Would Science Proof of Hide Alien Life? | Unveiled

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Is Science Already Hiding a Solar System Full Of Life?</h4>

We’ve long wondered whether we’re alone in the universe. However, we’ve only recently acquired the means to hunt for other intelligent lifeforms. Thanks to telescopes that can peer deep into the cosmos, research into the possibility of life beyond our solar system is flourishing. We may soon find the signs of life we’re looking for. Then again, some wonder if we’ve actually already found them - far closer to home.

This is Unveiled, and today we’re answering the extraordinary question: is science already hiding a solar system full of life? 

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence began in the early 1900s, but really gained momentum in the 1980s. We’ve never been closer to finding other forms of intelligent life in the universe than we are today, with thousands of scientists dedicating themselves to the search. 

The field that studies life in the universe, on Earth and beyond, is called astrobiology. It has grown significantly in recent decades, and has three main areas of focus. The first of these is the study of how life begins and evolves. Studying this on Earth gives us insight into the conditions needed to form life, and allows us to better understand what kind of environments we’re looking for. The second is the detection of life beyond our home planet. This entails searching for potentially habitable worlds, and biosignatures that could indicate the presence of life. The third focus involves theories about the future of life in the universe. 

So, what does make planets habitable? Well, the most crucial thing that scientists are looking for is whether or not they lie within the habitable zone of their stars. You may also hear this referred to as the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ - an orbital distance that’s close enough, but not too close, for temperatures to support liquid water. Water is the most essential component for life on Earth. Even in extreme environments, microorganisms can thrive, provided there’s water. Just take the tardigrade, also known as a water bear. These micro-animals are almost indestructible, and can even survive for a while in the vacuum of space! They’re found almost everywhere there’s water, suggesting that theoretically, if an exoplanet has water, it could also harbor life. Just being in the Goldilocks zone doesn’t guarantee that a planet has this vital requirement, however - at least, not in liquid form. Both Venus and Mars, for example, orbit within our system’s habitable zone. But both are inhospitable. Venus has incredibly high temperatures, and any liquid water it may have once had has long since boiled away. 

There’s a plethora of other factors that contribute to creating a habitable exoplanet, too. The surface temperature is key, and the largest indicator of whether it can, again, sustain water. To determine this temperature, we need to know the planet’s distance from its host star and the composition of its atmosphere, among other things. These can be quite difficult to figure out, and with so many exoplanets in the universe, sifting through them all would be an incredibly time consuming endeavor. Plus, it’s easy to make mistakes about the habitability of a world. For example, if we measured the reflectivity of Earth’s clouds from some far off system, and ignored greenhouse gas effects, we might deem even it uninhabitable. Overall, finding habitable exoplanets is incredibly tough and time intensive, which is why it’s one of the most active fields of astrobiological research. 

Since 1992, over five thousand exoplanets have been discovered and cataloged. Those which are potentially habitable are added to the HEC, the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog. This catalog looks for places with up to 2.5 times the radius of Earth, and up to 10 times its mass, orbiting within a star’s Goldilocks zone. Currently, as of writing, 63 planets have been entered into the HEC, the closest being Proxima Centauri b, which is approximately 4.2 light years away. So far, however, there’s no conclusive evidence to allow us to say with certainty if any of these planets really are habitable. At least, not that we know about. Because, theoretically, if scientists were to have found another solar system teeming with life, would they be open about it, or keep the discovery hidden? Generally, science belongs to the public, with almost all major sky surveys releasing their data publicly. So if one team of researchers stumbled upon intelligent life, other teams would be likely to as well. In principle, then, if this were to have happened, the data pointing to such a conclusion would already be available for anyone to access.

The optimists among us might hope for such news to be shared with the wider public, as well. However, there are practical reasons, rooted in scientific understanding and historical precedent, that might warrant keeping such a discovery confidential. One reason lies within our own human history. Stephen Hawking famously warned against contact with aliens, saying: “If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans”. He believed that instead of seeking out alien civilizations, humanity should be more inclined to avoid them. In human history, encounters between unfamiliar cultures have often been fraught with conflict and resulted in invasion and colonization. Extraterrestrial beings might perceive our planet as a prize, potentially leading them to subjugate us, establish their own dominion, and seize our most precious resources and artifacts.

If a team of researchers stumbled across extraterrestrial life and then publicly released this information, it could fall into the wrong hands. We live in an era where space exploration is advancing primarily through the efforts of the world's wealthiest billionaires. Things could then become problematic if one of them became enamored with the idea of any particular alien civilization. With the immense wealth of the private sector, it’s possible that governments and institutions wouldn’t be able to prevent them from reaching out to an alien group - if one were found. Without comprehensive and well-considered protocols in place, such contact could be disastrous and lead to long-running conflict. On the other hand, at least it would be open. 

Meanwhile, and in a scenario that perhaps isn’t quite so difficult to imagine, it’s also possible that researchers could discover signs of life, but simply wait to announce it while they perform more studies until they are one hundred percent sure of what they’ve found. This, in itself, could be a lengthy process. However, given the enthusiasm that often meets such announcements, it also seems somewhat improbable that any one researcher or group would be able to keep something as big as this a secret. It’s probably much more likely that they’d release what they know in order to secure more funding, and so that other scientists could build on their work.

Today, the search for extraterrestrial life is at its most active point in history. We are currently cataloging thousands of exoplanets with the hopes of finding habitable ones. And, if one such world had already been found, we’d like to hope that the researchers responsible would make it public knowledge. But, it also isn’t impossible that they’d prefer to keep quiet… so that first contact could be made responsibly, or while they verified their results. 

What’s your verdict? Do you think science could ever keep something as big as this under wraps? Be sure to let us know in the comments! And, while we’re on the subject, is there anything else that you think certain academics, institutions and leaders could be keeping from us? Of course, there are some theories that the life we’ve found isn’t even just confined to some far-off star system… instead, there are various claims and conspiracy theories that aliens might already be on Earth. What’s your opinion on that?

For now, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is only set to gather more and more pace, and with seemingly total transparency. But how can our ever-improving knowledge of what’s out there be squared with the plain statistical probability that there must be alien life that we don’t know about? The famed Fermi Paradox continues to loom over astronomical study, as one of science’s greatest and most profound unsolved problems. If you’re desperate for answers, then all you can really do is wait… and weigh up the physical evidence and theoretical predictions that humanity has gathered so far. Space is vast. Our lack of understanding is still huge. But we are slowly improving… and if it ever feels like all hope is lost, then there’s always the slim chance that science itself could be holding something back. Maybe.