Will we discover alien life by 2075? A top scientist predicts we will. Learn about the search for life beyond Earth, from microbes on Mars to oceans on K2-18b.
Are we alone in the universe? It's a question that has fascinated people for centuries. Now, there is reason to be hopeful: Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, one of Britain’s top space scientists, believes that life beyond Earth will be discovered within the next 50 years.
Dame Maggie, a physicist and space scientist at University College London, predicts that the first discovery could be simple life forms, such as microbes. However, she also suggests that more advanced life with excellent technology cannot be ruled out.
Possibility of Alien Life
Her confidence comes from the vastness of the universe. With about 200 billion galaxies, each containing billions of stars, it seems unlikely that Earth is the only planet with life. Even though Earth is the only example we know, the sheer number of planets makes it highly probable that life exists somewhere else.
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Her prediction aligns with the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, a prestigious public science series in Britain, which this year explores some of the biggest unanswered questions in space science.
Searching for Life Beyond Our Solar System
The idea that life is likely to exist elsewhere is supported by the Drake equation, created in 1961. This equation estimates the number of planets in the galaxy that might support life. In our own Milky Way, there are about 300 billion stars, and many of them are known to have planets. Some of these planets are already showing signs that could indicate life.
One example is the exoplanet K2-18b, which is located 124 light-years from Earth. Scientists have detected molecules in its atmosphere that are difficult to explain without some form of life. The planet is believed to be covered by an ocean and might even support living organisms, making it one of the most promising places to search for life beyond our solar system.
Closer to home, NASA has also found possible signs of past life on Mars. Strange patterns on ancient riverbed mudstones may contain minerals that were formed by chemical reactions linked to biological processes. These findings suggest that life could have existed on the Red Planet in the past.
Space Exploration
While science fiction often depicts aliens as little green men in spaceships, the reality is likely to be more simple at first. Early discoveries might involve microbial life, although more complex, intelligent species remain a possibility. Any life found will need to be carefully studied in isolation to avoid contamination, which is why scientists are building special facilities to analyse samples safely on Earth.
Looking further ahead, Dame Maggie envisions humans becoming a space-faring species. Future exploration may see humanity venturing beyond Earth, turning science fiction into reality. She believes that observing Earth from space offers a unifying perspective: without borders or countries, our planet is seen as one. Space exploration, she suggests, could bring people together by highlighting our shared home.
The 2025 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, Is There Life Beyond Earth?, with Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, will be broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer on 28th, 29th, and 30th December at 7pm.
