Easytimes

This is a question I have often considered and I would really love to see evidence of life outside of earth in my lifetime.

I also have a theory that intelligent life is already aware of our existence, and are keeping quiet until we either mature as a species, or, possibly preferably, just go the way of the dinosaurs.

However, a discovery on Mars would give me the opportunity to go "Nyah, nyah, nyah" to all those religious fundies. Immature? You bet. But soooo satisfying.

Cheers

PS

(I wonder what aliens think about nude photos of humans?)

I don't think that the discovery of life on Mars or any other planet we are able to probe within my lifetime would lead me to accept dire prognostications for our own planet.

Even if we were to prove that multi-celled organisms had not been able to succeed indefinitely on all of the planets within our galaxy I would need to be convinced that this circumstance pertained on every planet within every galaxy which existed. As we have no empirical proof of the size or limits of space I would not extrapolate impending failure for Earth from evidence provided only by our galaxy or even those surrounding it. Perhaps even the vast reaches of what we compute to be the whole would prove to be analogous to one sour little patch of land in a forty acre field? And I would have then wasted a lifetime in angst at worrying about whether the end was indeed nigh?

"The broading of men's views that resulted cannot be exaggerated. Before the cylinder fell there was a general persausion that through all the deep of space no life existed beyond the petty surface of our minute sphere." - Epilogue to War of Worlds (Wells)

Even if we find merely aperiodical crystals that would strong indicator that we are not alone. Such a discovery would demonstrate inorganic can transmute towards the organic life: And only one planet away.

Religion would just re-invent itself.

Hello Easy Time,

A trilobite would indicate the presence of oxygen in the air - just could have been the case. Between the Pre-Cambrian period and now oxygen composition has shifted from 1% to 21%. Higher forms of life seem to some extent to be compatible a high oxygen composition in the atmosphere. What would most significant is any sign that there is a shift from inorganic and to organic, as I noted above.

If Mars did have very primative organic life far simplier than a trilobite, non-evolution is ecological. Yet, significant, it would be a strong pointer to planets having the suitable atmosphere, higher biochemical processes of species would evolve, somewhere on a suitable planet. Elseput, an aperiodical life on Mars far more primative than a trilobite, probably means that higher forms of life exists on many oxygen enriched planets[provided a Van Allen belt?].

You might also consider GW that ever since you were a kid youve been hearing stories of God and the satan.
And of a battle between good and evil and of a war for mankinds souls.
Where does that come from if not from people, down through history, who have given their testimonies about contact with both God (Jesus Christ in the New Testament age) and of contact with evil spirits.
How does such news get into world society over thousands of years if not true?
The real fantasy is the NASA dream of going out to conquer the stars.

Gibo,

"Where does that come from if not from people, down through history, who have given their testimonies about contact with both God"

I'll tell you where it come from, it comes from the same place that fairy stories, leprechauns, Father Christmas and poltergeists come from, the minds of people that want to rationalise what they don't understand, in the same way that the Druids worshiped the sun. Perhaps the latter did make some sense as the sun at least gives life.

Tell me Gibo, do you you pray and what for, to this interventionist god of yours ?