The idea that earth is the only planet that has intelligent life is rather absurd and basic human ignorance. It is all a simple case of mathematics.
It is roughly estimated that the number of stars in the Milky Way is between 100 billion- 400 billion. We can safely assume, by modern astronomy, that the Milky Way contains at least 18 billion planetary systems. Now if we reduce this number by as much as possible and assume that the distances between planetary systems are so regulated that only one case in hundred does a planet orbit in the ecosphere (the goldilocks zone) of its own sun, that still leaves 180 million planets capable of supporting life. Now if we further reduce this number by supposing that only one in every hundred planets that can support life actually does so, we are still left with 1.8 million inhabited planets. Now if further suppose that out of every hundred inhabited planets, one planet contains life that has the same level of intelligence as Homo sapiens that still gives us 18,000 inhabited planets. Yet we can go even further by speculating that even if only 1 percent of the 18,000 planets are actually inhabited by intelligent life then there would still be 180 left, you could also say that the 180 is actually a high intelligence.
There is, without a doubt, planets which are similar to Earth-breathable atmosphere, similar gravity, plant-life and possibly animal life. But why do we need to think that these conditions are what’s needed to support life?
It has been proven that life can exist without water and oxygen. The evidence on our planet that’s the form of anaerobic bacteria, which when exposed to oxygen actually kills it. Also recently Bacteria, Loriciferaa, group of marine-sediment dwellers that inhabit one of Earth’s most extreme and little-known environments, survive without oxygen. So why should intelligent life that doesn’t need water or oxygen?
The idea that life can only exist and develop on Earth-like planets is very narrow-minded. There are roughly about 2 million different species of living creatures on Earth, and we are discovering more all the time. About 1.2 million are ‘known’ to us scientifically. Among this number there are a few thousand that ought not to be able to live according to the current ideas of life.
We think that highly radioactive water would be devoid of any form of life, but certain kinds of bacteria can actually adapt and thrive in the waters that surround nuclear reactors. A Scientist, Dr Siegel, conducted a rather impressive experiment in the 1970’s. He recreated in his laboratory the atmospheric conditions of Jupiter and bred bacteria and mites under said conditions, which we know have none of the conditions that many have set down for life to exist. The ammonia, methane and hydrogen in the atmosphere did not kill them and they continued breeding and thriving.
This type of experiment is only one of many that have been conducted and are still being conducted at research centres throughout the globe. They have come up with ‘new proofs’ that life is not bound to the conventions of our own planet (oxygen, water). For centuries the world has revolved around the laws and conditions that govern life on Earth. As a result, this has put blinkers on many scientists who accept, without any doubt, our standards and systems of thought when viewing the universe and the possibility of life on other planets.
Now turn it around, another intelligent race on another planet takes their living conditions as the criteria for life on other planets. Let’s say that their planet has a methane rich atmosphere and had temperatures of -200oC to -300oC, they would then assume that these conditions were essential for life to exist anywhere. No one can produce concrete proof that life exists on other planets, but does that mean that there isn’t any? Is there any reason why we may not have ‘competitors’ in the Universe who are equal or superior to us?
How often has Human wisdom been proven wrong? Hundreds of generations thought the World was flat, that the Earth was the centre of the galaxy, but these were all proven wrong. It is time to admit that we are a tiny grain of sand on an endless beach, that it is not a Uni-Verse but a Multi-Verse. One day we will, hopefully, find all kinds of life in the Cosmos, many we thought impossible, and even if we, ourselves don’t live long enough to see it, our children will.
