Does Intelligent Life Exist Outside of Earth?

Does intelligent life exist outside of Earth somewhere else in the Universe?  We've never been contacted by intelligent life (sorry conspiracy theorists who think otherwise) and we've never contacted intelligent life that we know of.  However, it's still very likely that intelligent life exists somewhere outside of our own Solar System.  The Kepler spacecraft has produced a wealth of data that is quickly increasing the numbers of known planets outside of our own Solar System.  As of November 1, 2013, the number of confirmed planets outside of our Solar System stands at 1,038 and that number continues to increase every week.  Although the Kepler spacecraft is no longer in operation, there is a treasure trove of data that has yet to be analyzed.

A new report was just released by the NASA that says data/evidence shows there are at least 8.8 billion Earth-size planets in the habitable zone.

Milky Way Teeming with Earth-Like Planets

The term "habitable zone" is extremely exciting in this report.  These are planets that are the appropriate distance away from their star such that the temperature is right for liquid water to possibly exist.  This doesn't mean liquid water exists on the planet's surface, it just means that it is possible.  Where liquid water might exist, there is a chance that life, and possibly intelligent life, exists.  To me this is beyond exciting!  I'm convinced that there are many intelligent life populations that exist in our Galaxy, and many more that exist in the Universe.  The odds of intelligent life existing on any random planet are very low, but given there are 9 billion Earth-sized planets in habitable zones in our Galaxy alone (there are billions of galaxies in the Universe), there are certainly many planets with intelligent life in our Galaxy.  Will we ever make contact with them?  Who knows, but all signs point to them existing out there somewhere.

At some point your kids may ask you about life elsewhere in the Universe.  Share this, and other articles with them.  Who knows what we'll know in 10 years?!?!?