My Understanding & Approach To Alien Life
By Anjana Ravishankar
Cosmofluencer (Season 2)
Expeditions to locate evidence of life beyond our home planet have always interested mankind. The hunt for extraterrestrial or alien life began in the 1960s, as greater progress began in space technology. The study of life traces outside, beyond this biosphere falls under the science of ‘Astrobiology’. PSR B1257+12 was the first planet to be discovered out of our solar system in 1994. Gliese 581g was the first potentially habitable exoplanet discovered.
What Makes Our Planet Habitable?
What makes our planet special and habitable to life ?
- Optimum distance from sun
- Presence of water in liquid form
- Insulation of atmosphere
- Presence of chemicals like oxygen, hydrogen & carbon
We can deduce from this that there are four major conditions crucial for the evolution of life. Perhaps there is an exoplanet in another part of the expanding cosmos that is in the habitable zone or goldilocks zone of its host star, and life forms formed of silicon, helium, or any other element are out there as well. The cosmos is so huge that any sort of living being, ecosystem, or civilization you can think of has a chance of existing in some galaxy.
If they exist, would they look like us?
Water serves as the interaction medium for life on Earth. Life forms are essentially composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other components. Phosphorus is essential for energy storage and transmission as phosphate bound to an organic residue; sulfur is involved in the three-dimensional structure of protein molecules; and other elements are also present in lower proportions. However, these facts do not imply that life on other planets will be built on the same principles.
With our current technology, the chances of encountering life beyond Earth are slim, but not none. Aliens are frequently portrayed as beings with long inverted triangular heads, large black eyes, and antennas. However, aliens do not have to fit into this description at all! They could even be in the form of minuscule pathogens!
Exoplanets With Potential For Life
Out of the billions in our galaxy, more than 5,000 exoplanets have been identified and are regarded “confirmed” to date. Here are some of the exoplanets where life may occur.
Kepler-186f
It is 490 light-years away from Earth. It is positioned in its host star’s habitable zone.
22b Kepler
The calculated surface temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). Its star system is 600 light-years from the sun, in the constellation Cygnus.
HD 40307g
This is in the habitable zone of its parent star. It is around 42 light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Pictor.
HD 85512b
It’s around 35 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Vela (the Sail).
Summing Up
Isn’t the notion of alien life fascinating? Scientists are looking for indications of life beyond Earth. With thousands of exoplanets out there, it’s naive
to assume we’re alone; it’s one of the most certain possibilities that life exists elsewhere in the galaxy as well! Who knows, maybe one day we’ll meet beings from another planet. Isn’t that an exciting experience that every space enthusiast is looking forward to? What is your perspective on aliens? Do you think we will ever be able to contact them in our lifetime?