But how has this transition from what most people consider science fiction to a “serious scientific endeavor modelled by macroeconomists, funded by fiscal conservatives and discussed by theologians", came about?
The answer lies in a string of extraordinary discoveries over the past two decades. Suddenly the idea of alien life seems absurd no longer. Discovery now seems inevitable and possibly imminent.
It's just basic chemistry
Although life is a distinct kind of intricate chemistry, the elements involved are nothing special: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and so on are among the most abundant elements in the universe. Therefore, complex organic chemistry is surprisingly common than people imagine
Scientists have discovered amino acids, just like those that make up every protein in the human bodies, in the tails of comets. Other organic compounds in Martian soil have also been discovered. And 6,500 light years away a giant cloud of space alcohol floats among the stars.
In addition, planets that are considered habitable seem to be common as well in the universe. In 1995, a breakthrough occurred when the first planet beyond Earth’s Solar System was discovered. Following this discovery, astronomers catalogued thousands more such planets.
Building on the catalogue’s information, University of California, Berkeley astronomers figured out that “there could be as many as 40 billion Earth-sized exoplanets in the so-called 'habitable zone' around their star, where temperatures are mild enough for liquid water to exist on the surface”.