Matthew, you have a gift for breaking down material into concepts that can be understood. Love starting the day learning something new (and new words. septillion).
your assertion that there is zero chance that we are alone in the universe, and even in our own galaxy, is wrong - you state it is statistically impossible that we are alone, that is wrong
you are clearly meaning that intelligent life exists out there, you aren't referring to basic life, you mean life like us
yes it is likely that there is life out there, but that does not mean that it is intelligent, life doesn't need intelligence to be successful (bacteria, the most intelligent living creature on earth - beetles are another example, extremely successful, but not intelligent), and it doesn't strive to achieve intelligence
and if life does evolve some sort of intelligence, it may be that we are the most intelligent species that exists (millions of species have existed on earth, and only one has achieved our level of intelligence, us - and even that only because of a large number of individual timely circumstances, the odds are AGAINST our level of intelligence evolving, not in favour of it forming), whilst other worlds have elephants and dolphins, at best, neither of which build satellite dishes or space ships
and don't forget the phosphorous problem
please don't twist statistics to attempt to back up your personal opinion or belief, that isn't fair on your readers
More than ever we need to know where we are!
Matthew, you have a gift for breaking down material into concepts that can be understood. Love starting the day learning something new (and new words. septillion).
Great Piece !
your assertion that there is zero chance that we are alone in the universe, and even in our own galaxy, is wrong - you state it is statistically impossible that we are alone, that is wrong
you are clearly meaning that intelligent life exists out there, you aren't referring to basic life, you mean life like us
yes it is likely that there is life out there, but that does not mean that it is intelligent, life doesn't need intelligence to be successful (bacteria, the most intelligent living creature on earth - beetles are another example, extremely successful, but not intelligent), and it doesn't strive to achieve intelligence
and if life does evolve some sort of intelligence, it may be that we are the most intelligent species that exists (millions of species have existed on earth, and only one has achieved our level of intelligence, us - and even that only because of a large number of individual timely circumstances, the odds are AGAINST our level of intelligence evolving, not in favour of it forming), whilst other worlds have elephants and dolphins, at best, neither of which build satellite dishes or space ships
and don't forget the phosphorous problem
please don't twist statistics to attempt to back up your personal opinion or belief, that isn't fair on your readers
apart from that, very good article