Are We Alone in the Universe

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In the quest for extraterrestrial life, one huge leap has already been made. Scientific research has shown that living organisms can survive in conditions much different than those that are present on Earth. This is confirmed by the existence of so-called extremophiles-organisms that thrive in conditions lethal for other forms of life. These conditions may include high pressures, the presence of toxins, an absence of oxygen, extreme temperatures, and acidity. One extremophile species, the Ferro plasma acidophilus, is a microorganism that can only survive in environments containing such large concentrations of iron that any other lifeform would expire there. Not only can extremophiles thrive in these conditions, but they cannot survive in what are considered to be normal environments. These organisms alone prove that life can exist in conditions on planets that were previously thought of as too extreme.

Living in an age where technology makes it possible to access virtually endless information with the click of a button, it easy to forget that humanity still remains ignorant about the wonders of nature. One such mystery is extraterrestrial life. Humans have always wondered about life beyond the stars. The curiosity doesn’t only stem from popular culture and the advent of film and television, but even before then. Books, oral stories and painting depicted “evidence” of aliens. People have always thought about extraterrestrial life, what aliens would look like and if the creatures would come in peace, if they exist. With technology advancing every day, it is more than likely that within the next two decades we could know the answer to this unexplained phenomenon. A few decades later, the idea that humans could ever be the only intelligent life form in the universe may seem laughable. Until then, the innate hunger for the answer to whether humanity is alone in the universe will persist.

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Bibliography:

NBC News. 10/4/10. “Six Frontiers For Alien Life” Retrieved January 10, 2017, from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28148553/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/six-frontiers-alien-life/

Mario Livio, Joe Silk. 1/6/16. “If There Are Aliens Out There, Where Are They?” Retrieved January 10, 2017 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/if-there-are-aliens-out-there-where-are-they/

Mike Wall. 5/5/16. “The Universe Has Probably Hosted Many Alien Civilizations” Retrieved January 10, 2017 from http://www.space.com/32793-intelligent-alien-life-probability-high.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_life