[Joe Hadenuf]

Within 10 years, an Earth-size planet -- the size that scientists consider the most likely to contain oceans and therefore life -- is expected to turn up in searches by two scheduled NASA probes. Astronomers hope to be able to detect life, or rule it out, in such places within 20 years.

They said earth size, earth like planet. They didn't say with people and freeways. A planet with life, and even civilizations is very possible. Just because we here on the tiny planet earth have not yet discovered it, does not mean it isn't so.

Exactly! That's what the Fermi Paradox argument says - there are no other civilizations in the galaxy.

I don't care what some guy on tiny planet earth says, he like everyone else, has not a clue if life actually exists in our galaxy or beyond. Not a clue. No one on this planet knows this. They can speculate, but that is all they are doing.

[alnitak]

I don't care what some guy on tiny planet earth says, he like everyone else, has not a clue if life actually exists in our galaxy or beyond. Not a clue. No one on this planet knows this. They can speculate, but that is all they are doing.

Actually, Fermi did have a "clue", which is that we don't see any evidence of other advanced civilizations in our galaxy. Fermi wasn't concerned with bacteria - you want the Drake Equation, see earlier posts. I actually think life will be widespread - but nothing much more advanced than an amoeba. I don't have the stats to hand, but I'm pretty sure that life on earth consisted of single cell organisms for 90% of the time.