Alien Life Discovered Soon?

Many astronomers involved in the search for extraterrestrial life and the discovery of planets beyond our solar system seem to be coalescing around a prediction that alien life will be found within twenty years. There is a difference in how the big event will come about, however. Some say SETI will succeed in finding a signal from an extraterrestrial civilization, while others say the find will more likely be of simple life forms on Mars, Europa, or Enceladus.

The more will learn about the cosmos, the more it seems to be that life is likely common throughout the universe. Still, twenty years is quite the prediction. The fact that several astronomers are willing to stand by that publicly may bespeak a quiet, considered confidence-- or it may mean that, once again, the universe will prove more complex than humans imagine.