Odds of Alien Life 'Very High,' House Panel Hears

Breitbart News ^ | 12/05/2013 | Breitbart News

[Carbonsteel]

The likelihood of life on other planets is "very high," a planetary scientist told a House committee in a hearing some Democrats chided as evading U.S. issues.

"The chance that there's a planet like Earth out there with life on it is very high," Massachusetts Institute of Technology planetary science and physics Professor Sara Seager told the House Science Committee.

"The question is: Is there life near here, in our neighborhood of stars? We think the chances are good," she said, answering a question from Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, who asked: "Do you think there's life out there, and are they studying us? And what do they think about New York City?"

[SecondAmendment]

The only aliens dems care about are those who vote for them, ruling out their interest in any intelligent life.

[Kip Russell]

Modern humans (Cro Magnons) killed them all. This is what a Neanderthal actually looked like:

Sorry, not so much. Here's a modern reconstruction:

[Windflier]

there is none.

There are more galaxies in the known universe than all the grains of sand on earth. Each one containing billions of stars, most of which have planetary systems. The numbers involved are literally unfathomable.

The sheer numerical odds overwhelmingly favor life elsewhere in the universe.

[null and void]

Meet Duma Deputy Nikolai Valuev...

(He's the one to the left of the Bigfoot hunters and young witness.)

[Steve_Seattle]

"To quote Douglas Adams..."The prevailing view seemed to be that his opinion was not worth a pair of fetid dingo's kidneys"."

We just have a disagreement about the evidence. Since I think that there is overwhelming evidence for the existence of occult phenomena, and you apparently do not, we will probably just have to agree to disagree. With reference to UFOs and aliens, I think people do have these experiences, some have no apparent mundane explanation, and since I am skeptical of the "flying saucers from other planets" explanation, I am forced to another explanation.

I am sure you have thoughts and dreams, as do I, but we cannot prove either to one another. They are subjective and non-demonstrable, but that does not mean they are not real.

[Kip Russell]

The sheer numerical odds overwhelmingly favor life elsewhere in the universe.

I'm reminded of the book, "Rare Earth", which argues that simple unicellular life is very likely quite common throughout the universe, but complex life...not so much.

[faithhopecharity]

you don’t think you’ll find evidence of alien life anytime soon?

have you checked the White House lately?

[Carbonsteel]

I guess “intelligent” life isn’t a prerequisite then?

[ifinnegan]

$$. How so?

[faithhopecharity]

as long as there is an intelligent, Satanic TelePrompter programmer behind the scenes, no intelligence is required for what alien life is visible, no

[Steve_Seattle]

"Sorry, not so much. Here's a modern reconstruction"

Where did you get my driver's license photo?

[tumblindice]

From the look on his face, I’d say he needs a new one.
Tall, dark and handsome. When it’s dark, he’s handsome.
Series, he has a striking face. I wonder how many times he was struck.

You’re a great crowd, really! For Neanderthals. Hey, jus’ kidding ...

[ifinnegan]

I don’t understand your comment.

You are saying claimed alien encounters on Earth are are real?

[Kip Russell]

You are saying claimed alien encounters on Earth are are real?

Quite the opposite. I'm asserting that claimed alien encounters are neither aliens nor supernatural entities.

To put it bluntly, they're a load of BS.

[Windflier]

I'm reminded of the book, "Rare Earth", which argues that simple unicellular life is very likely quite common throughout the universe, but complex life...not so much.

True, but when you look at the sheer scale of planets in the known universe that can possibly harbor life of any kind, the number of those likely to have intelligent life is still mind boggling.

Some scientists, armed with recent findings of extrasolar planetary systems, have plugged that data into the famous Drake Equation and have concluded that there could be as many as 12,000 planets harboring intelligent life in our galaxy alone.

I fully expect for planetary explorations in our own solar system to turn up some forms of microbial life in the next few decades. Europa is an excellent candidate for that.

[Kip Russell]

Where did you get my driver's license photo?

Heh. I love the expression on his face. These guys (Neanderthals) were so close to human that we almost certainly interbred with them. It's nice to see a reconstruction that doesn't scream, "Me big hairy caveman. Ug."

[FredZarguna]

Yeah. My thesis adviser and I took his 10 year old to see Star Wars and both of us eye-rolled that one over the kid's head.

Certainly not the worst moment ever in science fiction. [Sadly, all too typical.]

[Steve_Seattle]

"Quite the opposite. I'm asserting that claimed alien encounters are neither aliens nor supernatural entities."

So are you an atheist/materialist, or do you just believe that spiritual/paranormal entities would not be so vulgar as to manifest as UFOs or aliens?

[Kip Russell]

Some scientists, armed with recent findings of extrasolar planetary systems, have plugged that data into the famous Drake Equation and have concluded that there could be as many as 12,000 planets harboring intelligent life in our galaxy alone.

I'm skeptical...if even a small fraction of those had technology comparable to ours (or significantly higher) I think we would have detected their radio emissions by now.

I fully expect for planetary explorations in our own solar system to turn up some forms of microbial life in the next few decades. Europa is an excellent candidate for that.

And not just Europa! There's increasing evidence that subsurface oceans of liquid water are downright common in our solar system, even in bodies as small as Ceres and Enceladus!

[FredZarguna]

Hey! That’s the guy Anne Bancroft married!