A study carried out by the University of Nottingham points out that there may be more than 30 extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy . To reach this conclusion, the research evaluated the number of planets on which it would be possible for life to develop in a similar way as it did on Earth .
The prediction was made based on a theory that scientists have named the “ astrobiological Copernican limit .” It is a calculation that estimates the amount of time it would take for intelligent life to form on other planets.
According to this principle, which estimates an interval of 5 billion years for the development of thinking beings, they could predict the existence of 36 intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way . The research went further and estimated the average distance of these aliens to us: about 17,000 light-years.
Photo: Daniel Olah
This does not mean that aliens actually exist, only that scientists understand that there are favorable conditions for their formation on other planets. However, despite targeting the galaxy, the study may help to understand more about life on Earth.
“Our new research suggests that the search for intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations not only reveals the existence of how life forms, but also gives us clues to how long our own civilization will last. If we find intelligent life to be common, it would reveal that our civilization could exist for much longer than a few hundred years; alternatively, if we discover that there are no active civilizations in our galaxy, it bodes ill for our own long-term existence . ”
Read the full publication in The Astrophysical Journal , in English.
