Alien Life? Maybe Believers Were Right All Along

The editors at Bloomberg aren't exactly making the case that little green men are out there, but they think it's high time we all wrapped our heads around the possibility of alien life. Consider that just this week, a study found that billions of Earth-like planets exist, each with the theoretical ability to harbor life. "Isn’t it possible, as we learn more about the cosmos, that Trekkies, alien abductees and UFO conspiracy theorists were right all along?" the editors ask. "Which is to say, it is more rational to believe in alien life than it is to not believe in it."

That notion was largely dismissed in the scientific community only a generation ago, but it's gaining credibility there, too. This week's study could help in that it gives researchers a better sense of where to look, and of which planets seem the most likely candidates. A long shot? Of course, but the question of whether we're not alone "only grows more compelling, and more perplexing, with each new discovery." Click for the full editorial. (More extraterrestrial life stories.)