Since humans first gazed upwards, we’ve wondered whether extraterrestrial life exists.
Although science has revealed much about our Universe, life beyond Earth remains elusive.
These seven methods may first reveal extraterrestrial life’s existence.
1.) Direct discovery within our Solar System. Many worlds could possess simple, extant life.
Atmospheric, exospheric, surface, and subsurface examination could reveal extraterrestrial life forms.
2.) Fossilized, extinct, past life. Some worlds were more habitable long ago than today.
Ancient remnants of previous creatures could be unearthed via direct sampling.
3.) Biosignatures from transit spectroscopy. Living exoplanets should contain atmospheric bio-hints.
Filtered starlight could reveal those distinctive molecular signatures and abundances.
4.) Direct imaging reveals inhabited exoplanets. We’ll soon be capable of directly imaging terrestrial exoplanets.
Seasonally, changes in an exoplanet’s appearance could indicate life’s presence and ubiquity.
5.) Discovering technosignatures. Intelligent life can produce unnatural, unambiguously unique signatures.
From messages to megastructures to planetary modification, we’re actively hunting these technosignatures.
6.) Alien life could come to us. While intentional visitors are unlikely, serendipitous ones are possible.
Impacts and collisions send surface material spaceborne; their arrival could bring extraterrestrial stowaways.
7.) Laboratory creation of life. Synthesizing life from non-life would be revolutionary.
Unlocking life’s origins could universally decode its formula for arising.
Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words. Talk less; smile more.