Exploring the Probability of Finding Life in Outer Space: A Convergence of Science and Religion

  • BELAY SITOTAW GOSHU Department of Physics, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Keywords: Probability; Astrobiology; Science; Religion; Space; Convergence

Abstract

The search for alien life has captivated people's interest for ages, provoking scientific research, philosophical reflection, and prevalent speculation. This multidisciplinary study explores the possibility of finding life in space by integrating astronomy, astrobiology, philosophy, and theology. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges associated with searching for biosignatures, habitability, and the origins of life on Earth. The findings suggest that the galaxy has a potentially habitable exoplanet, making them motivating candidates for additional study. While spectroscopic approaches show promise in finding biosignature chemicals in exoplanet atmospheres, studies of extremophiles shed light on the conditions necessary for life to begin and flourish. It is vital to advance public engagement and education, foster international cooperation, and intensify observational activities. Interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion are crucial to understanding the societal, cultural, and ethical ramifications. The search for alien life, which is still one of humanity's continual efforts to understand the universe and our role in it, is one of the most significant and enduring issues of our day. Through collaborative efforts and persistent inquiry, we might discover evidence of life beyond Earth, fundamentally changing our understanding of the cosmos.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abegaz, B., Asfaw, T., & Kassa, T. (2017). Astronomy and Space Science Education in Ethiopia: Challenges and Prospects. In B. Belete (Ed.), The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture (pp. 171-182). Springer.

Bayrak, Ö. (2016). The Arabic Influence on Northern Anatolian Popular Astronomy: Ancient Synthesis and New Horizons. Springer.

Birrell, A. (1993). Chinese Mythology: An Introduction. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Boyce, M. (1983). A History of Zoroastrianism: Volume One: The Early Period. Brill.

Bulcha, M. (2002). The Role of Oromo Oral Literature in Preserving Oromo Culture in Ethiopia. In G. Biffa & E. Adugna (Eds.), Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference of Ethiopian Studies (pp. 293-302). Addis Ababa University.

Chittick, W. C. (1983). The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi. State University of New York Press.

Csicsery-Ronay Jr., I. (2008). The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press.

Crossley-Holland, K. (1993). The Norse Myths. Pantheon Books.

Davies, P. C. W. (2016). The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Davies, P. (2010). The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Dick, S. J. (1999). The Biological Universe: The Twentieth-Century Extraterrestrial Life Debate and the Limits of Science. Cambridge University Press.

Dressing, C. D., & Charbonneau, D. (2015). The Occurrence of Potentially Habitable Planets Orbiting M Dwarfs Estimated from the Full Kepler Dataset and an Empirical Measurement of the Detection Sensitivity. The Astrophysical Journal, 807(1), 45.

Fischer, D. A., & Valenti, J. (2005). The Planet-Metallicity Correlation. The Astrophysical Journal, 622(2), 1102-1117.

Gilbert, W. (1986). The RNA world. Nature, 319(6055), 618.

George, A. R. (2003). The Epic of Gilgamesh. Penguin Classics.

Graves, R. (1992). The Greek Myths. Penguin Books.

Grant, E. (1994). Planets, Stars, and Orbs: The Medieval Cosmos, 1200–1687. Cambridge University Press.

Grasset, O., Castillo-Rogez, J., Guillot, T., Fletcher, L. N., & Tosi, F. (2020). Europa’s Ocean: An Update of the Current Knowledge and Future Missions. Space Science Reviews, 216(4), 80.

Hannam, J. (2009). God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science. Icon Books.

Hassen, M. (2015). The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History, 1570-1860. Red Sea Press.

Heller, R., & Barnes, R. (2013). Exomoon habitability is constrained by energy flux and orbital stability. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 770(2), L16.

Hultkrantz, Å. (1996). Native Religions of North America: The Power of Visions and Fertility. Harper Collins.

Kant, I. (1755). Universal Natural History and Theory of the Heavens. The University of Michigan.

Kirsch, J. (2006). A History of the End of the World: How the Most Controversial Book in the Bible Changed the Course of Western Civilization. HarperOne.

Kellner, D. (2010). Cinema Wars: Hollywood Film and Politics in the Bush-Cheney Era. John Wiley & Sons.

Koestler, A. (1959). The Sleepwalkers: A History of Man's Changing Vision of the Universe. Penguin Books.

Kopparapu, R. K., Ramirez, R., Kasting, J. F., Eymet, V., Robinson, T. D., Mahadevan, S., & Domagal-Goldman, S. (2013). Habitable zones around main-sequence stars: new estimates. The Astrophysical Journal, 765(2), 131.

Kraemer, J. L. (2008). Maimonides: The Life and World of One of Civilization's Greatest Minds. Random House.

Lehner, M. (2008). The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries. Thames & Hudson.

McGrath, A. (2014). The Big Question: Why We Can't Stop Talking About Science, Faith and God. Hodder & Stoughton.

Miller, S. L. (1953). A production of amino acids under possible primitive earth conditions. Science, 117(3046), 528–529.

Mohammed, A. (2007). The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History, 1570-1860. Red Sea Press.

Plato. (360 BCE). Timaeus. (B. Jowett, Trans.). Internet Classics Archive.

Romer, J. (2012). A History of Ancient Egypt: From the First Farmers to the Great Pyramid. Penguin Books.

Sagan, C. (1994). Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Ballantine Books.

Schimmel, A. (1992). Mystical Dimensions of Islam. University of North Carolina Press.

Schafer, E. H. (1963). The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of T'ang Exotics. University of California Press.

Schopf, J. W., & Klein, C. (2018). The Cradle of Life: The Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils. Princeton University Press.

Seager, S., Bains, W., & Petkowski, J. J. (2016). Toward a List of Molecules as Potential Biosignature Gases for the Search for Life on Exoplanets and Applications to Terrestrial Biochemistry. Astrobiology, 16(6), 465–485.

Seager, S., & Bains, W. (2015). Toward a List of Molecules as Potential Biosignature Gases for the Search for Life on Exoplanets and Applications to Terrestrial Biochemistry. Astrobiology, 16(6), 465–485.

Seager, S. (2013). Exoplanet Habitability. Science, 340(6132), 577-581.

Trimingham, J. S. (1952). Islam in Ethiopia. Oxford University Press.

Voltaire. (1752). Micromégas. Available online: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4653

Wächtershäuser, G. (1988). Before enzymes and templates: theory of surface metabolism. Microbiology Reviews, 52(4), 452-484.

Werner, E. T. C. (1922). Myths and Legends of China. George G. Harrap & Company.

Westman, R. S. (2011). The Copernican Question: Prognostication, Skepticism, and Celestial Order. University of California Press.

Wilkinson, R. H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson.

Wilkinson, R. H. (2016). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson.

Wu, C. (2012). Journey to the West: Volume 1. (University of Chicago Press).

Published
2024-06-14
How to Cite
BELAY SITOTAW GOSHU. (2024). Exploring the Probability of Finding Life in Outer Space: A Convergence of Science and Religion. Britain International of Humanities and Social Sciences (BIoHS) Journal, 6(2), 106-121. https://doi.org/10.33258/biohs.v6i2.1111