Is Extraterrestrial Life More Whimsical Than Plausible?

coondoggie writes "Princeton University researchers are throwing some cold water on the hot notion that astrobiologists and other scientists expect to one day find life on other planets. Recent discoveries of planets similar to Earth in size and proximity to the planets' respective suns have sparked scientific and public excitement about the possibility of also finding Earth-like life on those worlds, but the expectation that life — from bacteria to sentient beings — has or will develop on other planets as on Earth might be based more on optimism than scientific evidence."

Paywall ...

[Anonymous Coward]

is keeping us from discovering extraterrestrial life.

Re:It's not Optimism,

[noh8rz3]

on the one hand, the Bible doesn't say anythinga bout other worlds, but on the other hand, I think God would wnat there to be many worlds. So, a tossup?

Re:Some article links...

[daveschroeder]

I see you are either currently unemployed or otherwise uninterested in your life. Please go back to the hole you crawled into for the last few years.

No one likes you or your bullshit. Go. The. Fuck. Away. Douchebag.

The depth of intelligent discourse, the subtle give-and-take of reasoned debate — these are the reasons I love slashdot!

So in summary...

[pitchpipe]

Princeton University researchers are [speculating] on the [speculation] that astrobiologists and other scientists [speculate] to one day find life on other planets. Recent discoveries [...] have sparked [speculation] about the possibility of also finding Earth-like life on those worlds, but the [speculation] that life - from bacteria to sentient beings - has or will develop on other planets as on Earth might be based more on [speculation].

Re:Define Life?

[Americano]

Because if life doesn't look like us, there's no point in finding it. Seriously, do you want to have a hot makeout session with a 5-limbed cross between a cockroach and a slime mold from Rigel 7 No, of COURSE you don't.

You'd much rather do a little heavy petting with a light-green hottie with blonde hair and 4 boobs from Proxima Centauri. If Star Trek (and the Secret Service) have taught us anything, it's that getting it on with hot chicks in other places is pretty much the only reason to explore.

Re:Paywall ...

[jdgeorge]

...either he doesn't understand his own site's paywall, or it's one of the worst slashvertisements in a while...

Well, it wasn't blocked by Adblock, so I'd say it works pretty well.
Wait... does that "disable Advertising" checkbox remove things like this?

Re:It's not Optimism,

[Anonymous Coward]

We're talking Science here. Leave your absentee landlord out of it.

Re:Define Life?

[moderatorrater]

do you want to have a hot makeout session with a 5-limbed cross between a cockroach and a slime mold from Rigel 7

Oh, like your taste in women is so great.

Re:Define Life?

[KlomDark]

There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. That they may have been the architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens.

Re:It's not Optimism,

[TheRaven64]

Reading the bible, it's clear that God is deeply insecure and has about the emotional maturity of a two year old right through the old testament. In the new testament he gets laid and turns into a hippy.

Re:Paywall ...

[LifesABeach]

I was reminded of what Carl Sagen said of Princeton University researchers, "It's an awful waste of space."