What if there other earths out there?

  • Thread starter tabloid
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In summary: I think that if intelligent life is found, it will force religion to adapt as to how it interacts with such beings.There is no one answer to this question. Like everything else in life, there will be those who enjoy the novelty of new information and those who will cling to the familiar. Although I do not agree with some of the practices that some religions have, I do not believe that discovering intelligent life would shatter the foundation of religion on this planet. Mankind has a tendency to want to believe that there is some underlying reason for our existence, even when there isn't.
  • #1
tabloid
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keplers mission is to find other planets similar to earth.How would it affect religion here on Earth if such discoveries are made?
 
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  • #2
tabloid said:
keplers mission is to find other planets similar to earth.How would it affect religion here on Earth if such discoveries are made?
No effect at all. Why would they have a problem with it?
 
  • #3
Eh the question is how many people will even notice or understand exactly what the mission will find.
 
  • #4
The mission will find a rocky, terrestrial planet. I can't think of a single religion on the planet that would have any problem with that.

I wonder of the OP wanted to know what they might think if they found intelligent life on a distant planet.

To which the response is: the chances are so astronomically unlikely that you might as well count of the second or third coming of Christ first.
 
  • #5
DaveC426913 said:
The mission will find a rocky, terrestrial planet. I can't think of a single religion on the planet that would have any problem with that.

I wonder of the OP wanted to know what they might think if they found intelligent life on a distant planet.

To which the response is: the chances are so astronomically unlikely that you might as well count of the second or third coming of Christ first.

how do you go about calculating those chances?
 
  • #6
Pythagorean said:
how do you go about calculating those chances?
You don't. You guess. (But we are pretty confident it's very, very low).

The Drake Equation is the most well-known attempt to mold this into a formula.
 
  • #7
Yeah, it would be highly improbable that they would find intelligent life. Even if we did survive on Earth long enough to discover intelligent life/signs of evolution elsewhere I am sure science will have advanced so far that religion would be a thing of the past, just like the fall of all other ancient civilizations, cultures and religions. However my money is on "civilization" collapsing before any discoveries of intelligent life are made. Which is kind of ironic, we are intelligent enough to search for other intelligent life, but not intelligent enough to ensure survival for our own race, on our own planet.
 
  • #8
Thrilho said:
...I am sure science will have advanced so far that religion would be a thing of the past, just like the fall of all other ancient civilizations, cultures and religions...
I wouldn't count on that. How many major religions exactly would you say have "fallen"? Methinks they're actually growing.
 
  • #9
Our destructive capabilities have already outgrown our common sense. We might have a few hundred years, or a few decades left to avert suicide. Now is the the most critical time in human history. We need to reach out to every human on this planet and forge common bonds. Acceptance, not conflict, is our future. Do we need an alien threat to stir us into action? i hope not.
 
  • #10
PHP: 
The mission will find a rocky, terrestrial planet. I can't think of a single religion on the planet that would have any problem with that.

some religions get easily intimidated when pple try to know more about God or look for answers that no one has.About the mission itself of finding a rocky terrestrial planet,i think the mission would end up creating a huge database of planets but what they still can't detect is water.Remember NASA has spent years tryin to figure out if there's water on Mars alone.
 
  • #11
DaveC426913 said:
The mission will find a rocky, terrestrial planet. I can't think of a single religion on the planet that would have any problem with that.

I wonder of the OP wanted to know what they might think if they found intelligent life on a distant planet.

To which the response is: the chances are so astronomically unlikely that you might as well count of the second or third coming of Christ first.

What about the anthropic principle? What exactly makes finding life elsewhere so unlikely?
 
  • #12
tabloid said:
keplers mission is to find other planets similar to earth.How would it affect religion here on Earth if such discoveries are made?

I believe that many individuals want to believe that there is an underlying reasoning for their existence. Recently, I have read some parts of a religious text (won't mention it due to guidelines) that was written a couple millennium ago and I found so many contradictions in regards to what the "objective" nature of science has taught us. Subsequently, some missionaries knocked on my front door and attempted to sell their religion. The funny thing was that their religion was based on the text that I had just read and had a new and modern scripture recorded by a prophet that existed less than two centuries ago. So, my guess is that if we find any life, even intelligent life, religion will evolve to accommodate and explain such scenarios.
 
  • #13
buffordboy23 said:
my guess is that if we find any life, even intelligent life, religion will evolve to accommodate and explain such scenarios.

I agree. Science may eventually grow enough that religion ceases to exist, but I don't think that is any time soon. And I certainly don't think finding another Earth-like planet would cause much harm to religion. Some may be persuaded that their religious convictions are wrong, but I still find it unlikely that religion as a whole would suffer any clear impact.
 
  • #14
One of the newest religions is based on belief in aliens and alien civilizations. :-/
 

1. What is the likelihood of there being other Earth-like planets in the universe?

While it is impossible to say for sure, many scientists believe that the conditions necessary for life to exist on Earth are not unique. With the vast number of planets in the universe, it is highly likely that there are other Earth-like planets out there.

2. How do scientists search for other Earth-like planets?

Scientists use a variety of methods to search for other Earth-like planets. One common method is to look for planets orbiting other stars, known as exoplanets. This can be done through telescopes and by analyzing data from space missions. Scientists also use techniques such as measuring the wobble of stars or observing the dimming of light from a star as a planet passes in front of it.

3. Can other Earth-like planets support life?

Potentially, yes. While we cannot say for certain without further exploration and research, some other planets may have the right conditions to support life. These conditions include a similar atmosphere, liquid water, and a stable temperature range.

4. What would it mean if we found other Earth-like planets?

The discovery of other Earth-like planets would be groundbreaking for our understanding of the universe and our place in it. It could also give us insights into the origins of life and the potential for life to exist elsewhere. Additionally, it could lead to further exploration and the possibility of one day visiting these planets.

5. How would the discovery of other Earth-like planets impact society?

The discovery of other Earth-like planets could have significant impacts on society, both scientifically and culturally. It could challenge our notions of our own uniqueness and place in the universe. It could also open up new possibilities for space exploration and potentially even lead to the discovery of extraterrestrial life.

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