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Is There Other Life In The
Universe? "
Absence of evidence is not
evidence of absence."
-Carl Sagan
Abstract:
There are a vast number of
stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy and other galaxies in the Universe.
To think that we alone are all that exists of life in the Universe
is an assumption that cannot yet be accurately made. Many feel that
life on other planets may very well exist throughout our galaxy, whether
it be intelligent or not. Carl Sagan once said, "our
planet is <just> a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark.
In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will
come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves."
Life on earth is diverse, intriguing, and all that we presently know of
what life is. We have only just developed radio communication which
is sending evidence of our existence out into all parts of space at the
speed of light. First I will describe the Drake Equation and the
implications that it holds. Next, I will address what is required
for the existence of life on other planets from what we know of in our
own solar system. I also will cover briefly how the formation of
planets around a star is being observed and how the formation of planets
is gradually being believed to be fairly normal. Finally, in the
focus of my presentation I will explain how we are attempting to
detect and make contact with other intelligent forms of life and some of
my own thoughts on the subject.
Note: Many philosphical
theological discussions can be addressed on the implications that life
does exist on other worlds. I will not be addressing them here.
I also will not be addressing the unlikely possiblity that we have been
visited by E.T.I. Which I personally believe to be false in all proposed
cases.
See the Interim
Report
Go to the Full Text of Final
Report
Outline:
I. Introduction
A.
The
Drake Equation
B. How it
is constructed
C. Accuracy
II. What
is neccessary in order for life to exist?
A. Three main things
B. Habitable Zone
C. Comets
D. Organic Compounds
E. Evolutionary Questions???
III. Formation
of Planets
A. How they form
B. Recent Observations
C. Effect on The Drake Equation
IV. Possibility of Life in
our Own Solar System
A. Earth
B. Mars
C. Europa
(moon of Jupiter)
V. SETI
and other searches for E.T.I.
A. What is SETI?
B. How does it work?
C. What do we hope to find?
VI. Own
theories
VII. Observations
VIII. Conclusion
Bibliography
Web Resources List:
Current
Knowledge On AstroBiology
NASA on
Astrobiology
The
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Keppler
Mission
Astrobiology
Web
Article
I on SETI from Scientific American
Article
II on STI from Scientific American
What
is SETI?
More
SETI
Even More SETI
Carl
Sagan Essay on SETI
SETI Institute
Optical
SETI
Useful Links:
Astronomy Home
Page
Evergreen Home Page
Washington Home Page
Fun Links
Tribute
To Carl Sagan
Quotes By
Sagan
Earth, A Pale
Blue Dot
The Planetary Society
SETI-Quest Magazine
Last Updated:
6/01/98
Page Created
By: Cy Berryman
E-mail:
cyrusb@rocketmail.com