Scientists Take Alien Census

- Some researchers are so convinced that there are alien civilizations, they aren't asking "Is there life on other planets?" anymore. Instead they are asking, "How much extraterrestrial life is out there?"

In a recent paper published online by the International Journal of Astrobiology, a graduate student from the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, in Scotland estimated there should be 361 advanced, stable civilizations in the Milky Way.

He based his theory on current observational knowledge of stars and planetary systems, as well as the assumption that life can only arise under a narrow set of initial conditions, according to Scientific American .

Full Article:

www.myfoxchicago.com...



[edit on 15-2-2009 by DimensionalDetective]

And in relevant, semi-related news:

Galaxy Has Billions of Earths

There could be one hundred billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy, a US conference has heard.

Dr Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institution of Science said many of these worlds could be inhabited by simple lifeforms.

He was speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.

Full Article:

news.bbc.co.uk...

This is an interesting article and to be honest it does not really surprise me. With the vastness of the Universe and the possibility that we live in a multiverse the thought of there being no other life forms out there would be narrow minded to say the least.

Nice to see this posted again, as it is a good subject.

In time the parrots repeating; "But what would they do heeeeere?", will start to have disturbing days.

Great I hope more and more scientists are realizing how narrow minded it is believing that they are the only advanced species or just the only living species alive in the universe and I still can’t believe that so many people today still believe in that aswell

We still have people believing that in the vastness of space that they are the only ones living here they like to think we are "special" and unique but no sadly we are not special or unique as a species I think its common sense to believe that there are more species of life out there some more advanced some not

Billions of earth's eh.

Very interesting.

I am expecting an article int he near future sating that intelligent life is possible.

The an article stating that intelligent life can be seeking each other just like we are attempting to seek other life out there.

This is starting to make me believe all those "disclosure" predictors might be right after all.

This actually made me wonder how many people filled in the nationality on their census form as Pleadian, Venutian or Nibiru'er

Maybe they should add a box asking if you believe your are a starchild or indigo child etc

Good article by the way

[edit on 15/2/2009 by OzWeatherman]

In a pretty much infinite universe the odds of us being the only life forms out there are pretty much nil. Just ask the Mormons.

Originally posted by wutone
Billions of earth's eh.

Very interesting.

I don't think they mean billions of Earths; when astronomers say Earth-like planets, they don't necessarily mean temperate, life-bearing planets. Rather, they mean terrestrial planet, rocky planet of similar composition to the Earth.

In a recent paper published online by the International Journal of Astrobiology, a graduate student from the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, in Scotland estimated there should be 361 advanced, stable civilizations in the Milky Way.

I hope they didnt try to include US in that count- otherwise, it'd be 360. We're neither advanced, NOR "stable".

reply to post by SaviorComplex


Hey,

The BBC article quotes Dr Boss as stating that each Sun-like star probably has an orbiting planet inhabited by bacterial lifeforms.

But, based on the limited numbers of planets found so far, Dr Boss has estimated that each Sun-like star has on average one "Earth-like" planet.

This simple calculation means there would be huge numbers capable of supporting life.

"Not only are they probably habitable but they probably are also going to be inhabited," Dr Boss told BBC News. "But I think that most likely the nearby 'Earths' are going to be inhabited with things which are perhaps more common to what Earth was like three or four billion years ago." That means bacterial lifeforms.

Thanks

Originally posted by SaviorComplex

Originally posted by wutone
Billions of earth's eh.

Very interesting.

I don't think they mean billions of Earths; when astronomers say Earth-like planets, they don't necessarily mean temperate, life-bearing planets. Rather, they mean terrestrial planet, rocky planet of similar composition to the Earth.

I beg to differ:

"Researchers have calculated that up to 37,964 worlds in our galaxy are hospitable enough to be home to creatures at least as intelligent as ourselves.

Astrophysicist Duncan Forgan created a computer programme that collated all the data on the 330 or so planets known to man and worked out what proportion would have conditions suitable for life.

The estimate, which took into account factors such as temperature and availability of water and minerals, was then extrapolated across the Milky Way.

Mr Forgan believes that the life forms would not be amoeba wriggling on the end of a microscope but species at least as advanced as humans.

Mr Forgan, who believes it will take 300 to 400 years for us to make contact with our neighbours, said: "I believe the estimate of 361 intelligent civilisations to be the most accurate. "



Source:www.telegraph.co.uk...

Originally posted by Nightchild
I beg to differ:

"Researchers have calculated that up to 37,964 worlds in our galaxy are hospitable enough to be home to creatures at least as intelligent as ourselves.

Mr Forgan...said: "I believe the estimate of 361 intelligent civilisations to be the most accurate. "

Beg to differ with what, exactly?

The OP article says there are billions of Earth-like worlds, and you quote an article saying out of those billions, only 361 to 38,000 would harbor intelligent life. At best, that would mean in our galaxy with 200 billion stars (the lower end of the estimate) only .00000019% harbor intelligent life.

Remember, if our own solar system is anything like the rest of the galaxy, for every Earth there is a Venus, Mercury and Mars.

Originally posted by The Quiet Earth

The BBC article quotes Dr Boss as stating that each Sun-like star probably has an orbiting planet inhabited by bacterial lifeforms.

I think you are confusing two separate (though related) statements. Read the below quote again.

But, based on the limited numbers of planets found so far, Dr Boss has estimated that each Sun-like star has on average one "Earth-like" planet.

This simple calculation means there would be huge numbers capable of supporting life.

Dr. Boss is not saying that each sun-like star will possess an Earth-like world, and then in turn each of those will harbor life. He is saying each sun harbors an Earth-like world and huge numbers of those may support life.

Originally posted by wutone

I am expecting an article int he near future sating that intelligent life is possible.

The an article stating that intelligent life can be seeking each other just like we are attempting to seek other life out there.

You must not have read the OP; that is what the article is about, the estimated number of intelligent civilizations in the galaxy.

As for your second point, what do you think the purpose of SETI is?

reply to post by SaviorComplex

As for your second point, what do you think the purpose of SETI is?

I'd say it's less a SEARCH for intelligent life, and more of a 'doorbell' for aliens that have already found us.

Hi

Thanks for pointing that out and clarifying Dr Boss’ reasoning. It seems reasonable to imagine that only a proportion of the planets that Dr Boss refers to would be conducive to the advent of life.

Thanks