For decades, scientists have looked to our nearest planetary neighbors in search of evidence of life among the stars. So far, all evidence points to a chilling and, ultimately, unusual likelihood: we’re probably all alone, at least in this pocket of the universe. However, some believe that the discovery of life on Mars could be imminent, even if only in the form of microbiology or long-extinct, simple life forms.
Why is it so unlikely that humans have alien neighbors? And what would it mean if we found evidence of life on Mars? Let’s take a closer look.
The Fermi Paradox
Named for famed physicist Enrico Fermi, the Fermi Paradox is the observation that, despite the size and age of the observable universe, it appears as though humans are the only intelligent life anywhere in the cosmos. Scientists have observed no evidence among the stars that suggests that life intelligent enough to travel from planet to planet exists. If they did, we would have seen some evidence of their activity by now: megastructures around distant stars, space stations acting as cultural centers, even the ravaged remains of planets destroyed in ancient wars.
Instead, what we see when we look out into the wide universe is a cold, dark, empty place. There are stars, planets, nebulae and all manner of asteroid and meteor, but not a single piece of artifice that would suggest the presence of intelligent life. This could mean we’re all alone. Or, it could mean that no other life forms have ever ventured far beyond the gravity of their own home planet.
Life on Mars
If we discover concrete evidence of life having ever been present on our neighbor, it would open a lot of doors for the scientific community. Such a discovery would indicate that the formation of life is possible outside of the exact circumstances that arose on Earth billions of years ago, and open minds to the idea that the vast universe is not empty at all, but maybe even teeming with life.
Maybe humans are simply the first intelligent life to become advanced enough to begin venturing off of our home planet. Maybe the very process of evolution is so time-consuming and complicated that it takes billions of years for life to get to this stage. If that is the case, a bright and glorious future could await our descendants among the stars. Maybe, someday, we’ll meet our neighbors, and share our knowledge.
