The presence and existence of alien life have lately been a hot topic for all. More so because of the frequent UFO sightings that took place in the recent days. Contrary to earlier beliefs, recent NASA discoveries indicate that finding alien life in our solar system is more than possible.
For a better picture on the subject, Daily Caller News Foundation had a discussion with the director of NASA's Astrobiology Institute, Dr. Penelope Boston and Dr. Seth Shostak, who is a senior astronomer at Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence. They revealed the top five places in the solar system that can harbor alien life.
1. Mars
Mars is extremely big when it comes to finding alien life on the "Red Planet." NASA's research suggests that Mars has the potential to support life as NASA-sponsored geologists have found hydrogen on Mars, which is an essential component for supporting life. Possibly, like the earthquake, mars can also produce more hydrogen with 'Marsquake' thereby making it more habitable in times to come.
2. Europa
Scientists feel that Europa is another place, which is most likely to support alien life.
The reason stated by the researchers is that the icy Jupiter's moon has a liquid interior, which is more favorable for life, even more than Mars.
With the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA found evidence for water ice plumes which scientists feel is due to the salty and watery oceans, like that of Earth's.
Moreover, with 'The Europa Clipper' NASA wants to investigate the potential that Europa has for human life as well as for human colonization.
3. Enceladus
Another excellent place that NASA suggests favorable for alien life is Enceladus, Saturn's moon.
Boston states that unlike the vast Europa, Enceladus is much smaller in size, but it is likely that it also has a subsurface ocean, which reaches near-boiling temperature, thereby providing more energy for life. However, this is yet to be confirmed and Boston suggests that even if there is no life, a lot about pre-biotic chemistry can be learned.
4. Proxima b
In August, the 'second Earth' was discovered by astronauts and it is the second closest star to Earth, after the sun, Proxima Centauri.
The region, in which Proxima b is, makes it favorable to find water on the surface of the planet. Also, it is tidally locked, which means that one side of the planet is constantly facing the sun and the other is constantly dark, which further makes it favorable for life.
However, scientists are not yet sure whether Proxima b has a magnetosphere or an atmosphere, but speculations are high about the likelihood of life on the planet.
5. KIC 8462852
Last October, scientists of Yale University, using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope found evidence of extraterrestrial civilization. Much to the delight of astronomers, the star KIC 8462852 had light patterns that were consistent with large masses that blocked the star's light.
It is speculated by the scientists that the dense formations near KIC 8462852 are identical to "Dyson Spheres," which is a hypothetical, energy-harvesting mega structure, that aliens possibly build by repositioning their solar system.
Notably, scientists feel that in the history of the universe, there are about 10 billion alien civilizations. The existence of alien life will require more and more men being sent to the space to look for more civilization and also larger telescopes to find oxygen or methane around the atmospheres of planets around other stars.
