We might be the only intelligent life in the universe, study says

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We might be the only intelligent life in the universe, according to a recent study made by a team of professors from Oxford University.

There is "a substantial probability that we are alone in our galaxy, and perhaps even in our observable universe (53 to 99.6 percent and 39 to 85 percent respectively)," said the study entitled "Dissolving the Fermi Paradox."

Dr. Anders Sandberg and his fellow researchers have examined the so-called "Fermi Paradox" – the conflict between the probability of alien life in space and the lack of evidence of such – and realized that the paradox itself and its supporting theories are somewhat flawed.

One of the supporting theories that the team challenged is the Drake equation, which says that because of the vast size of the universe, it is possible that there are a large number of civilizations somewhere out there, even if the probability of life elsewhere is small.

Extraterrestrial life in space could be less advanced than on Earth or simply no longer exist, said the study.

"One can answer the Fermi Paradox by saying intelligence is very rare, but then it needs to be tremendously rare," Sandberg told the space and astronomy news media Universe Today.

"Another possibility is that intelligence doesn't last very long, but it is enough that one civilization survives for it to become visible," Sandberg said.

"Whatever the answer is, it more or less has to be strange," he said.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency