Are you ready for the first encounter with an alien?
According to the belief spread by the Star Trek series, the first encounter with an extraterrestrial creature should take place in April 2063, that is, within 51 years. But will this event ever really happen?
According to Dr. Spock, the meeting is inevitable
In fact, it is Marc Kaufman, a journalist who writes about science for the Washington Post. Kaufan has released a book on the subject, and Universe Today has talked to the journalist about the possibilities of such a meeting, with its pros and cons.
Pros and cons
While many believe that there is no life on other planets - after all, if there is so much life "out there, " how come no one ever came to visit us? - the journalist defends the idea that the universe is so vast and the The number of exoplanets is so huge that it would be illogical to say that we are alone in the cosmos.
What's more, Kaufman does not believe that if there is extraterrestrial life, it is just microbial life. For the journalist, if we think about how long we have become a technologically advanced society in terms of cosmological time, that would be the equivalent of virtually nothing. Also, if there are habitable planets and microbial life, what prevents some of these forms from evolving, just as they did here on Earth?
Breaking New Borders
Almost daily new planets are discovered outside our solar system, and astrobiology has also made great progress in discovering new ecosystems off Earth. Kaufman says that almost all scientists believe in the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and that we simply haven't found it yet because we don't have enough technology to do so.
Also, even though NASA can't send so many missions to study the cosmos after the planned budget cuts, there are countless institutions and universities working on cosmology, astro-chemistry and synthetic life, suggesting that scientists believe they are very close to achieving anything. important.
And what will our reaction be like when the first date occurs?
According to Kaufman, people will probably realize the immensity of the universe, a fact that will be accompanied by much wonder and fear. However, despite what many believe - Stephen Hawking, for example, thinks the aliens should be avoided - the journalist thinks a visit would be welcome.
Whether looking for angels, gods, or spaceships, humans have, through the ages, always looked up at the sky and wondered if they really are alone in the universe. And you, reader, what do you think?
