Signatures of Life: Science Searches the Universe

"What is the status of life and intelligence in the universe?" asks British science writer Ashpole (The UFO Phenomena) in this discussion of current methods in the search for extraterrestrial life. He summarizes the history of the search%E2%80%94primarily work from SETI, which he describes as "informed speculation with hardly any data in sight"%E2%80%94and addresses factors that explain why searches have not been successful to date given the high odds that life exists elsewhere. Among the possible reasons he enumerates for the lack of success are the eons of time and hundreds of planetary systems, the potential for aliens to possess technologies we are currently unable to understand, and the idea that intelligent aliens might not want to contact or communicate with us. Ashpole considers the difficulties of space travel for any life form as well as the requirements for a species%E2%80%99 success (diet, brain size, environment) which may limit the scope of space exploration, suggesting that robots would be far more practical for this purpose. Advising reliance on scientific methods over fantastical thinking, Ashpole urges us to continue "trying to discover the status of our lives and our world in the immensity of the universe." (Mar.)