Are We Alone? | Ellen Stofan | TEDxBinghamtonUniversity

[@antilarge7860]

She reminds me of my favorite teacher when I was a kid. I could sit here all day and listen to her and learn any subject. Fantastic job!

[@clifftonking1644]

She's very good......

[@bubbaschwartz]

Ellen Stefan is wonderful and gets you excited on what could be.

[@scottmitchell358]

I really enjoy her presentation. Thank You!

[@josephmendonca5140]

Can we hear a replay please ?

[@blizzlichd1338]

I firmly believe that we are not alone in the universe there must be life out there in other galaxies

[@josealbinosantosnogueira6013]

99,99% chance of your assumption being true perhaps! 100 to 400 billion stars in our galaxy. Close to 1 trillion galaxies in the (observable) Universe. What are the odds of our being the only inhabited planet? Extremely low, I would think.

[@blizzlichd1338]

@@josealbinosantosnogueira6013 i think exactly the same there is a very low chance

[@benh5038]

I think we are definitely not alone, as to whether that life would be intelligent I would say probably not. And I don't think we will ever be able to find life as it may just be too far away. Then again you never know

[@benh5038]

@tomtolbert but we didn't turn out that great really did we.

[@kempo79]

We might be the first sentient life in the universe - and we are definitely alone in our galaxy. The universe is quite young, you know. There might be some primitive life here and there, maybe a dozen earth-like planets, but we are probably the first advanced civilisation in Milky Way.

[@brendabravo93]

Watching this for inspo for a paper I'm writing for an APA class.

[@TatySwan]

Tbh I've never understood the point of "looking for life in space" on "habitable" planets - habitable from OUR point of view. Isn't it the whole point that we're looking for OTHER species? Why so sure that they must have the same organic structure as us?

[@varunnayyar3138]

Why be organic at all? Life could also be silicon based. Or maybe if the universe is crazy out there, maybe of some other element that doesn't exist on 'our periodic table'

[@TatySwan]

@Sam Perry yeah, but it just sounds... Weird and kind of selfish 🤷🏼‍♀️ Like "we are looking for NEW species and already perceive them as just another humanoid race. It's pike when one comes to a new friend group and the people say "we like you as you are, but you need to be more like us" and then there is a list of changes this one should consider. I can't help but wonder that one of the main reasons why we still haven't encountered any life in outer space is because we aren't looking forr it, but for ourselves - same humans and not aliens.

[@papinbala]

Tatianachka because the whole cosmos is made from the same stuff, same laws. so yea its likely that other planets might have bi pedal humanoids, or sea creatures. Yes there might be life out there that we might not imagine but there is also chances of human like beings as well. That being said Those planets have to go through the same miracle of fine tuning of some kind, which is a whole different story.

[@TatySwan]

@@papinbala well, actually nobody knows about "same staff, same laws" - it's just what people prefer to tell ourselves to kind of prove that they know the Universe and can predict it's behaviour. For example, we have Earth, we have Jupiter which is basically a humongous gas sphere and we have Venus with poisonous atmosphere - such different planets with completely different laws. There is a very high probability that all these "potentially available for human survival" planets have their special traits and their rules and laws. The thing is nowadays people do not look for aliens - the majority of us look for other humans or do it seems - because clearly if we are to find extraterrestrial life, it wi certainly obey it's own laws.

[@papinbala]

who says anyone is sure? no one is sure and no one makes that claim. the whole point of looking is the possibility if something out there evolved like we did. i dont see anywhere where they say "they must have the same organic structure like us" so i dont know where you get that from. But if they did and if they evolved similar to us then who knows maybe we can pick up a signal thats the whole point of looking. no one is doing this with 100% certainty you do understand that right?

[@merlinsrobe4621]

It's unlikely that we're alone in the universe, but the thing is, the universe is just so damn massive that we're probably separated from the nearest planet harboring intelligent life by a distance so impossibly far that even if we travel at light speed it would still take many thousands of human life spans to reach. Sucks huh?

[@seanhammer6296]

Then basically it doesn't exist.

[@blackholeentry3489]

Merlins Robe Please explain you viewpoint to the many UFOs which parade around in our skies....of which I've seen on three occasions.

[@bronsonlucas5797]

UFOs? Are you sure they're not dragons that escaped from the set of Game of Thrones? Sociologists are right, the IQ level of humanity is falling rapidly.

[@MultiBikerboy1]

Bronson Lucas ...see ‘to the stars academy’ who are releasing footage from the Pentagon (no less) of silent flying discs.....oh dear.....don’t give up your day job.

[@Alexi7666]

@Bill Ilkovski : Simply the odds favor life. Billions of stars with tens of billions of planets. Yeah, almost guarantee there's other life somewhere out there.

[@ranjitshah7563]

I never expect that you are best speaker I ever seen in KZbin..good luck for your new experiment

[@brianw612]

If we are alone, it's an enormous universe to be alone. If we are not, it's too enormous a universe for it to be rare. We are not suited to travel that vacuum in the flesh to search. If there are many others, the distance is too vast for contact. So, where is everybody? Perhaps everywhere, or no where at all. Strange how we are so ill equipped to find out.

[@Alexi7666]

I completely agree.

[@ketanastik7197]

Our understanding of life is so meek. we just look at life as we see it. it might be that life on other planets wont need whats needed here. and thats the point i have since a long time and she spoke about it..

[@papinbala]

everytime i come around your city Bling! Bling!

[@Greenhead24]

Lol

[@roberthutchison8197]

As a science fiction reader I would like to believe we are not alone, so we could, like the starship Enterprise, contact them! But the older I get the more doubtful I become. There are so many things that have to happen for 'intelligent' life to happen. Maybe if more people would believe the Earth and humanity ARE the only life in the universe, humanity would behave themselves and treat each other more humanely and quit trying to destroy each other...

[@cheryllee81]

I'm with you. Are chances of being here are very small.

[@LC2K00]

WE need water and oxygen to live.. but other life on other planets, with different conditions wouldn't need the stuff we do.. so we shouldn't presume there isn't life because they don't have water and oxygen

[@thewizard8212]

It’s not rare to have habitable planets in the universe. But it’s extremely extremely extremely rare to evolve to intelligent species like humans. If dinosaurs were not extinct, there would be no humans

[@cheryllee81]

You said it. I recently read a paper by a biologist who said if the meteor that hit the Yucatan peninsula hit just 2 minutes later, humans would probably not be here. If it hit later, it would have plunged into the deeper waters of the Pacific. Some dinosaurs would have died, but they wouldn't have become extinct.

[@sonnylecrone8816]

Humanity will never be content... debating whether there is life on other planets... The realization it's a houndred trillian odds.. that we exist... the expectation is haughty the realization is that people cannot settle with being...

[@johnweaver4564]

Hope we find life in our solar system!

[@KipIngram]

8:00 - No one ever said it better than Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park. "Life finds a way." Classic line.

[@srikantgeoid]

The bunch of diamonds in her necklace is like a galaxy. Loved it.

[@thatdutchguy2882]

Those aren't diamonds. She's be super rich to afford a necklace that sparkles that much beset with diamonds,...like Bilderberg or Nassau rich.

[@Hal5705]

Sorry i seem to use this word here more and more. AWESOME

[@Mizosoop]

I don't think that other planets NEED water for there to be life. We don't know anything about life, elsewhere. It could need something totally different.

[@Mizosoop]

Very exciting stuff.

[@GORILLABREATH1]

Dope, stick to blm

[@p.mcdrippln2340]

I agree I feel like other life forms would have their own essential nutrients

[@lauripolvi3178]

Mizosoop Star Trek ruined science with "who knows maybe science". Statistical probability is not proof. SETI is proof of an empty universe or close enough.

[@jStevieO1]

when we discovered methane dependant organisms miles deep under our ocean , deprived of light , the game changed from the o2 , carbon based life theories . we are concieted indeed to simply think life [All] life being dependant on which we are reliant

[@omelfilip]

Everything said in this talk keeps me humble.

[@arlinegeorge6967]

Informative talk. Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.

[@Champstarrable]

There are also some disadvantages to space Telescopes. 1.) Very limited in how big the collecting area (mirrors) can be due having to launched it into orbit. 2.) If there is a hardware problem it likely takes a space walk using astronauts to fix it. Something not easily done, especially not now since the space shuttle is retired. This is why the ground based telescopes such as the TMT/Magellan/ELT will lead the way in space exploration. They will be exponentially more resolution than any other telescope out there. The advent of adaptive optics also compensates for atmospheric distortion.

[@maddenfootballtalk6544]

Even with our sophisticated understandings and science etc..etc.. our planets are on the cusp of enfant ignorance. We are so stone age when it comes to planetary travel. We know nothing about life outside ours. Our vision is limited and hearing limited to certain frequencies. Outside those frequencies we are blind and deaf. To use our ignorance to look for life when we have no clue what we are truly looking for.. we will never find life because looking in the dark isn't helping our cause and refusing to think outside our planet. We will always be enfants to other higher intelligent beings.

[@craigracicot9788]

MaddenFootball Talk aa

[@wayne-kj4iw]

as long as we live in the greed is good mentality .. humanity will never move forward ... we will destroy ourselves .. and our demise will be deserved

[@adamcoote3119]

We're always searching for places that can harbour life such as our own, like were the only type of life form out there... let's stop and think that maybe life comes in all different forms that we haven't discovered or we can't comprehend yet

[@bobbyfreeman5026]

Such as silicon based life forms instead of carbon.

[@bobbyfreeman5026]

Silicon based life forms would look and act extremely different.

[@josephinebiden]

The number of habitable worlds is a humongous number. However, the probability of life starting on any world dwarfs this number, and even if life starts, going from prokaryotic to eukaryotic life is unbelievable. In short, we are alone.

[@MaloPiloto]

I tend to agree with you!

[@cheryllee81]

I agree with you too.

[@paulmar5422]

same information, same questions, same facts. This has been over done. Its time to actually do something and provide some results. After all this time. there should be at least some new update or anything!

[@caspertms8543]

Word!

[@Brian-nh1yf]

Exactly! Time to say something new and important - like the truth about alien visitors.

[@thatdutchguy2882]

@@Brian-nh1yf 😧 take your med's.

[@varunnayyar3138]

Dozens of talks like this. The same conclusion, not found yet, still searching 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@varunnayyar3138]

@J. Buxter-Fleener I'm sorry I haven't read the Bible, and most probably won't ever read it too. I'm an atheist

[@trexxg1436]

Are we alone might be more of a question of how we communicate. Simple example is two people that meat each other for the first time that speak totally different languages. They can use pictures or hand movements like pointing to go that way. But they are both human beings to start with and have a basic common way of thinking about the world around us allowing them at least a rudimentary form of communication. Alien live in a totally different solar system could follow a totally different form of communicating that we have no hope of receiving and if so understanding.

[@lylecosmopolite]

I say that there is hope of teaching the notations for first order logic, set theory and mathematics, to aliens sophisticated enough to reach Earth and explore it. Ditto for music notation. Teaching aliens natural spoken language may be impossible because the vocal tracts of aliens will probably differ radically from ours. Teaching aliens a written natural language may be extremely difficult, because natural language makes free use of metaphors and other tropes.

[@thefifthline2622]

we will never find complex life, its either too far away or it occured long ago. We need to focus on saving our planet not chasing fairytales

[@jeerapaul]

global warming is a fairytale

[@MultiBikerboy1]

Thefifthline ...see ‘to the stars academy ‘ who have footage of ....er silent flying discs...and want to save the planet by bringing the tec into the public domain.....crikey!

[@Alexi7666]

@@jeerapaul : Do the math. The carbon we've extracted from the Earth over(mainly) the past two centuries was put there over a course over hundreds of millions of years. You can't dump that much carbon back into the atmosphere and not see global warming.

[@IgnacioGutt]

Even if we can solve the climate change crisis, there are a thousand things that could happen to us that we couldn't avoid. If we want humanity to survive, we need to understand how life works, and try to settle elsewhere even if it is in a thousand years.

[@MultiBikerboy1]

paul bowman ...ya haven’t been to Australia recently have ya?

[@craigscott5661]

I think we will find lots of microbial life in the universe. Complex life will be more rare and intelligent life will be extremely rare. If we do detect intelligent life out there it will be too far away to communicate with.

[@mulanomula]

who knows maybe other intelligent life don't see us as intelligent enough to come in contact with lmao which is respectable can't hold it against them

[@ThexBorg]

2+ planets, on average, around every star in the universe... we are not alone. A civilisation that can travel between stars can make their own resources... they only need raw materials and energy..

[@joebeeber8693]

THE ANSWER IS NO NEVER HAVE BEEN ALONE!!! IT WOULD BE MORE UNBELIEVIBLE IF WE WERE ALONG !!!

[@TheJennyWalaShow]

I don't think we're alone in this universe, but there must be a reason why we're light years apart...

[@1959Berre]

In nature nothing happens for a reason, it just happens. A reason is a philosophical concept invented by people.

[@drk9244]

Shouldn’t we consider other types of building blocks that we are not aware of? If there is something out there how can we just assume that they live with the same elements

[@quantum-inc]

Z if you think your going to find an earth like planet in this galaxy , your dreaming , enjoy life while you are alive and take care of Mother Earth . Having said that if you want to live on Mars then go ahead , problem is it's a one way trip , if you don't like it when you get there then tuff

[@David-yv6ow]

Only when we as a species change our thinking on the order of magnitude similar to those believing the earth would be flat finally understanding that the earth was indeed not at the center of the universe but rather we revolved around the sun and that we were only part of a larger system, will we be able to move on to solve questions like this.

[@bwarbringer6631]

We could be alone, we could not be alone, either way its terrifying to think about it, one way or another

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheritrix5733]

It’s not terrifying to think there is microbial life several light years away. Stolen quote anyway

[@bwarbringer6631]

@@Jackmerius_Tacktheritrix5733 yeah I know it's a quote, from I think one of the great philosophers. But microbial life isn't really what I mean as, they aren't intelligent beings.

[@camelia9802]

Most interesting indeed

[@DawgPro]

JWST only needs to identify chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. Not a naturally occurring molecule. The second it finds some... "Jackpot" -- Ellie Arroway, Contact

[@jeerapaul]

Also the ELT will tell us the answer soon ,once it gets finished

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

Im not gonna lie' If I found out for a fact that we are alone in this really really big universe it would kind of freak me out! lol

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

@Cesar Fuentes I'm sorry Cesar not sure ?? Was that a question...& Did you mean'..Is it scarier ?

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

@ Ceaser.. I think it would be scarier just bc the universe is so large and most would assume there would be others.. I'm honestly surprised we haven't found them yet..

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

@Melted Synapse it was a hypothetical statement I didn't say we were alone & you can speculate all you want but as of yet we haven't proved jack sh%t either way..

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

@Melted Synapse I get what you're sayin so let me just put it this way! I'm really REALLY! surprised we haven't seen or found other alien or intelligent life-forms all over the place by now considering how many stars and planets there are 2say the least..

[@frederickjohnpicarello1909]

@Melted Synapse Can tell we have some of the same thoughts about life' even life that may be unknown or unexplained to us at this time...It makes me wonder..

[@paulparra3095]

We're obviously not from this planet and like most animals . Most tigers,lions,elephants,... look the same . Only domesticated animals come in different sizes and colors like humans . Cats and dogs are a great example. Someone or something made humans with different sizes and colors. Figured we would a be one race

[@varunnayyar3138]

There is another TED on this Kepler mission titled "The most mysterious star in our universe" . Go check that too

[@sizzla123]

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[@johnnyqush1680]

I always wonder how different their biology is from ours on earth. Or is it the same. All elements are the same. Then species could be the same as well?

[@Panos.78]

90% i think they will be the same with us

[@MultiBikerboy1]

See 'Richard Dolan - best speech ever' puts all this in it's proper perspective.

[@forthehomies7043]

her necklace blingin brighter than the night sky

[@carioca56]

Fantastic. Fantastic!

[@TooLooze]

Informative and optimistic.

[@kosmique]

We keep discovering microbial life here on earth in places we'd never expect them to be. Im sure there is microbial life everywhere, on every planet.

[@stefanlupsan5362]

Surely not on every planet, but on a few, yes

[@EKDupre]

You're sure? Certain? There must be? How did you calculate them odds when you've only got Earth to factor in? You gotta try harder than just being impressed with Earth's extremophiles.

[@professormawillett4297]

If we are referring to intelligent extraterrestrial species, the answer is no. There may be generic life which would be amazing in itself hut we will never contact or communicate with intelligent extraterrestrial life. We are and always will be, forever alone.

[@edwardhinton1615]

Think of it this way. In nature is anything unique in the universe? I can't think of anything. Life can't be unique either.

[@view1st]

In parallel to existing approaches we need to concentrate also on developing technologies that can detect, at incredible distances, the telltale signs of life, such as the presence of photosynthesis or gaseous elements indicative of biological activity. Such technologies, if it's possible to develop them, should increase the probability of finding carbon-based life if it exists and serve to guide astronomers as to what specific planets, solar systems and galaxies they should concentrate their efforts on studying.

[@mackdurr4959]

John Roberts to me, it seems like any breakthrough we have in these fields will almost surely have to come from a.i. the prospect of a super intelligent a.i. is upon us, and within the lifetimes of kids today--even using pessimistic estimates. So if it doesn't kill us, I think that's the invention that answers that question for us, possibly even quickly.

[@ebe7157]

but why, Mr. Roberts? Even if you found a thousand planets with "telltale signs of biological activity", what are you going to do. It's simply so far out of current possibility for us to send even unmanned missions to the nearest start, much less planets and systems hundreds of light years away. So there would always be skepticism and theorization with no confirmation. Lot of money for little in return.

[@jeerapaul]

EBE7 confirmation will be the biological activity... even though we can't see them ... we know they are certainly there whatever they are

[@martykirby]

I still don't understand why we are looking for life, like ours, on planets like ours. Seems as though we should be looking for something much different.

[@AnonymousBosch3158]

Cool, the James Webb telescope is going to be launched this December. I am excited for its discovers.

[@allanbrogdon7453]

If aliens much more advanced looks at how we treat life on our planet less intelligent than us how can we expect to be treated any different?

[@Draco_Nex]

Maybe their world is as troubled as ours? Or maybe they have a similar history as we have? A world of both great and horrible things. In the future when we humans are able to travel to any star within our galaxy, maybe the Earth is still a world of both great and horrible things.

[@EEVOL]

Well the Fermi Paradox would state that such an advanced civilization could also be content with living life in their own solar system and possibly be advance enough that they could upload their consciousness to what they equate as paradise. Even if they knew that there were other advanced civilization they’d be smart not to interfere with their galactic neighbors.

[@MrStringybark]

Life can live in harsh and extreme environments but that does not mean that it originated there. I tend to believe that life originates in only the most conducive of environments and only then afterwards does it adapt to these other harsher places.

[@Trex531]

How do you know that? Prove it.

[@heavymeddle28]

I think one thing that all humans gets wrong is the question why's the earth so perfect for life? Earth couldn't care less probably? We're in the grand sceme of time and space nothing. We're not more significant than the atmosphere. So of cause something "living" must be living somewhere else. How couldn't it be? But we always narrow down "life" to what we know life is here. Have to be able to reproduce etc etc... Just because we wouldn't understand another way of life that's impossible for our brains to interpret there could be trillions upon trillions other ways the universe has "life" as we DON'T know it

[@camarajohnson7567]

We are not alone, when I was in Africa in bush in the night around 1 am we saw something up big light,we cannot explain, it was very light like jet but no sound. The alien are more intelligent. They look like birds. It difficult for us to find them. But when we try we will find them

[@thomasaquinas2600]

You know, we ask this question so often; if an individual does, it indicates loneliness. Is that what this is? Perhaps. A great man once said if we ever allowed all sizeable animals to become extinct, we'd die of loneliness...

[@cy_turner_rsa]

Damn she's iced out !!

[@Jay-jq6bl]

They need to focus on industry on the moon and asteroids before bothering with mars. Especially sending humans there; what's the point? Plus, what makes her think she can't do the work remotely? If she wants to get the job done, robots are the most cost effective.

[@davidkubisa1647]

Having read the books of the first scientist God known as Thoth and as a result understood the underlying harmonic geometry and number of creation the main question became is such geometric proportionality balance, perfection that gave rise to life on earth common or a rarity? All the evidence gathered so far strongly points to the latter. The next question that arises is the speed of light a constant or does it somehow depend on the star and of course we all know it is a constant, this question arises as according to the venerable Thoth there is direct relationship between the speed of light and life on planet earth. Its peculiar in a way that we havn't found another earth because the work of Thoth would seem to predict many earths as so many of the numbers and much of the underlying geometry is present in the singularity at the beginning of time, and its from this very real science that one understands where the notion of an embryonic earth present befor the existance of the light, the big bang, found in the book of Genesis comes from. I also suspect that this is also why the glitterati of science repeat the mantra "Its impossible to know what came befor the big bang" as part of their doctrinal beliefs. The books of Thoth or extracts from its many topics will never be published by any science journal as they strongly present real science that strongly contradict the overiding corporate assumptions based on zero evidence presented daily by popular corporate science that in light of the of the work of the venerable Thoth can now be shown to mistaken. Untill the so called planetry scientists, a realitivley new discipline on the science tree, graduate out of kindergarden and raise their science above the level of fairy stories the question must be asked should they really be allowed to even call themselves "scientists" if they don't even know all of the underlying conditions that came together perfectly here on earth, thats an anagram of heart by the way, and this is not a coincidence as the books of Thoth make clear the heart is the center of our being, just as it is the earth that gave birth to us and is the center of our being. Freedom of the expression of ideas is hard won and cherished part of modern thought so I have a right to express my findings and make them public where I hope some day someone will wish to debate their relavance. The scientist Thoth was revered not only by the ancient Egyptians but also the Greeks and Romans as Hermes and Mercury, messenger of the Gods no less and this is one reason we hear so little of his work from modern scientists who make no secret these days that they have collectivley in their own minds at least completed the "scientific" disapearance of the divine from any "intellgent" persons belief system lest they lose all credibility amongst their peers, fait accompli so they would have us all believe as "science fact" when the truth is its much more likley to be science fiction and can be seen as such once Thoths works are given due care and consideration they deserve, if for no other reason than the works of Thoth are the pristine orginal science of mankind that three separate carbon 14 dates all suggest was a science that was fully formed 10,333 years ago. Thoth it turns out was not only revered in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome but also in Neolithic Britian which is where Thoths most important work was successfully preserved to make itself available again when the time was right, and that time was always planed to be when the earth tilt again reached 66.6° for the first time in 20,666 years, the balance point of the earths natural tilt cycle that fell on the date of the last millenium and was marked by the return of the phoenix, the great firebird and calandrical marker of the ages that lit up the night sky for months on end, a firebird, given the name this time round of comet Hale Bopp, and despite what wickiepedia may say, this was the brightest comet and longest lasting visible in recorded history, nothing like it has been seen for many thousands of years. Stonehenge is a book of Thoth, preserved in stone to survive the ravages of time and mans destructive hands, pristine, intact, far more than the sum of its parts, written built by Horologists in the unversal languge of science and number so any reasonably educted person can successfully read them, but what one pulls from them depends on the knowledge of the reader. They are being made available for anyone to read on my youtube channel should anyone wish to read them.

[@laopang91362]

Assume we are alone until proved otherwise....that proof will never come.

[@kosmique]

that proof is likely to come in your lifetime.

[@Pharesm]

What a question to ask. You rule a Kingdom of 50 trillion living cells, that all communicate with each other. You wouldn't be alone, even if you comprised the whole of existence. If you look outward, your questions only lead to an endless string of more questions. Don't idolize questions. Their value pales compared to opening an eye...

[@Trex531]

Builder So what’s your point?

[@WaterMan-ss6eb]

We arent alone. Think of it this way if a snail in Kansas feels alone because he can not contact the snail in new york does not mean he is alone. It only means his journey is long. It is the same for us. There are literally billions of plants with life on them i suspect . The problem is we only have ships that go to slow and we will die before we arrive. The same thing will happen to the snail.

[@haroldskiii8108]

I've always looked at it as if you had an ant hill on a park bench in Central Park, New York and an ant hill on a pier off a beach in San Francisco, each believing their ant hill was the only one on the planet and each making their way inward in an attempt to see if they could find other ants. Some may conclude they were all alone because the distance is just too great, not to mention ants that exist across the ocean etc. I feel as though humans are the exact same at our current state; and like the ants, there's an entire reality beyond what we have the ability to fathom.

[@jStevieO1]

but if the snail crawled upon a train ......

[@Trex531]

Maybe, but we have to prove it. That’s why we are seeking.

[@Mudkippzs]

You're supposing there is a snail in New York to know about. We don't know there is more than us in the universe, as far as life is concerned. Personally, I'm a believer, but fact and belief aren't the same. The snail might believe there is snail in New York, but it doesn't mean there is one.

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

there are no snails on pluto

[@bjorkstrand7773]

Are We Alone? No.

[@crand20033]

There are probably humans out there on other planets.

[@abishek1910]

@@crand20033 yeah because life actually formed in Venus and Mars

[@crand20033]

@@abishek1910 If it was, there would be some remnants of life or humanity but there is none.

[@abishek1910]

@@crand20033 by life I mean micro organisms.. but Venus atmosphere became thick and mars atmosphere became thin so both the planet became lifeless

[@tyrvinodinson9790]

We don't need people on Mars. Just build better robots and send them

[@jhara812]

We need to demand an answer for this odd choice. To claim the land, traditionally a man has had to plant a nation's flag. What a pointless risk, though. Think of all the drones & instruments we could send instead of a few astronauts and their life support systems!!!

[@bb001a]

Let us hope we are alone because if they land anytime soon and ask to be taken to our leaders -well it's just going to be embarrassing for all concerned.

[@michellepekel3413]

Agreed!!!! :)

[@cherkas009]

Pretty clear we are alone in the universe

[@derailed2157]

The universe is far too vast for there not to be some sort of extraterrestrial life.

[@eltonron1558]

@@derailed2157 just not intelligent.

[@gdanieltube]

It's 20,000 light years to the edge of the Milky Way. Maybe 25-70000 light years to the nearest galaxy. There is probably life out there and probably highly intelligent life out there but the reality is that they will likely wind up being too far away to ever know for sure. They will have the same limitations with space travel due to relativity that we do.

[@furryface1057]

we already know we're not alone , but finding other intelligent life is harder , and with Mars we'd have to dig into the surface to find out more about its passed

[@Dr3x0w]

are we alone? -no. the question should be :" where are they?"

[@cellblocknine5385]

But how do we know aliens even exist? They don’t. Look up the Fermi Paradox. We would see proof of intelligent life if it was out there, but it just isn’t.

[@bobby33x97]

True that!!!

[@jeerapaul]

Aliens do exist ... airline pilots, radar , spot they all the time and most are just swept under the carpet

[@bobby33x97]

​@@jeerapaulTotal baloney, there isn't a shred of real evidence for extraterrestrial (intelligent) life. So far as any non- hallucinatory scientist can tell after more than 60 years of looking, is 'we are alone.' Is it possible there's other intelligent beings in the universe? Sure, but we've yet to detect them.

[@furryface1057]

exactly and can we get there , well not now but maybe in a few hundred years when we develop a way better propulsion system other than Rocket power

[@danosterlund8807]

The best evidence for life elsewhere in universe surely must be our existance, way out in the milky way...

[@rayrocco2978]

The're is a good possibility that we may actually be alone !!!! Please stop commenting that we are not alone ! Until you have Proof, Stop speculating and suggesting !!!!

[@jeerapaul]

ray unfortunately we have an opinion and yours is wrong

[@MultiBikerboy1]

Ray Rocco ...see ‘to the stars academy ‘ ...oh dear.

[@Alexi7666]

Ray: Do the math. Hundred billion or so stars. A trillion planets. Plain and simple odds say we are not alone.

[@skysurfer5333]

We Are Not Alone, & Have Not Been Alone For Eons! At Least A Few Different Types Of "Other Beings" Have Been & Still Are In Contact With Us! Try Doing Some Serious Research!👽👽😎

[@daffidavit]

What is that one lifeform created from the primeval egg as "Father Lemaitre" called and which Albert Einstein became the first person to give a standing ovation to after the Priest, who also held a Ph.D. in physics concluded? Father Lemaitre concluded that if Edwin Hubble's redshift of the far most galaxies was proportional to their distance (Hubble's constant) then the universe if rewound as a film would have been a "zero" point primordial egg. Please forget that he was a Catholic Priest for a moment. He was also a physicist who concluded that Edwin Hubble's findings meant one thing. That the universe must have been at one point, a "primeval egg" as he called it. We now call it a "singularity", but back in 1929, the term "primeval egg" was sufficient. So now, if the universe is almost 14 billion years old, what does that tell us? It could mean that we are the new kids on the block. Our Sun is only 4.3 billion years old. The Universe is over 14 billion years old. So our sun has only been around for about less than 1/3 of the time the universe has been around. If other stars had planets which had occupants that developed the science to explore other worlds, their occupants probably would have occupied other worlds that would be compatible with their needs. Since we are on a similar course, trying to land and survive on Mars, why would such a hypothesis about others be so unreal? My point is that we are now the "new kids on the block". We've sent radio signals into outer space for enough years for other civilizations to intercept our messages. But suppose their knowledge of physics is so much more developed than ours, that our understanding or "relativistic physics" is obsolete?

[@jonathanhughes8679]

It seems that planet earth started to early. It takes a lot for the universe to cool. So their is probably why we are alone right now..

[@bennyboy2079]

Why does every where need water ....just because that's what we need on this planet .....I don't get that 🤔

[@donaldheinlein1545]

We think , we think, we think, yep that definitely sums it up, cuz WE DON'T KNOW, NOW THAT'S A FACT!

[@batboy242]

If you think we are not alone, watch ,Are We Alone video and comment on what you see!

[@hemigod2]

we have been left alone. what we know about "them" is that they have been here and that they have visited our nuclear sites. this is plain communication telling us that we are a hostile species and before they further communicate we need to evolve to better. plain and simple. I so get it and I dont see why the rest of my kind won't

[@wgcd02]

It's interesting to find methane on these moons of Saturn and on Mars. As René Descartes would no doubt have said "I fart therefor I am" (Je pète donc, je suis).

[@hotforwordstoo]

... (Je chie donc, j'essuie)

[@virtualworldsbyloff]

Is French still a thing ?

[@paganphil100]

@@virtualworldsbyloff : Its very popular in France :-/

[@sideswiped6874]

"are we alone" ask those that have been abducted since the 50s, ask them how they were taken out of the homes,rooms without the doors and windows being open, ask them if they believe humans on earth had that kind of power in the 50s, 60s and 70s

[@sideswiped6874]

@@Fivology, remember this, you can disbelieve all you want that they are not here, but there is no proof your disbelieve is correct

[@KimSenior]

The life on Mars came here!

[@lanceward9585]

Yeah I think there is a 50 / 50. Chance of that . it would explain a lot of earths strange past that does not match up with what we can do today.

[@menahembrodchandel4617]

evolution of intelligence is unique to us and imposible that will happen in other galaxy or universe

[@paganphil100]

menahem Brodchandel: Because......?

[@lovehonourlove3964]

Yes, we are definitely alone. Nobody is going to pull up in spaceship. All 9 Billion humans already here are all alone. Close your legs.

[@supremereligion2817]

No we are not alone. We have a limit to our experience that our dimension has offered us. To reach alien world scientist need to crack this dimensional limit.

[@charliegirlize]

Wasn’t it believed that an asteroid brought water and bacteria/life to earth?

[@michaelvargas4343]

Everything was drought here. We are a combination of chemicals, cercomstan's and just plain luck...

[@ttrestle]

Humans may have been around longer than 200,000 years. Wish she would have given the proposed current ranges.

[@Alexi7666]

wasn't really "intelligent life" back then. More akin to primates than modern man.

[@Section5_CdnIntelService]

Even the best known exo-planet is uninhabitable.

[@closinginonclosure]

An astrophysicist that would flunk an elementary school English exam. Now that’s mind blowing! Can’t believe how many remedial mistakes she made while speaking.

[@michaelharvey6038]

I don't think so, even if true we could never get there

[@sideswiped6874]

"we" is your key word there, what if "they" are a million years more advanced, or 10 million years more advanced?

[@robtierney5653]

Ted keeps having speakers over the "Are we Alone in the Universe." People the answer is , "Probably not alone, but We don't know yet." End of speech.

[@williamanthony9090]

I think her contention we're on the verge of discovering other life is fairly misleading. Sure, we might discover other life out there next week. On the other hand, it might take us another thousand years!

[@aa-to6ws]

I think it's kinda funny how we've been locking for planets who resemble our current atmosphere, even tho the Earth was frozen for millions of years, then life appeared by a short period, got blasted and the Earth looked like a complete desert.

[@telmoprl1963]

It’s easier to find a miracle here on earth than it is to find life in space

[@murdockonrad]

How long does this Verge denote?

[@zapfanzapfan]

A real life Ellie Arroway, intelligent, curious and gorgeous :-) Btw: Keplers field of view is not the size of your thumb but about the size of your hand.

[@TheWeepingCorpse]

zapfanzapfan that depends on how long your arms are.

[@Trex531]

Oh c’mon! What she means is that in a tiny part of the sky Kepler has found thousands of exoplanets.

[@mac2312]

It freaks me out just to think we’re on this giant rock, floating through space, so far far away from anything like our own planet.

[@rimbaudification]

Nice!

[@leonidus66]

Does anyone have a link to pics of what is ahead of us instead of towards the big bang? Where are we headed? Point Kepler and Webb towards the future not the past.