How would we react if such a discovery were announced tomorrow? We may already know the answer, because there have been many supposed discoveries of extraterrestrial life that were later challenged or disproven. From the fascination with Martian canals believed to be artificial structures, through the alleged detection of lichen spectra on Mars, mysterious radio signals, and intriguing structures found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001, to the recent claims surrounding the “algae planet” K2-18b. How did these claims arise, and can we ever be completely certain that we have found life beyond Earth?
Thursday 16. 7.
How Many Times Have We (Not) Found Alien Life?
13:00 – 13:45
THE BIG BANG STAGE
Are we alone in the Universe? Few questions capture the human imagination more than the search for life beyond Earth. And whenever someone claims that extraterrestrial life has finally been found, it inevitably attracts attention.
