Alien Life Could Soon Come Within Earth's Sight: Study

Life would spread across the universe like a viral epidemic, and within a generation it would be possible to detect signs of life on planets around distant stars, a new study claims.

Researchers at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggest Earth's scientists should look for patterns in the way life spreads. Researchers argue that life could perhaps spread in a such manner that Earth could be on the edge of the life bubble, with one half of the sky lined up with life containing planets while the other does not contain planets with life.

"In our theory clusters of life form, grow, and overlap like bubbles in a pot of boiling water," says lead author Henry Lin.

The big question is whether life can actually spread. The study hypothesizes that life could spread through asteroid or comets that strike a planet with life and cause some of its crust to be flung into deep space. If crust pieces contain life and find a habitable planet, life could take root.

Another interesting theory is that intelligent life not unlike humans could undertake interstellar travel to sow the seeds of life. Whatever the mechanism of life's spread, the study's authors suggest that life should spread fairly quickly to remain discernable. Else, the motion of stars in galaxies could prevent from detecting any patterns.