If some day humans found some signs of life on other planets, what would be the benefits to humans?
540557
The benefit is that we would know that life in the universe is a process that can occur sponaneously (i.e. without divine intervention) and that we are not alone in the universe. This matters because this knowledge will help shape our "world view" and belief systems. We will need to re-examine and re-adjust our beliefs of our place in the universe. Hopefully, we would also start to look at ourselves as one people rather than many races, and many nations, and work together and learn to share the only place we call home in the universe.
807557
It's hardly surprising that we can see no sign of life out there.  Views of Earth taken from unmanned explorer craft like Voyager taken from within our own solar system show no signs of life either. If you can't see elephants, whales or even forests from only a few million miles away then looking at hazy dots that are planets thousands of light years away expecting to see obvious signs of life is a bit optimistic.\n\nIn addition, given the size of the Universe we can hardly claim to have looked everywhere whilst at the same time it seems inconceivable that some form of life has not evolved somewhere else.\n\nSpectroscopic analysis of stellar nebulae and other "gas clouds" in deep space has revealed the existence of basic organic compounds such as amino acids which are regarded as fundamental building blocks of all living things here on Earth. So if life itself hasn't been located elsewhere, some of the prerequisite precursors certainly have.\n\nThere are also several "fossils" found on meteorites believed to have come from Mars which may or may not prove to be the remains of living things which originated on Mars.
91585
Well we are rather accustomed to the current orbit.  I personally would find life in either mercury's or pluto's orbit a tiny bit trying, and yes, probably life-shortening.
610320
Come to think of it... we all know that our planet is an insignificant speck circling an ordinary star, far out on a spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is an ordinary congress of a few HUNDRED BILLION stars among at least a HUNDRED BILLION GALAXIES!!!\nWe are still the only intilligent life we know of anywhere. But now humankind has taken a dramatic leap towards a possible demotion. Planet-hunting scientists and astronomers world wide are refining their technique in detecting other planets in far off stars & galaxies. who knows that one day, we may be able to find a world that is much like ours?\nFor now, humanity can bask in its special status as the only life known to be contemplating such questions. Many scientists predicts that this distinction, too, will crumble. But the search for other worlds is not only a quest for kindred intelligenc. it is also about the destiny of human species. Where are we going to be a hundred million years from now? Where will we go, and how will we get there? And how will it change who we are? _end
104729
If by human-like you mean intelligent, then yeah, it's almost certain that there either has been, is, or will be other, or many other intelligent life in this universe. \n\nThe saddest part of living in this massive universe is that another intelligent civilisation could have existed, learned to travel at the speed of light, visited thousands of star systems, and then became extinct, all before the first dinosaur even existed. And there's a decent chance that after all that exploring they may never have found any evidence of another intelligent species.
82957
Maybe. It seems that in a universe filled with billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars, each with a potential to have a planet with life around it, that at least a few other planets would have to have life. It is not reasonable to suppose this is the only one where this ever happened. \n\nHowever, you asked about "creatures like humans". This is possible, but no where near as likely as there simply being "life" on other planets. The forces of natural selection ("evolution") can develop life in a myriad of possible shapes, and there is no guarantee that human-like lifeforms will evolve anywhere else. By some points of view, it is virtually impossible since a great many events happened over billions of years that resulted in us looking like we do. There might be life out there, and even intelligent life, but it is probably very different from us. \n\nHowever, another way to look at it finds the possibility that there is life like humans out there. Think about this: how many ways are there to get around: swimming, crawling, brachiating (swinging from trees), flying, walking. Maybe there are a few more that we don't see on Earth. Legs are one of the best ways of getting around, so it seems likely that, if there are many different worlds with life, a large proportion of those worlds have creatures with legs. This same logic applies to arms and hands--how many effective ways are there for manipulation of objects? Tentacles, cilia-like graspers, lobster claws, hands, and probably more. Still, something like hands at the end of flexible or jointed extensions like arms is a very good means of allowing a creature to grab things and shape them, so it seems likely that something hand-like will also appear. And then there are the obvious advantages of having the head on top of the body, for standing upright, for having two eyes set horizontally, etc... \n\nWhat I am getting at here is that there might be a million million ways that lifeforms can be shaped, but perhaps there are only a limited number of forms capable of inventing and building cities or ships or plows etc... Since the ability to create these things have such obvious advantages, life might often be "channeled" by the force of natural selection into the forms that allow technology, and therefore a human-like form might be seen more than just here on Earth.
1011457
Exactly... nobody knows if theres life on other planets and its actually quite ignorant for people to believe that we are so superior that we are the only life on the universe.\n\nLife requires certain things to occur in order if its going to happen.  I can go on about this for hours... first things first... life in its simpliest for are anything that are self replicating.  It requires a perfect solvent for biological reactions.  Water is great since the properties of water surpass all others.  this is why you here NASA is trying to search for traces of water on mars... because with water and the right conditions, anything could happen.\n\nCurrently, theres only a limited number of known planets besides the ones in our solar system...  other planets outside our solar systems are hard to detect since they do not emit light of any source so they can no be seen.  The other planets are discovered by the wobble effects of the stars (look it up).  We do not know how many planets per star nor the types of planets they are (more than likely with this method, they have to be very massive like jupiter).
651352
A rather large benefit is that of Satellites - without them the world wide web, global communication, weather prediction and at least recognizing pollution as a problem would, if they existed at all, be far less advanced.\n\nIt can also be said that the advance of computer technology has been  partially due to the requirements of space travel.\n\nApart from all these obvious scientific advances the social realization achieved when seeing how small earth is maybe helped in world politics: the realization that it is one tiny little planet helped knock the wind out of national pride and build towards international co-operation. (a bit... not that much though, some people just have thick skulls).
636490
Life on other planets\nMeanings of the things\nLife\nEverything\nNothing\nGod\nDemons\n\nAnd so on…\n\nThe most important may be the exact answer for your question ;-)
1107979
Definitely.  In only a few billion years our sun will expand and make our planet uninhabitable.  Long before that things will get very difficult for life on this planet.  Evolution of communities of organisms that can travel interstellarly is essentially impossible without intelligence.  The only real way for this experiment in complex life to persist in this universe will be through the actions taken by humans and posthuman intelligent life.  Without the evolution of intelligence, life is doomed to live out a fairly short span of time relative to the duration of the universe in its current life-friendly status.
1037252
If you are referring to other planets that are habitable, I believe that mathematically there has to be intelligent life in other parts of the universe. Here is why.\n\n1. The Hubble Telescope estimates that there are 125 billion galaxies.\n2. Each galaxy has roughly 100 billon stars.\n3. If even 1% of those have planets and only 1% of those are habitable and only 1% of those have life, the odds are high.\n\nThe odds are extremely favorable for there to be extraterrestrial life. \n\nOne can use Drake's equation to calculate the chance of life in our galaxy. Multiply that result times the number of galaxies. See the second link below.\n\nA totally different question would be whether or not we would actually interact with extraterrestrials...\n\nI will leave that one to another Y! Answers Question
1041987
Yes!  I think it could most definitely happen to us.  One would have to be very naive and simple-minded to think it could not happen.  Many people don't let current FACTS actually sink into their brain.  There are so many conditions on other planets that are habitable for small organisms.  Certain bacteria(extremophiles) thrive on extreme living conditions.  That is how life started on our planet, and if nothing else there are definitely other forms of life elsewhere.  But still, someone would have to be so self involved to think that there couldn't possibly be a other life form of superior intelligence.
453459
yes.  Here is a post of mine with the info on it about life outside our planet, maybe even in our solar system.  Be aware:  Most planets we found are "hot jupiturs", which are jupitur sized gas giants with temperatutres about 1300F at average.  \n\nThere is a possibility.\n\nI have done PLENTY of research in astronomy. I just am so into it. Anyway, I beleive yes, and my reasons:\n\nEarth itself seems perfect. Perfect climate, actaul liquid water, etc. But did you know animals (and I mean animals, not bacteria) could adapt over time to certain places? For instance, In Jupitur, there might be life. The appearence: Most planets are gas giants, and they need to be able to withstand a good amount of temperature (We are alomst guarenteed the only solar system with rocky planets and temperatures colder than 1300F on average). This would be the perfect place for, as the books described as, Floaters And Swordtails. Floaters kinda would be blimps. They would be organisms flying in the perfect temperature zone and flying with the baloons on their back. However, a sword tail would come. Using its super wings, it can fly lightning fast. Its sharp beak lets it tear right through the floater for food.\n\nOn EUropa:\nOn jupiturs smallest of the Gallelaio moons, there is a greater chance of having life than mars. The reason: Ice flows cover the surface. The ice flow tend to crack, bu recover. The process is also found on earth, and is now beleived that liquid water lies under the flow.\n\nThe appearance of life:\nSkating on the ice on Europa, An unnamed organism skates around, using its green body to undergo photosynthesis to produce food. Because It needs no air and makes food like plants, they need no mouths.\n\nVenus (What most planets moons probibly look like):\nOn a hot planet like venus, you need to survive insane temperatures. Eating rocks would also be good, for the fact that its mostly the only thing on the planet. Oh, and leave out the need for water. They cant get any there. \n\nThe appearence: \nStanding on the scraps of a russian probe, an oucher-poucher stands on 1 foot to avoid the insane heat, eating the scraps of the ship. The oucher pouncher needs no water, so it doesnt need hydration. Its body is also meant to withstand any type of pressure, for 90x earths pressure would surely crush it normally. \n\nPluto:\nPluto is made up of all types of ice. water, dry, though mainly methane. So drinking, again, is out of the picture. They might beable you suck moisture though. The sun is to far away for solar energy, so you can slash out all photosynthesis.\nThe appearence:\nPlutonian zittsles are almost small ice chunks with legs. They are able to last in temperatures in the climates back in the far end of the solar system. In the morning, they do whatever they can to stay cold, for they feel that -234C is almost the exact same as 103F for us. At night, they really get going. They send waves to eachother to communicate while the atmosphere is still up. When they really are energetic, they can spring in the air up to 30 feet. They use tiny mouths under them to suck moisture from the ice. They think that pluto is the only place for life; Everywhere else is to hot. \n\nTitan:\nTitan is the only moon that we know of that can support life. Its atmosphere is composed of mainly nitrogen, similar to ours. So it does have a green house effect. The ground is covered with ice, so they have to eat that for water. Also, they would need to keep warm, since although its not extremem temperatures, its really cold.\n\nThe appearence:\nBear-like Stovebellies are creatures living on titan. To keep warm, they have several features. They have a huge HUGE fur coat. The eat ice for moisture and to cool the ground the stand on. They also have a unique adaptaion to beath fire and fart out heat to go soaring. Salafishes, amphibious organisms, share a mutalion relation ship with stovebellies. They clear out ice blocks and act almost as dentistds for st
1077788
Life on other planets is possible. Think about the billion other planets out there. Scientist have discovered that there are other planets capable of sustaining life, even if there weren't, plants can grow in space, therefore ecosystems can be built on other planets to produce oxygen. How long will it take us? As long as we realize we are all humans and we stop fighting over oil and money.
632331
Yes, but not only that, planets in this galaxy, and also planets or moons in our solar system. Intellegent life, perhaps a great deal more rare.\n\nIn our lifetime (well, you younger ones anyway), I predict we will learn that Europa, Titan and possibly other moons sustain simple life forms. Extreme biology on earth has demonstrated that all simple life needs to survive is an energy source. It doesn't have to be the sun. It can be thermal venting or friction from plate techtonics. It exists under the ice in Antarctica and miles under the sea in pitch blackness.\n\nLife- ubiquitous. Intelligent life - far less so.
664893
When you learn that other humans exist on this planet besides YOU.
1152640
While I agree with other people here that we should take better care of our planet, eventually the Earth will be destroyed.  Even if all comets and planet-killing asteroids miss us, the sun will eventually expand into a red giant and engulf the Earth.   Though that isn't likely to happen for possibly another billion years, it will eventually happen.\n\nThat being said, the more planets that we as a species inhabit, the greater our chance of survival.  Especially when we consider the possibility of colonizing other worlds in distant solar systems.  The endeavor will not be an easy one, and is indeed not possible at our current level of technology.  However technology may eventually advance that allows us to traverse great distances of space in but a few moments, perhaps through the creation of artificial wormholes.  Maybe we'll be lucky enough to see it in our lifetime.