Do You Believe That Life Exists on Other Planets?

A typical galaxy such as ours has upwards of a trillion stars. There's upwards of a trillion galaxies in our universe. Based on planets found so far in nearby stars, one star out of a thousand is likely to harbor an Earth-like planet. Let's revise the figures downwards, 100 billion stars in each of 100 billion galaxies, and odds of a Earth-like planet say 1 in a million stars. That's 10^11 * 10^11 * 10^-6 = 10^16 Earth-like planets. To argue that intelligent life only happened on THIS planet in THIS sun and NOWHERE else is arguing for something that happened with a probability of 1 in 10^16. If a slot machine with 16 wheels, each with 10 pictures, were to play one every 3 seconds, it would take a billion YEARS for a likely occurrence of such a jackpot thing happening. So, because this seems such a statistically improbable thing, for many people this points to the existence of God, who has specifically blessed Earth alone with intelligent life. But far more likely is that Earth is not the only Earth-like planet in the entire universe that has intelligent life---that is, for intelligent life to arise in a Earth-like planet is considerably more likely than just 1 in 10^16.

I seem to recall that it wasn't that long ago that many people were denying that water can be found in any other planet, and specifically on Mars. Well, we have found water there. The real question is, how likely that we'll ever contact other intelligent life out there in any reasonable time frame, like centuries. That I don't know, but it could unfortunately be very unlikely.

I believe life exists on other planets in the same sort of way that I believe a creator exists as well.

I look at the world around me and realize that we are all connected and all part of one organism, what we do affects all, and in this perfectly balanced system I see cycles and transitions that seem to be of intelligent design. I realize that even the slightest difference in any atoms would have changed the universe in profound ways. Now when I see this the idea that this all happened(the universe) by luck is impossible, it is unfathomable. However is this proof for a creator, no it isn't, however I still believe in a creator through reason and logic alone.

Now about the E.T. Its the same sort of thing I feel that the universe is so big that to think we could be the only higher life forms within this beautiful creation is, as well, unfathomable. Now does this prove that extraterrestrials exist? No but I still believe that aliens exist through reason and logic alone.

Here is the Drake equation i'm sure you've heard of it.

The equation

The Drake equation states that:

N=R*(Fp)(Ne)(Fl)(Fi)(Fc)(Fl)

where:

N = the number of civilizations in our galaxy with which communication might be possible;

and

R* = the average rate of star formation per year in our galaxy

fp = the fraction of those stars that have planets

ne = the average number of planets that can potentially support life per star that has planets

fℓ = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop life at some point

fi = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop intelligent life

fc = the fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space

L = the length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.[3]

Now I plugged numbers into this before and I damn near peed myself at how many intelligent civilizations came out other than ours, however its still just a theory.

Intelligent life? The chances that any life arises in any part of the universe is astronomical due to the fact that the conditions on the planets are usually too harsh for life to arise. The earth being in what we call a goldey locks zone gave the option of life forming. The chances that life forming on another planet would be extremely rare, and THEN..... for it to develop an intelligence that rivaled ours would be insane, and I believe this position is probably the same as most other scientists.

So, while possible, very unlikely.

At first glance, it might seem like it requires an extraordinary amount of faith to believe there is life elsewhere in the universe.

However, when you do research, and learn just how massive the universe is - it's almost foolish to believe there is not life elsewhere in the universe.

When you believe in something for which there is extraordinary evidence, it's not called faith. Faith is when you believe in something blindly.

Just to put it in perspective:

Most galaxies have more than 100 billion stars.

Current estimates indicate that there are more than 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe.

When you take into account that each star can have planets, and each planet has the possibility of life, it becomes readily apparent that the odds are astronomically high for life to exist somewhere else in the universe.

I believe life exists on other planets because if you look at what conditions are necessary to form life, really, all you seem to need is: 1) a sun of right size at right distance 2) a planet of right size 3) water + other chemicals

Other planets that we have identified don't have life because they are not the right distance from the sun. But if we assume universe is so vast that there are essentially an infinite number of stars, then it becomes simply a mathematical probability of seeing another planet, like ours, that is close to another sun like ours, with the right chemicals. The probability is high because universe is very big. Essentially you can think of it as sticking your hand into a giant bag to select a red marble among a sea of green marbles. The chance may be low, but if you do it infinite number of times, eventually you will get one.

There is no need to "believe" it.

It either does, or doesn't. If it does and cannot be proved, it doesn't matter. If it does and can be proved, belief is a non-sequitur.

Some people say that "believing intelligent life exists only on Earth is arrogant."

Quite the contrary - It is arrogant to presume that something unproved is factual.

Incidentally, NASA has announced a press-conference for tomorrow that may make this discussion moot.

ADD: The Drake Equation is non-scientific nonsense.

It's possible but I don't believe it because there is no evidence! We just don't have the technology to travel to other planets that might support life.

There's NOTHING supernatural to think of the possibility that there might be life on other planets. There's life here, right? Why not somewhere else. There's just no proof. Using faith is like pretending there is with out actually discovering it, that's why science doesn't waste time with faith.

No, not yet!

God through the Bible makes no mention of life in the universe outside of earth. If life existed outside of earth than it would be involved in the issue of what is good and bad. God sent Jesus to die for mankind and there is no mention of any other intelligent living creatures in the physical universe. Satan said that he was "roving about" the earth and made no mention of other planets with intelligent life. Would he merely single out one planet to corrupt and mislead if God had created intelligent life also on other planets? Job 1:7; 2:2; Revelation 12:9

God has of yet only created life forms on earth in the physical universe!

There is life here. Why couldn't there be life elsewhere? There's billions upon billions of stars, with more than that many planets circling them. I like the chances of there being life somewhere out there in the universe.

There is no god here though, so I'm not sure what bringing "faith" into the discussion has to do with anything.

Since life occurs here (a simple fact not requiring proof), there is no reason to assume it could ONLY occur here, especially in view of the vast size and depth of the universe. Even if one ascribes to the creationist view, nowhere is it written that God only created life here...after all, in the bible, Jesus said "In my Father's house, there are many rooms..." - one interpretation of that could easily be about extraterrestrial life.

At some point, the probability of certain things is so overwhelming that they can be accepted as fact even tho there is no actual proof of them. I have no proof the sun will rise tomorrow in the east, but I feel fairly secure in treating that as absolute fact...