by Jack Winters
Aliens have been an infatuation of conspiracy theorists for the past 100 years. Many have suggested theories that these interstellar beings exist in the far reaches of outer space. I believe that eventually aliens will be proven to exist in the far reaches of the cosmos. Many will disagree, but with the scientific investigations currently underway, we will soon find out whether aliens are real or not. I believe that the sheer amount of planets, the Drake equation, Mars once being habitable and the potential for planetary life on the moon Europa shows that it is likely that aliens do exist in the Observable Universe.
The amount of stars in the observable universe that we know of according to te European Space Agency is an unbelievable amount of 1 Thousand Million stars. Which is 1 followed by 24 zeros. Also, since according to Nasa there is one planet per star. That means that there are 1 Thousand Million planets located across the universe. Another thing is according to the theory of special relativity nothing in the “local law of Physics” can move faster than the speed of light, which is approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s. However the universe is expanding at some points faster than the speed of light according to the hubble theory, which states that speed is relative to the distance between two objects. This in turn will cause some planets to have never been seen with human eyes, which again means that current calculations are not exactly accurate as there are almost certainly more stars than the number we estimate. Which means that we will never see the billions and trillions of stars out there because the universe will always be expanding faster than the speed of light. Based on the billions and trillions of stars and planets we have never seen, it would be simply foolish to believe that planetary life doesn’t exist somewhere in the observable universe. The Drake Equation is a famous equation. It describes the amount of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions can be detected. According to the Strength for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute the Drake Equation is as follows. N = R • fp • Ne • Fl • Fi • Fc • L N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable. R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life. FP = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems. Ne = The number of planets per solar system, with an environment suitable for life. FL = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears. Fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges. 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. The Drake Equation’s importance is defined in one single quote by the SETI Institute. “Besides illuminating the factors involved in such a search, the Drake Equation is a simple, effective tool for stimulating intellectual curiosity about the universe around us, for helping us to understand that life as we know it is the end product of a natural, cosmic evolution, and for making us realize how much we are a part of that universe.” - SETI Institute The Drake Equation identifies the possibilities in one single equation which has been used by scientists across the world to search for planetary life. The planet Mars as we know of right now is a vast barren desert of dust storms and temperatures not suitable for habitability. However it didn’t use to be this way. According to NASA space rover Curiosity, currently on the planet Mars. Curiosity found a potentially habitable lake and groundwater system dating back to 3.7 billion years ago. This lake and groundwater has been found to have the right temperature for microbial life to exist. Also according to NASA the red planet has lost so much atmosphere that we believe at some point in the past the atmosphere was thick enough to retain heat and liquid water, which is a vital ingredient for plants, microbes, and other species to survive. They have estimated that the atmosphere on Mars during this time was once similar to earth’s by comparing the isotopes of oxygen to earth’s. Mars has also been found to have to have Carbonate Globules with magnetite and iron sulfide that are chemically, structurally, and morphologically similar to magnetosome particles produced by bacteria on earth. This shows that Mars had the right atmosphere, chemicals, and water to be able to harbor intelligent life on the red planet. The planet Jupiter is a planet with many moons. However, one particular moon has caught a lot of attention from scientists and astronomers across the world. The moon is Europa, a water moon covered in a thick sheet of ice. According to NASA Europa has an abundance of water and the right chemicals to support life. All we need to find to definitively say that Europa could support life is an energy source. Scientists also discovered during the Galileo mission that Jupiter's magnetic field was disrupted in the space around Europa. According to NASA this implies that in a deep layer beneath the ice an electrical conductive fluid is creating a special magnetic field on Europa which disrupts Jupiter’s magnetic field. Scientists have also discovered that Europa is venting water into space, which could be a sign that Europa is geologically active. If follow-up observations prove that Europa is geologically active. It means we will be able to study the plumes of water using spacecraft. If we do indeed find an energy source on Europa, it means that Europa will have all the components to harbor planetary life. In conclusion the universe is a massive mystery waiting to be uncovered. I believe that Aliens are real because of the sheer amount of planets in the observable universe, the Drake Equation, the potential for a previously habitable Mars, and the planet Europa’s ever growing evidence that life can be supported there. |