IT IS no longer a case of if but more likely when we will answer the question: \"Are we alone?\".<\/p>\n
Even in our own cosmic backyard our solar system there are numerous potential candidates for life.<\/p>\n
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From the red planet Mars which scientists understand was likely much warmer and wetter in life, and may have had the conditions for simple microbial life. <\/p>\n
To Europa and Enceladus icy moons of the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn, which have probable liquid oceans beneath their frozen surfaces. <\/p>\n
Even the planet Venus previously deemed an inhospitable world has been subject to scrutiny about the possibility of simple life in its clouds.<\/p>\n
But when it comes to intelligent life, to the likes dreamed up by science fiction, or perhaps something even beyond the imagination, we just dont know. <\/p>\n
For pretty much every star you can see when you look up, there is at least one planet orbiting around it.<\/p>\n
On the face of it the universe is full of candidate places for life to exist.<\/p>\n
Whether we make contact with any intelligent life beyond is yet to be seen. <\/p>\n
This could happen tomorrow, or it could happen 1,000 years from now. It could have already happened. <\/p>\n
We just dont know and we are yet to have the evidence.<\/p>\n
Say an intelligent alien race one likely far more advanced than ourselves given the fact that it would have developed capabilities to travel across the universe made contact with us.<\/p>\n
Then what would happen?<\/p>\n
Experts such as the late Professor Stephen Hawking have suggested that an intelligent alien life reaching Earth would be bad news for us.<\/p>\n
Meeting an advanced alien civilisation could be like Native Americans encountering Columbus. That didnt turn out so well.<\/p>\n
But this is not a view shared by everyone, myself included. <\/p>\n
Especially given the fact that if a civilisation has already developed the enormous capabilities required for intergalactic travel, than they are likely already aware of our existence, given the radio signals we have been emitting for over a century.<\/p>\n
But say a signal was found. And contact was made by an alien race with Earth? Then what? <\/p>\n
While we are divided so much on Earth race, politics, archaeology. In the vastness of space we all call the same planet home.<\/p>\n
Perhaps though aliens are aware of our exitance and they have just passed us by. Much in the same way that you wouldnt stop to talk to a colony of ants in the street, aliens might see us as no different.<\/p>\n
To an alien civilisation any communication we made would have to represent one planet, not one nation.<\/p>\n
There have already been recent sightings which have caused concern.<\/p>\n
Such as the now infamous 2004 Nimitz incident where video showed pilots tracking a strange Tic Tac like object in the night sky. <\/p>\n
Pentagon officials later admitted the videos are real and they cannot explain them.<\/p>\n
And earlier this year Washington got back into the \"UFO Business\", with the establishment of a new office - signed into law to study \"Unidentified Aerial Phenomena\".<\/p>\n
Perhaps the biggest hurdle though would be that if contact was made, we wouldnt likely agree on how to respond. <\/p>\n
While there is a UN Department for Outer Space Affairs, there is no protocol on how we would respond as one planet. We would have to agree on what to do internationally.<\/p>\n
In all likelihood though, we would have some time. <\/p>\n
While the movies depict aliens visiting us, it is perhaps far more probable that we would detect a signal from them far in the universe. <\/p>\n
Then the process of communicating with an alien civilisation would be comparable not to Star Wars, and other movies, but to archaeology. <\/p>\n
Given the mind boggling vastness of the cosmos by the time a signal from an alien civilisation has reached us, and we have figured out a way to reply, the timeframe from when it was sent could be tens perhaps hundreds of years. <\/p>\n
Our way of learning about a far of civilisations, could almost be thought of as how we learned about the Romans.<\/p>\n
Perhaps though aliens are aware of our exitance and they have just passed us by. <\/p>\n
Much in the same way that you wouldnt stop to talk to a colony of ants in the street, aliens might see us as no different. We just dont know.<\/p>\n
Intelligent life may even be a fluke and our existence a mere cosmic coincidence, which presents the most terrifying possibility of all WE are the most intelligent beings in the universe. <\/p>\n
I really hope this is not true.<\/p>\n
Sarah Cruddas can be seen on Craig Charles: UFO Conspiracies which is available on catch up services on Sky HISTORY. <\/p>\n
For more UFO based programming head over to Blaze TV for UFO Week featuring new UK and Free TV premieres every single night from MondayMarch 28 to Sunday April 3.<\/p>\n
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More here:<\/p>\n
Aliens may have already visited Earth and they could see us as like a colony of ANTS compared to their c... - The Sun<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" IT IS no longer a case of if but more likely when we will answer the question: \"Are we alone?\". Even in our own cosmic backyard our solar system there are numerous potential candidates for life. 2 2 From the red planet Mars which scientists understand was likely much warmer and wetter in life, and may have had the conditions for simple microbial life. Continue reading