• Question: Will we ever have a real answer of the question 'do aliens exist?'

    Asked by anon-289992 on 24 Mar 2021.
    • Photo: Alex Baxendale

      Alex Baxendale answered on 24 Mar 2021:

      Hello!
      This is a very difficult question, there are many theories about how probable alien life is, with some pretty hopeful ideas out there. There are billions of planets out there that could host life, so the chances are we are not the only ones that exist – surely? If we just assume that aliens DO exist, but we need to actually find them to confirm it then things get VERY difficult. Life could be microscopic beings (like germs) that we would never be able to see unless we actually go to those planets – and those planets could be thousands of light years away. This is where things become even more problematic, light travels at 671,000,000 miles per hour, our fastest space ship went 165,000 miles per hour, which is a HUGE difference in speed. It would take us thousands upon thousands of years to travel to these areas in space to find out if there is life there – maybe aliens do exist, but they are all on the other side of the universe – realistically we will never be able to travel that far to find out, which is a real shame! Fingers crossed if they exist they are a little closer to home than 1,000 light years.

      So my final answer is: maybe we will get a real answer, if we’re lucky some life exists near us in space, otherwise getting a definite answer will be extremely difficult

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 24 Mar 2021:

      Hi,
      I think how we define ‘alien’ is important. It is (in my opinion given the vast nature of the universe) likely that life on other planets exist. This is not necessarily green blobs with big heads! Even plants on other planets can be considered life and thus in some respects aliens!
      Also we need to consider if there is life on other planets – do they know we exist? And if they do do they even want contact with us? These factors also play a role in the answer to if we know they exist.

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