The rare planet doctrine—the conclusion that Earth has many unique, apparently designed, features that enable it to support life and in particular advanced life—is now well established within the scientific community.
Extra-Terrestrials & UFOs |
SETIA Spectrum of Views on ETI4/1/1998 The “Christian position” on extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) has been a matter of debate since the time of Thomas Aquinas.1, 2 Scholars have taken sides for various biblical reasons. Those who believe ETI exists see it as a display of God’s omnipotence and creativity. Aliens From Another World? Getting Here From There4/1/2001 A rising challenge to Christianity, both within and beyond the borders of America, springs from the popular obsession with UFOs (unidentified flying objects) and ETI (extraterrestrial intelligent life). Design of the Solar System’s Gas Giants8/11/2008 New understanding of the solar system by team of five theoreticians from three different continents has produced even more evidence for the design of the solar system’s gas giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) for the benefit of advanced life on Earth. The masses and orbits of the solar system’s four gas giant planets are crucial for life on planet Earth. Does the Probability for ETI = 1?12/3/2007 Earlier this fall (September 25) I had a three-minute debate on Mancow’s Morning Madhouse, a nationally syndicated radio show, on the topic “Is there scientific evidence for intelligent life in the universe?” My debate opponent was Amir Aczel, a nationally known mathematician and best-selling author. Effect of Distant Orbiters on Habitability6/4/2007 Distant bodies in a planetary system are like some distant in-laws. Even when they live far away and never visit they can still cause lots of problems. Exotic Life Sites: The Feasibility of Far-Out Habitats10/1/2001 People often joke about the certainty of death and taxes. Astronomers can add another certainty to that short list: Sooner or later someone will ask, “What do you think about the possibility of life out there?” Milky Way Galaxy’s Tiny Black Hole9/1/2008 Through a variety of means astronomers have determined that a black hole exists at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. The latest and most definitive measurement puts the mass of that black hole at 3,6000,000 times the mass of the Sun. Search for Planets Draws a Blank4/1/2001 Is the universe really rife with life sites, as Carl Sagan asserted? Research data continues to shape an answer to this question, but the weight of evidence falls, thus far, on the negative side. The ever-optimistic naturalist must work harder and more imaginatively to keep up appearances—and hope. Search for the Sun’s Twin3/17/2008 The conclusion that Earth displays many unique, apparently designed, features that enable it to support life, and, in particular advanced life (known as the rare planet doctrine) is now well established within the scientific community. The discovery of over 270 extrasolar planets, combined with spacecraft missions to explore the outer solar system, likewise is beginning to establish the rare planetary system doctrine. Too Much Sulfur10/6/2008 Recent studies conducted on Venus and Mars illustrate just how carefully fine-tuned a planet’s abundance of sulfur must be for life to be possible. Sulfur plays a crucial role in life chemistry. This fact became personal for me a year ago when I was diagnosed as sulfur deficient. Many protein functions crucially depend on sulfur. Fortunately, most agricultural soils contain plenty of sulfur that vegetables, like onions and garlic, readily absorb. Vital Poisons2/1/1999 Perhaps you have noticed the addition of Food and Drug Administration warnings to packages of dietary supplements sold in drug and health food stores. If not, please do. These warning labels subtly announce dramatic new evidence for the divine design of life—and of the earth for sustaining life. Why We Need to Return to the Moon5/28/2007 I vividly recall sitting up all night with a dozen other astronomy students as we watched live on television the first men walk on the moon. The Apollo missions were more than just television spectaculars, however. The Apollo program helped us solve the mystery of the moon’s origin and helped establish how amazingly designed the moon is for the support of advanced life on Earth. Our books The Creator and the Cosmos and Origins of Life tell the story. SETIThe Best of Science News FlashHugh Ross, Fuz Rana, Jeff Zweerink, and Joe Aguirre Vatican: It's OK for Catholics to Believe in AliensAuthor: Ken Samples and Dr. Jeff Zweerink SETI |


