Could aliens be a reality?

Aliens taking over our planet or just paying a visit have been a common theme in movies, books, cartoons, and television shows for decades.  These stories leave me wondering what life forms on another planet might be like.  But how possible is it that life on other planets actually exist?

Although, there are many rumors that extraterrestrials have visited earth, no accounts have ever been confirmed.  Which leaves us with the questions, as stated in the Fermi Paradox, “ If extraterrestrials are so common, why haven’t they visited? Why haven’t they communicated with us? Or, finally, why haven’t they left behind some residue of their existence, such as heat or light ..?” (Harris)

Even if a planet was suitable for life, life would still have to emerge. Scientists have speculated that Jupiter’s moon Europa would be one of the most likely places we could find life in space.  The moon has a giant liquid ocean beneath its thin ice-like crust.  The crust protects the liquid from radiation, which would make it possible for life to possibly evolve there.  Another reason life could be hosted on this planet is that it has water, engergy, and organic chemicals, which are believed to be “the key for origin of life” (Redd). europa-thick-ice-crust

I would not be surprised if during my lifetime we never found life in outer space.  Conditions have to be so perfect for life to exist that it is a very small possibility that another environment like ours exists.  If life did was found, I would expect it to be microscopic or a very basic life-form.  But who knows, there could be life way more intelligent than ours out there.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/extraterrestrial-life-odds.htm

http://www.space.com/26905-jupiter-moon-europa-alien-life.html

One thought on “Could aliens be a reality?

  1. Connor Baun

    I heard a very profound quote about this very subject: “I don’t know what is more terrifying- the idea that we aren’t alone in the universe, or the idea that we are.” I think this quote speaks volumes of our view of life outside our galaxy. I think its nearly impossible that life is exclusive to earth, but I think its important to realize that the closest stars that could support life are so far away, we could never reach them in a human lifetime. Another interesting theory I’ve heard is that life in space could simply be something non-tangible, like information, or data, or light, which totally blows my mind.

Leave a Reply