How could anyone with an ounce of common sense really believe only planet Earth has life?

In my humble opinion, I do believe that life exists elsewhere in our universe. It's too big for it to of only happened once in my opinion.

Now intelligent life, again, the universe is a big place, and again I think it quite possible.

However, if you think about it, our existence on this planet reads like we are the luckiest lifeforms in the universe, if you consider all the events that are thought to have happened in order for us to be here.

I could go back to the Big Bang, and the fact that certain physical laws were set at that moment, of which even the tiniest deviation of could have brought forth a universe sterile of life (or stars and planets for that mater). However, let's just start with our solar system:

Our sun and earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. During this time, the inner solar system is thought to have as much as 20 rocky planets orbiting the sun.
The theory is that many ended up in the sun, flung out from the sun, or collided with other objects.
One of those objects was the Earth, and this impact formed our moon.
Now here is the kicker:
That impact was with a Mars sized planet.....and it had to come in at just the right angle to give us the correct impact that resulted in not destroying our world, but instead resulted in a a moon forming, and very close to the Earth (but not too close to the Earth as the Roche Limit would have resulted in no moon forming.
The impact made the Earth spin a lot faster than it does now. However, over time, the gravitational friction from the moon slowed the Earth down enough to result in the 24 hour day we have now.
The other thing it did for us, according to theory, is help get life started on Earth, by the huge tidal waves cause by having the moon so close to the Earth back then.
Let's jump forward to about 650 million years ago. The Earth's atmosphere would not support us humans, as the oxygen content was way too low. It was at this time that the Earth went though it's Snow Ball Earth ice age, with the Earth totally frozen over for about 25 million years. During that time, bacteria in the frozen oceans adapted and evolved, and it was a type that produced oxygen. A LOT of it.
Let's jump forward again to 250 million years ago. We had another mass ELE. The Siberian Steppes eruptions are thought to have caused this, that paved the way for the dinos later on and the very first early mammals.
Jump forward again to 65 million years ago, and another ELE that helped get rid of the dinos, and allowed mammals to step up to the plate.

Now, think about human development. According to theory, at one point we are in the trees in what is now Africa. We came down out of the trees, and the question of why is answered with the following theory:
The East African Rift. The plates opening up there caused a climatic change, which in turn changed the jungle canopy in that area to savanah instead, forcing the primates out of the trees because they had to walk to another set of trees.

Think about all the things that have happened in the "modern human" era that eventually formed and shaped who we are today, with the technology that we have to day.

Now I know I've skipped a lot of history here (hey, only so many words can go into one post), and I know there are debates about Evolution vs Intelligent Design, but still think about it:

It's almost as though we had one lucky break after another right up to now.

Now, if that is how intelligent life is formed, woah. Talk about a LOT of things that MUST happen just right in order for it to do so.
But again, the universe is a big, big place, and so with the amount of stars with planets out there, I'm more than sure it may just of happened that same way for some other intelligent race....the numbers of the entire universe support it.

As for UFO's and us being visited: I've not seen any conclusive proof to make me believe. I mean I have seen some UFO reports that I can't explain either, but that doesn't make it proof.
But that doesn't mean that we were not visited a long time ago either, and they cataloged us as "Mostly Harmless" and went on their merry way either.

Oh, btw, on Evolution vs Intelligent design: I had a friend tell me this once:

Sure, I've read all the same science books as you, but I still think God created us. Who is to say that what we read in the science books isn't how he did it?

I didn't have an answer for that one, as I couldn't prove him wrong on that!

reply to post by boymonkey74


In her defense, we don't have any, other than anecdotal by those who believe in alien visitation, proof there is other life in the Universe, much less intelligent.

Oh, I believe there is life, and intelligence, too. But... Someone had to be first...who's to say we aren't the first?

If there isn't, it seems to be a whole lotta work for nothin'...creating a big ol' universe and all. Why not fill it with life, strange and wondrous?

reply to post by eriktheawful


It could be argued that even without the Moon, and without the big extinction events, and without the East African Rift, etc., the Earth still might have produced an intelligent species...

...Not us humans, and in fact probably something quite different -- but something intelligent nevertheless (maybe even something more intelligent and more advanced than us humans at this point in time).

I have a book by Lee Smolin called "Life of the Cosmos" where he unequivocally states exactly why the Earth is the only magical place that can or will ever hold intelligent life. When I read this book, it really hit me just how unimaginative and sterile this man's mind is.

Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
reply to post by eriktheawful

 

It could be argued that even without the Moon, and without the big extinction events, and without the East African Rift, etc., the Earth still might have produced an intelligent species...

...Not us humans, and in fact probably something quite different -- but something intelligent nevertheless (maybe even something more intelligent and more advanced than us humans at this point in time).

edit on 3/31/2012 by Soylent Green Is People because: (no reason given)

I agree with you. The problem is: we only have our model to view. That's why it would be so big to find even just simple bacteria on another planet or moon. Then we'd have another model to take a look at for just life to form.

If we found intelligent life else where, then we'd have that model to look at.

In either case it will be a HUGE discovery.

I think it would be in our best interest not to find them

I believe there is life in this universe. Many people believe there is life out there, just not "intelligent" life.
Which makes me wonder, what exactly constitutes as intelligent life? I always got into arguments with people about why they believe that we are the "intelligent" ones. All their answers are the same, "well we build things" ...? really?

We also destroy our home (earth), we pollute and treat our home like a dump, in my opinion an intelligent person would not have to destroy, steal, lie, cheat and kill. Intelligent people find ways that are beneficial to all, so when people say that the human race is an Intelligent race, I laugh a little.

Technologically, maybe... but we have only ourself to compare to.
Socially... well lets not even go there.

There is more than life in an infinite universe. There are an infinite number of people who look just like you doing exactly the same thing. Think on that.

reply to post by welshreduk


can anyone with " an ounce of common sense " cite any evidence for extra terrestrial life ?

reply to post by ignorant_ape

I just did. If x=infinity then infinity=x

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Common sense is all you need to know that there's life all over the multiverse. If you live in a valley and you never get out because you aren't physically capable of doing so, do you then maintain that no other life would be capable of doing so either? Do you think that it's not life if it doesn't look/smell/behave like you? We could have aliens all around us - and probably do - observing us all the time. They could come in any shape or form.

It's the worst kind of arrogance and otherwise sheer folly to think that we're alone. Think about it. Use your common sense.

Earlier today I was actually planning on creating a thread about how aliens would affect people’s religious beliefs. If intelligent aliens came to Earth you can be sure they would not have one of Earth's holy books, if any religion at all it would be something totally different to what Christianity etc teaches. Earth religions that talk about the Noah’s arc and wine from water is all Earth related. It is actually funny how the Earth has so many religions, many of which have not heard about each other yet religious people still fight each other. If anything religions should see themselves as a page in the same book. I guess this is getting a little of topic but most who do not believe it is likely there is life on other planets either do not even know what bacteria is or feel they are betraying their believe if they disagree with their religion.

Until any evidence pops up there is still legitimate reason for not believing life is out there though. Untill there is evidence it will always be a matter it is possible.

Originally posted by earthdude
reply to post by ignorant_ape

 

I just did. If x=infinity then infinity=x

That's assuming that the universe is infinite. This is not a known fact.


I personally think life is extremely probably, but I agree with ignorant_ape (and as I said in a post above) that you can't say that life 100% definitively exists elsewhere until you actually find that life elsewhere.

Until then it is only highly probable, but NOT something that can be considered a 100% true fact. Science may say it is "almost surely" true that life exists elsewhere.

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
I agree

I ust don't understand how people can be THAT selfish to think we are the only living beings in the Universe.

But then again...common sense went away a long time ago.

Every once in awhile someone puts up a post like this to deride nameless people for thinking only this planet has life. The thing is, I've never heard anyone anywhere claim this. I've read where people say other people claim this, but I've never heard it come out of anyone's mouth or anyone's post. Has anyone on ATS ever claimed that? I sure don't recall anyone making such a claim. You can pull people from churches, off the streets of the ghettoes, or from anywhere, and they will all agree that there is life elsewhere.

Try it some time. Ask a dozen random people you know or meet if they think there is life elsewhere. You will have to work long and hard to find anyone who believes that.

In other words, the whole idea is a straw man put up there to knock down. Putting up "big numbers," as the OP has done, is old hat. The Drake Equation did that before you were born. So the only reason to point out, for the millionth time, that it is unlikely Earth is the onl;y place with life is to put yourself up with the "common sense" people to deride, er, somebody, who has none.

The thing is, common sense has to be the most richly endowed substance on earth. Everyone thinks they have plenty of it, and everyone is always willing to give some to someone else.

Originally posted by OwenGP185
Earlier today I was actually planning on creating a thread about how aliens would affect people’s religious beliefs. If intelligent aliens came to Earth you can be sure they would not have one of Earth's holy books, if any religion at all it would be something totally different to what Christianity etc teaches.

Christianity and other religions teach these basic ideals:

1. Everything in the universe (including the universe itself) was made by a supreme creator.
and
2. There is a moral code to live by: namely, treat other people the same way you would want others to treat you (known as "The Golden Rule" to us humans).

I think it is entirely possible that if an alien race has a religion, it may be built upon a similar basic foundation. I think the religions of Earth would be quick to point out any similarities such as these.

reply to post by welshreduk


Yeah we know, there are threads exactly like this every week...its getting old.

reply to post by welshreduk


I don't believe earth is the center of all life. It's possible life could exist on one of Jupiter's moons, Europa, in the form of bacteria, or maybe even fish. Life DOES exist outside of earth, that's pretty obvious. Only morons think otherwise.

The real question is does 'Intelligent life' exist? And I'm talking about beings that can think, make decisions, have morals, and demonstrate conscious awareness. THAT life is precious. The probability of the events that happened in order for us to evolve and become what we are today is beyond those numbers you provided. Especially when you consider that mysterious gap in evolution which was necessary to transform primitive humanoid animals into the more recent human genus and species.

So who's responsible for that gap? Aliens? God?

Just because it happened once, doesn't necessarily mean it will happen again.

Now if there is intelligent extraterrestrial life, the chances of them being anywhere remotely near our solar system is of course, highly implausible. Maybe even absurd.

reply to post by shake101


Even if intelligent life exists elsewhere, this does not mean UFO's are real. If intelligent life exists elsewhere, it is at least several light years away from us. It may not be technologically feasible for any life form in the universe, no matter how intelligent, to travel the long distances because they would probably need to travel near the speed of light to make the trip. They would also need to take everything they would need to sustain themselves and their spaceship like food, fuel, air, etc.

I would say there is evidence that the US government doesn't want people to believe in intelligent, extraterrestrial life. That in itself, to me, is evidence that it might actually exist.

Streisand effect

I would also say there is already good evidence for life outside of Earth.

Life on Mars

That would seem to make the possibility of extraterrestrial life highly likely, if it wasn't already even without the evidence from mars. I guess it depends on if you want to consider this stuff evidence or not.

It would be a damn shame if we were the only intelligent species in the entire universe.

Well, I for one do feel that man is a special creation by God and that we are alone in the universe. And yes, I do have a few ounces of common sense remaining.

The Bible doesn't address life elsewhere but that is not the reason. With the plan that man was created to become sons of God, ruling and administering His government with Yahushua/Jesus as King, the future ages are to see Earth as central to the universe. Fantasy to most of you, but real to me. But to say that people, who believe as I do, don't have any 'common sense' is hardly fair. Just a mere 150 years ago is our long history there were no science fiction movies, no 'lights in the sky', no ancient aliens or other similar shows shoving a new 'reality' on people. Heck, people rode horses and hunted their food. I'm 45, and a day doesn't go by that I don't hear 'this evolved' and 'that evolved', no matter if I'm watching the Animal Planet or a regular tv show. What's the saying? If you hear something enough, you will believe it. Understanding that beliefs can be manufactured isn't exclusive to religion bashing, but it applies to any society. If those in charge want and need you to believe a certain way, propaganda and indoctrination work like a charm.