#3 Philosophical Journey: Are We Alone?
No. For billions of years, Earth has been teeming with an extraordinary array of life forms, and more recently, even humans have ventured into orbit around our planet.
From the first microorganisms in the primordial oceans to the majestic dinosaurs that once roamed the land. From the dawn of mammals to the emergence of early humans. From the myriad of animals that inhabit the land and sea to the birds that soar through the skies. We are certainly not alone.
Perhaps a more suitable question would be: Is there life beyond our planet?
Well, yes. Humans are currently residing on the International Space Station (at least for now). Furthermore, regardless of whether we discover life on Mars, it seems increasingly likely that we will become a multi-planetary species and establish colonies on other worlds by the end of this century. I sincerely hope this happens within my lifetime, as witnessing such an achievement would be profoundly inspiring.
But is there life further afield? Beyond the reach of any Earth-born life forms? Perhaps even beyond the view of our most advanced telescopes?
Do extraterrestrials exist somewhere out there?
Intriguingly, many creatures on our own planet exhibit characteristics that one might associate with aliens. Perhaps, long thin legs or hundreds of eyes - maybe even reptilian in nature. This is likely because science fiction often draws inspiration from the diverse nature surrounding us. Consider the vast differences between human behaviour and structure compared to that of a wasp or a jellyfish. Our planet hosts an incredibly diverse array of life.
Extraterrestrial life could range from simple organisms akin to early Earth life to civilisations far more advanced than our own. Their intelligence might dwarf ours, making humanity seem as insignificant as ants are to us. Their dominance over the stars could be beyond our comprehension, and their influence on the cosmos could be profound.
The universe is vast - unfathomably so. Estimates suggest there are more stars in the observable universe than grains of sand on all the Earth’s beaches. Even if there is another civilisation out there, where conditions have allowed them to develop and thrive as we have, finding them would be akin to searching for a single grain of sand with a different hue among all the world's beaches. It's a daunting task, to say the least.
Given the immense scale of the universe and the possibility of multiple universes, I believe it is incredibly likely that life exists somewhere among the stars.
Unfortunately, the existence of advanced extraterrestrial beings - more complex than a mere collection of cells - outside our solar system will likely remain a mystery during my lifetime and perhaps even throughout the entire existence of Homo sapiens.
However, if humanity succeeds in creating sentient artificial intelligence, it might transcend human limitations (in essence, becoming our next evolutionary step) and enhance our capacity to explore the universe, potentially answering the question that has fascinated us for so long:
Are we alone?