Scientists: 100 million worlds may have complex alien life in our galaxy

[pocaracas]

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/scientists-100...587962152/

A group of international astronomers and astrobiologists have published new research that assesses the possibility of complex life on other worlds. Their calculation in the Milky Way alone is staggering: 100 million worlds in our home galaxy may harbor complex alien life. One. Hundred. Million.

It is a lot—although maybe a bit disappointing when you consider that a) there are 17 billion Earth-sized worlds in our galaxy alone and b) these worlds are likely to be too far away from us (unless we can get a warp drive.) Also keep in mind that, according to the authors, "this study does not indicate that complex life exists on that many planets [...] only the conditions to support [complex alien] life."

But, even with those considerations in mind, I find their estimation impressive. Especially when you consider that this is only one galaxy—and there are 500 billion of them in the Universe.

Playing with probabilities is fun!