Possibility of Intelligent Life Elsewhere in the Universe

As it was once believed that Earth was the center of the universe and all else revolved around it, so have Earthlings believed from time immemorial that we are the only intelligent life in the universe. When Copernicus demonstrated that it was Earth that revolved around the Sun and not the reverse, discussions on the possibility of other earths revolving around other suns attracted new followers. The history of belief in such worlds is marked by ridicule and tragedy – Giordano Bruno was burned by the Church of Rome in the 17th century for his advocacy of the concept. Today, prominent scientists are openly and seriously studying methods to determine if there are other civilizations, and how to make contact with them. The reader should note that this field is quite different from the study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Many supporters of the thesis that there are other intelligent civilizations do not support the contention that they have visited Earth – of past and current thought on the possibility that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, together with discussions of the possible impacts of making contact with it.