That one profound question that has been plaguing mankind since the beginning of conscious thought. Are we really? truly? alone? A Think most of you would probably say no. I mean, how could we? Out of some 100 billion galaxies with oddly some 100 billion stars for each galaxy. Odds are, its impossible. I mean even in our own galaxy, I find it hard to believe earth is the only life sustaining planet out there.
But I'm not just talking about any life. No, not just single celled organisms such as bacteria and amino acids. Or even plants or complex life such as a deer or something. What I'm referring to is intelligent life, such as ourselves. While I speculate most of you will still answer with a defining yes, I do agree. But lets look at the conditions in which life needs to not only sustain itself but flourish and survive for extend periods of time.
Well for starters, life needs a planet,with an atmosphere. It needs a star for light and heat. But even the distance from the star needs to be factored in. Earth is in whats called the habitable zone(or the goldy locks zone to some) Its just at the right distance from the sun were liquid water can form. To close and it would just boil away, to far it would just freeze over. But what else? Surely most if not all organisms wouldn't be able to last very long with out an abundance of H2O(water) Water is key. It is how we got our start and I'm sure life can't exist without water, for the most part anyway. Your planet would also require a sustainable atmosphere for life to breathe and diversify. Without this then the harshness of space would bombard the planet relentlessly. X-rays, gamma-rays,ultra violet rays. A huge dose of those can't be good for ones DNA. I could go on for hours. But I think I made a point. There are so many factors that contribute to whether life on a planet is even possible.
Mainly what I want to know is. Are we alone? I think not, Space it just so huge its almost idiotic to think we are. Could we really just be a fluke in terms of universal evolution? Are we really that special? one of a kind? Again, I can't see it. So many galaxies, so many stars, so many possibilities.
One last thing to add. If we do make contact with extra terrestrial life, How do you communicate? Lets imagine for a moment an alien civilization is discovered on the other side of the milky way. Is it possible to make any sort of relevant conversation? Consider this. I takes a single light beam twenty five thousand years to cross one side of the galaxy to to other( I think it was 25,000. I might be longer) Our radio waves would take even longer.
So if we truly find out we are not alone. Does it really matter? Assuming we don't have the technology to communicate with them on a reasonable time scale? Who knows they could be light years head of us in terms of technology. What if they come knocking at our front door? Do they come baring knowledge? Or War?
Its always as mommy said. You shouldn't talk to strangers.
But I'm not just talking about any life. No, not just single celled organisms such as bacteria and amino acids. Or even plants or complex life such as a deer or something. What I'm referring to is intelligent life, such as ourselves. While I speculate most of you will still answer with a defining yes, I do agree. But lets look at the conditions in which life needs to not only sustain itself but flourish and survive for extend periods of time.
Well for starters, life needs a planet,with an atmosphere. It needs a star for light and heat. But even the distance from the star needs to be factored in. Earth is in whats called the habitable zone(or the goldy locks zone to some) Its just at the right distance from the sun were liquid water can form. To close and it would just boil away, to far it would just freeze over. But what else? Surely most if not all organisms wouldn't be able to last very long with out an abundance of H2O(water) Water is key. It is how we got our start and I'm sure life can't exist without water, for the most part anyway. Your planet would also require a sustainable atmosphere for life to breathe and diversify. Without this then the harshness of space would bombard the planet relentlessly. X-rays, gamma-rays,ultra violet rays. A huge dose of those can't be good for ones DNA. I could go on for hours. But I think I made a point. There are so many factors that contribute to whether life on a planet is even possible.
Mainly what I want to know is. Are we alone? I think not, Space it just so huge its almost idiotic to think we are. Could we really just be a fluke in terms of universal evolution? Are we really that special? one of a kind? Again, I can't see it. So many galaxies, so many stars, so many possibilities.
One last thing to add. If we do make contact with extra terrestrial life, How do you communicate? Lets imagine for a moment an alien civilization is discovered on the other side of the milky way. Is it possible to make any sort of relevant conversation? Consider this. I takes a single light beam twenty five thousand years to cross one side of the galaxy to to other( I think it was 25,000. I might be longer) Our radio waves would take even longer.
So if we truly find out we are not alone. Does it really matter? Assuming we don't have the technology to communicate with them on a reasonable time scale? Who knows they could be light years head of us in terms of technology. What if they come knocking at our front door? Do they come baring knowledge? Or War?
Its always as mommy said. You shouldn't talk to strangers.