Astronomy Essay: Alien Existence

Alien Existence
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Alien Existence
Are we alone? Is the earth really the only planet with life, or is something else out there? These questions have raised controversy over the existence of aliens in the universe. Claiming that extraterrestrial life exists somewhere in the universe may leave a lot of people in shock. However, in a universe surrounded by around 2 trillion galaxies, it might be possible to think that earth alone does not host intelligent creatures (Shostak, 2018). A 2015 poll showed that over 54% of Americans believe that clever creatures are out there (Shostak, 2018). Many scientists admit that outer space is certainly scattered with life.
In 2013, some British scientists claimed that a balloon flight found some fragments of a cell in the upper atmosphere. They believed these fragments could be evidence of life in the cosmos (space.com staff, 2013). Although alien existence is sometimes thought to be a conspiracy theory, many scientists have found evidence to support the existence of extraterrestrial life. Answers to this question do not just require common knowledge and theories. It needs astronomical understanding to solve the puzzle by proving whether other planets apart from the earth can support life. Interesting stories have been told with some people around the world claiming they have experienced an encounter with the aliens. Others also claim that they have been abducted by aliens. Remember Pascagoula man? His story might make you re-think everything.
Calvin Parker, a 67-year old Pascagoula man, shared his story of alien abduction that took place in the Pascagoula River while fishing with his partner. Parker claimed that they were blinded by a real bright beam for a second. After regaining his vision, he allegedly saw three big creatures approaching them. According to Parker, these creatures took hold of them and carried them into that beam of light and aboard the craft (Dunn, 2021). He further noted that these creatures held them for about half an hour (Dunn, 2021). Parker will tell you he spent the past 45 years in hiding because of this scary night.
Geological records show that life began relatively fast because the planet’s environment gained stability to support it (ScienceDaily, 2020). It is also known that the first multicellular organism took a long time to evolve. Despite knowing the initial existence of life on the earth, no one understands how life existed, which means there is the probability of finding life elsewhere (Delbert, 2020). David Kipping, a renowned Astronomer, has tried to explain the odds of the alien existence using Bayesian reference. Kipping suggests that the speedy existence of life and late human evolution are reminiscent (ScienceDaily, 2020).
Kipping used the past proof of life and human evolution to conduct his analysis. He determined whether or not people are likely to expect the re-emergence of life and intelligence if the earth forms again. To achieve his objective, he formulated four hypotheses as follows: - (1) life is ordinary and regularly develops intelligence (2) Life is uncommon but repeatedly develops intelligence (3) Life is ordinary and sometimes develops intelligence (4) Life is uncommon and seldom develops intelligence (ScienceDaily, 2020). Using the Bayesian formula, Kipping weighed the models against each other. He used the proof that life occurred within 300 million years when the earth’s oceans were formed (Delbert, 2020). He concluded that if there are planets with the same conditions and evolution, then life can possibly exist on other planets. Based on this analysis, Kipping believed that intelligent life could exist elsewhere on the planet.
Researchers believe a thin, flat object can be noticed if one flies to billion miles in the Pegasus constellation direction (Billings, 2021). This object has a size of a football field and about ten times weightier than the typical comet. If you view it for a while, you will notice that it tumbles as it moves away from the sun. This object passed the earth in October 2017. While making its way back to the interstellar space, Robert Weryk, a Canadian astronomer, identified it as Pan-STARRS1 (Dunn, 2021). Hawaiian astronomers called it ‘‘Oumuamua’’ meaning ‘‘the first scout from a distant place’’.
Oumuamua was exciting and confusing at the same time. It was the first object observed moving from the intercellular space of the solar system. However, it raised controversy because of its shape, its approach, and its movement, which are not consistent with an asteroid or comet behavior. For about 11 days, the world’s telescope looked for the meaning of this strange object (Dorminey, 2021). Twelve months later, the debate about Oumuamua strengthened as Avi Loeb, one of the best astronomers in the world, argued that Oumuamua’s strange features show that the object is a new class of thin interstellar material occurring naturally or artificially (Dunn, 2021). Loeb concluded that Oumuamua was developed by an alien civilization. According to Loeb, the existence of the Oumuamua demonstrates that the solar system may be teeming with alien technology.
It is unlikely that Oumuamua will be seen for the second time because it is traveling away from the solar system at around 30 kilometers per second (Dunn, 2021). However, according to Loeb, scientists must prepare for an action in case an object like Oumuamua arrives. If Loeb is right, then there is no doubt alien objects are available in great numbers. Loeb has various reasons to believe Oumuamua was alien technology. First, Oumuamua’s motion was not relative to what astronomers call the local standard of rest (Billings, 2021). This object was observable because the sun and its surrounding planets moved past it at a speed of 450,000 miles per hour (Dunn, 2021).
To Loeb’s excitement, the Oumuamua showed a glut rebuff from the sun coupled with the sun’s gravitational force acting on it. This is common with comets, which can accelerate as the frozen material in them vaporizes, causing them to veer through space and produce a distinctive tail. Based on the speed changes, Oumuamua would lose close to 20% of its mass (Dunn, 2021). However, Oumuamua had no tail. Close observation by the Spitzer Space Telescope saw nothing around it. No heat radiation and erratic m...