Does Life Exist On Other Planets?

We all at some point in our lives have wondered if Earth truly is the only planet that houses lifeforms. Scientists especially have been grappling with this question for hundreds of years and some have made it their life’s goal to find an answer. Because of the improvement in technology, scientists have a better chance now more than ever to find the truth. Earlier this year, NASA issued a statement saying that they expected to find alien life within the next 20 years.

When searching for life on other planets, Mars has been the go to planet for decades mainly because of its proximity to Earth and because it has a similar atmosphere to Earth. After years of inconclusive findings, the Mars Express Orbiter made two very interesting discoveries. It found methane, which is often produced by living organisms, in the Martian atmosphere, and a large amount of hydrogen on Mars’ surface. Rovers Spirit and Opportunity also produced conclusive evidence that Mars’ surface at one point contained liquid water thus confirming Mars’ atmosphere was previously capable of sustaining said water. The most popular theory is that Mars experienced a massive flood that drained the surface and may have even affected Earth. More and more planets are being discovered and now scientists are saying that there are roughly 5,000 planets capable of sustaining life. NASA is in the process of developing new telescopes, one called the Webb Space telescope, which is capable of detecting atmospheric water vapor, thus implying there may be a large body of water somewhere in space.

Who knows what new evidence will be uncovered in the coming decades regarding extraterrestrial life. The only certainty is that technology will continue to develop and our odds of finding life will only become greater.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/tech/389080/NASA-confirms-Extraterrestrial-life-DOES-exist-on-other-planets

http://www.icr.org/article/can-life-exist-other-planets/

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One thought on “Does Life Exist On Other Planets?

  1. Julia Solly Levine

    This article caught my eye because I have always been fascinated with life outside on Earth, and my dad and I fully believe that there is a strong capability of that. I started watching shows such as “Destination Truth” and “UFO Hunters,” but have been disappointed with the findings because nothing is certain. However, this NASA report sounds promising, with the likeliness of finding aliens in the next 20 years.

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