - 400 billion stars in the Milky Way. The 'Goldilocks' zone is the distance from a star which is deemed not too hot and not too could to support life, and in which it would be possible for a planet to hold water in all three of its standard forms (solid/ice, liquid/water, gas/water vapor), water being the key ingredient for life. Let's just assume that each of those 200 - 400 billion Milky Way stars hosted a planet in the 'Goldilocks' zone, then that is 200 - 400 billion planets that COULD be capable of supporting life.

A famous mathematical equation, known as the Drake equation, can help us work out the probability of alien life in our galaxy. It runs as follows:

N = R* . Fp . Ne . Fl . Fi . Fc . L

Where: N = the number of civilizations in our galaxy with which communication might be possible;
and
R* = the average rate of star formation per year in our galaxy
fp = the fraction of those stars that have planets
ne = the average number of planets that can potentially support life per star that has planets
fl = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop life at some point
fi = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop intelligent life
fc = the fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space
L = the length of time for which such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

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In terms of our own solar system, there is strong evidence to suggest that conditions for life have been present over various world's histories. Mars (oft a centre for the ongoing search for life) has been found to have ridges in its frigid surface to suggest flows of liquid as recent as only ten years old, and rovers on the planet itself have identified water in soil samples. Many of Jupiter's large moons have been identified as possibly having oceans of water under their icy hard crusts, perhaps heated almost internally from volcanic vents in the moon's cores. These would be positive breeding grounds for life.

But even so, if life was discovered on other planets, it is unlikely to hold any sort of intelligence, and will most likely be bacterial in its composition. The human race as we know it has only been around for 4 million years, but a blink of an eye in terms of the Earth's whole history, and evolution takes millions of years to make any sort of noticeable impact.

Besides, if some sort of intelligent life force from some far flung corner of the galaxy did make it to Earth, would they really be friendly? Think about it, if they had technology advanced enough to make it thousands of years across deepest, darkest space to get to us, what's to say they wouldn't try to take over the human race with their greatly advanced power?

Even great minds such as physicist Stephen Hawking have expressed their concerns, Hawking Stating that "If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans."
Source:http://www.blurtit.com/