One of the biggest mysteries of the universe is whether or not we’re totally alone. And, although little green men in the sky do seem a little far-fetched, if you accept the concept of infinity, you have to believe that there’s a possibility of life outside of what we know on Earth – although that’s likely to be far, far away.
But new evidence suggests things may be a little closer to home than we thought…
There’s an endless list of places people claim to have spotted an alien or two, but when an expert thinks there could be a possibility of life on other planets, it’s time to listen.
Alien life might actually exist in our solar system, at least that’s what one expert believes.
Apparently, Jupiter’s moon is hiding octopus-like creatures beneath its icy surface.
The moon’s surface is covered with icy cold water, as well as producing an oxygen-filled atmosphere.
A professor of Planetary and Space Science at Liverpool Hope University, Monica Grady, backs up this theory suggesting the seas beneath the surface could contain marine wildlife similar to the octopuses we get on earth.
Although not the green, wide-eyed martians we’re thinking. She believes there could be life beneath the surface, where it’s protected from radiation.
“When it comes to the prospects of life beyond Earth, it’s almost a racing certainty that there’s life beneath the ice on Europa. Elsewhere, if there’s going to be life on Mars, it’s going to be under the surface of the planet. There you’re protected from solar radiation. And that means there’s the possibility of ice remaining in the pores of the rocks, which could act as a source of water.”
“If there is something on Mars, it’s likely to be very small-bacteria. But I think we’ve got a better chance of having slightly higher forms of life on Europa, perhaps similar to the intelligence of an octopus.”
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope found sodium chloride – which is salt to you and me – on Europa’s surface.
The icy seawater has the ideal set up for life to thrive.
“Our solar system is not a particularly special planetary system, as far as we know, and we still haven’t explored all the stars in the galaxy. But I think it’s highly likely there will be life elsewhere – and I think it’s highly likely they’ll be made of the same elements. Humans evolved from little furry mammals that got the opportunity to evolve because the dinosaurs were killed by an asteroid impact.”
“That is probably not going to happen on every planet – but it’s at least possible based purely on a statistical argument. Whether we will ever be able to contact extraterrestrial life is anyone’s guess, purely because the distances are just too huge.”
“There’s always the chance that, within our solar system, we could be the only forms of intelligent life. If there’s only us, then we have a duty to protect the planet.”
Possible life has been discovered on Venus today!