The [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16515944 latest published research[/url indicates that [ievery star[/i in the galaxy hosts at least one planet. This leads to the stunning conclusion that there are likely to be, just in our Milky Way galaxy alone, 10 billion [iEarth-sized[/i planets.

The likely total number of galaxies in the universe is thought to be up to 500 billion.

If so, that means 5000 billion billion Earth-sized planets. Suddenly the suggestion that every single one of those hasn't nor ever had any life on it seems almost ludicrous. Five thousand billion billion Earth-sized planets and we are the only one with life forms? I don't think so.

Well said pity speed of light cannot be beaten.

Indeed. Whether or not we ever find or make contact with any other life form, it seems highly unlikely that there are no others.

Very quick

Does Ferry Fryston count as making contact with another life form, I go every week

There may be life in our own solar system of the microorganism variety. Moon's such as Eneceladus which orbits Saturn have the possibility of water hidden beneath the surface which could support life. Mars also has a lot of methane activity coming out of underground caverns which varies due to the seasons, this could be geological or biological. Titan also has a possibility of harbouring life which is based upon methane rather than water. Lifeforms have been found to exist on earth in conditions with almost no oxygen, thriving off methane.

So I would say the fact that in our Solar System there are so many places that have the possibility of harbouring life and the fact the we exist ourselves then there must be intelligent, evolved life out there somewhere. It's just a case of finding it.

The thing is though that so far we haven't found evidence for any other life form. Dead or alive. Whilst that remains the case, there is at least room for discussion. But when an indisputable alien life form is finally discovered, that will be a seismic event, as then we will have proof that life has 'happened' elsewhere, and twice within a cosmic blink of an eye would make it certain that life elsewhere is actually abundant.

Ah, but how many meet the Goldilocks criteria?

True, true. At the moment we're working with statistics and probability but if some kind of life form on another planet or moon it makes the evidence somewhat indisputable.

That life exists elsewhere in the universe is one of the few things I believe without having seen evidence. Even if life only gets started on one in a billion planets capable of supporting it, that's still a lot of life.

Reckon we'll all be extinct before technology is sufficiently advanced to make contact though. The best hope we have is of finding microbial life elsewhere in the solar system.

That being said, I have perfected time travel this evening, so who knows?