Aliens Among Us

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

LIFE ELSEWHERE

Are They Out There?

Life on earth developed from air, water, and the minerals in rocks. (Scientific American. April 2001, p.78). There are indications within the scope of astronomic observations of such conditions on other planets. In considering the many millions of planets in the universe, we should assume that there are some forms of life outside of the earth. However, the likelihood of there being intelligent (human) life elsewhere is quite another matter. Carl Sagan believed it, as do many astronomers; impressed with the great number of planets in the universe. Most evolutionary biologists, however, reject that possibility. They say that the evolution of intelligence is an extraordinarily improbable phenomenon. It took millions of years and occurred only once out of a billion species of animals. If evolution could start over, they indicate, we humans would not be around.

Radio searches for extra-terrestrial life have been proceeding for more than fifteen years, with a particularly comprehensive project initiated by NASA in 1992. This project, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) was later dropped by NASA and picked up by a private foundation.

SETI consists of two parts: an astrobiology institute that studies the possibility of life outside of our planet, and Project Phoenix that searches for signals from intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe. This latter program enlists the idle time on computers of some three million volunteers. Want to join in the search for signs of extraterrestrial life? Check out seti@home.

In recent years there has been an increased interest in a search for extraterrestrial life. NASA has set up its Astrobiology Institute, which enlists a new discipline for the study of life in the Universe. Major goals are to study the origins of life, how it evolves, and to identify other habitable planets. (I suggest a visit to this website).

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