Intelligent alien species could number in their thousands
By Dave Parrack
You may not believe little green men have visited Earth, having traveled halfway across the universe to do so. Many don’t. But the chances of there being some other life form out there are extremely high given the size of the universe. One Scottish scientist believes he can make an educated guess as to how many intelligent alien species there are out there.
I sometimes wonder how much intelligent life there is down here on planet Earth. That comes from reading too many Internet forums and seeing the depths humanity has sunk to in recent years. But while some individuals may be bringing down the average IQ levels, humans as a whole are an intelligent species, and Earth sustains us.
With the vastness of space, there is a high probability that there is intelligent life on other planets. Only the most vehement religious zealots or closed-minded people (sometimes one and the same thing) would believe otherwise. Earth is the only planet out of a universe of more than 400 billion planets? No way.
But how many intelligent alien species are out there? According to BBC News, Duncan Forgan, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, thinks he may have a good idea. Although the range of possibilities garnered from his analysis are wide-ranging to say the least.
Forgan simulated a galaxy such as ours, the only one we know for sure is capable of sustaining life. He then allowed it to develop solar systems much like ours. Once the model of this new virtual galaxy was complete, Forgan then subjected it to various different scenarios based on the various ways life could come to exist and then develop into higher species.
The first, assuming life is difficult to establish but easy to then evolve, produced 361 intelligent civilizations in the galaxy. The second, assuming life is easily formed but struggles to develop intelligence, produced 31,513 intelligent forms of life. The third, assuming life could be passed from one planet to another via passing asteroids, produced 37,964 intelligent forms of life.
This research coincides with the news that the amount of officially reported and recorded UFO sightings in the UK more than doubled from 135 to 285 in 2008. This includes the UFO that allegedly struck a wind turbine in Yorkshire. These are purely the sightings which get passed up the chain to the Ministry of Defence, which then monitors ones it thinks may pose a threat to national security.
Still think we’re alone in the universe? Every year seems to bring us close to understanding that we are just one of many possible species occupying the universe. And with up to 38,000 intelligent life forms out there, some would surely have mastered interstellar travel and may even have chosen to pay us a visit. Time to break out the tin foil helmets.
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Read more entries by Dave Parrack.
Stumble It!
February 6th, 2009
It’s a big universe out there, and I’d be really surprised if we are all alone.
February 6th, 2009
Is the headline trying to make a point or does the writer not know how to spell…”their” or “the” thousands…I lose respect for the writer when it starts out with an error….
February 6th, 2009
I’m all with you, except for:
1) The earth is currently in the process of getting tired of stustaining us.
2) not sure of any aliens necessarily having “mastered interstellar travel”
3) According to hints from several old human cultures, humanity is capable of interstellar travel – once we leave our much clinged to mortal coils…
June 1st, 2009
I agree with Tsais. If Earth’s estimated life is 10 billion and we have 6 billion years left, we need to start moving and get to work on interstellar travel.
Drake’s Equation can back this in some ways. Though, according to the Drake’s Equation, the estimated number of civilizations in our own galaxy is about 1,000-2,000. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to believe that there are other lifeforms in the universe.
August 17th, 2009
I think the actual number is much bigger than this. But anyway.
There are three types of civilizations. Type I, II, and III, which have mastered planetary, stellar and galactic forms of energy, respectively. Currently, our energy output qualifies us for Type 0 status.
You all need to believe in Aliens because they are the masters of the universe. To master the universe is any civilizations ultimate goal, to seek ultimate knowledge, to find out why we are here, how we got here, and WHO created us. If we are one day so lucky to be masters ourselves, then we will have no wars, no starvation and only one religion because we would have all the answers. We would even possibly live forever or for however long we want to and possibly escape our own dying universe to venture out into a different universe and truly live forever as a civilization.
I seriously hope they make true contact with us one day, but perhaps they aren’t allowed to interfere with undeveloped planets, but only observe as it appears like they have been already for some time. Although i find it hard to believe that a Type 3 civilization would make contact of any kind with a Type 0 civilization. That’s like me or you trying to talk to an ant.