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September 26, 2004: Aliens in the Solar System - Dr. David Darling
Dr. David Darling explores the possibility that alien life may already exist within our own solar system, hidden in plain sight or in extreme environments we have only recently begun to understand. He examines evidence for microbial life on Mars, potential biospheres beneath the icy crusts of moons like Europa and Enceladus, and the implications of recent discoveries in astrobiology and planetary science. Darling addresses the philosophical and scientific challenges of defining life beyond Earth, arguing that our anthropocentric assumptions may limit our ability to recognize non-terrestrial intelligence. He discusses how cosmic panspermia, extremophile survival, and the limitations of past space missions could have caused researchers to overlook subtle biosignatures or technosignatures already present. He also critiques the SETI model of passive listening for alien radio signals, suggesting that intelligent life may not communicate in ways we expect.
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