In the Search for Life beyond Earth, the Only Constant Is Hope

image via New Scientist

August 19, 2025, 10:00 AM

The search for extraterrestrial life has been marked by periods of optimism and disappointment, starting with the misinterpretation of Martian canals. Early hopes for intelligent life on Mars were dashed by better observations and the Mariner 4 mission. Despite setbacks like the Fermi paradox and the failure of SETI to find definitive signals, discoveries of exoplanets and extremophiles have renewed interest in the possibility of finding life beyond Earth.

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