Is there other life in the universe?
Recently I read the following article and it had me revisiting this ages-old question — are we alone in the universe?
This is a topic that I have spent a good amount of my life thinking about — I have always been interested in (and taken classes on) the science of the cosmos, and it is fascinating to realize just how small we are in the scheme of things.
That said, I am of the opinion that it would basically be mathematically impossible for Earth to be the only planet with intelligent life. The universe is far too big, and I believe it is just a matter of if this intelligent life is close enough for us to cross paths with. The CBS article brings that thought even closer to home.
As a kid growing up, I used to also believe that not only were aliens real, but that we have encountered them when they have visited Earth. Now, I am not so sure after talking with a friend — I think if it would have happened that it would be a pretty well-known fact and that the public would have more physical evidence. It is hard to believe that Roswell, for example, happened as suspected and that the US government has been able to keep it a secret all of these years.
However, it is tough to discredit every single one of the different stories of people seeing strange things and encountering weird animals / beings here on Earth. I have an open mind and would not be in denial in the face of hard evidence of alien life, and I hope one day in my lifetime we can discover another form of intelligent life amongs the stars.
