How far are Extraterrestrial Life and Intelligence after Kepler?
The article discusses the statistical likelihood of life existing elsewhere in the universe given the vast number of exoplanets. One of the most important achievements of the work is that results of the Kepler mission significantly reduce the uncertainty in the astronomical parameters of the Drake equation: using a Drake-equation like formalism, the author derived an equation for the abundance of biotic planets as a function of the relatively modest uncertainty in the astronomical data and of the (yet unknown) probability for the evolution of biotic life. While Kepler has provided valuable data, the article points out that the technology for detecting biosignatures or technosignatures is still in its infancy. It discusses the concept of cosmic timescales, suggesting that civilizations may rise and fall over billions of years, meaning we might be looking at the wrong time, forcing us to rethink the search approach. The article advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, combining astronomy, biology, and even philosophy to better understand the conditions necessary for life and intelligence to develop. The article concludes by reiterating that while Kepler has laid the groundwork for understanding the potential for extraterrestrial life, the search for intelligence beyond Earth is still a complex and challenging endeavor. The quest remains not just a scientific challenge but also a philosophical one, prompting humanity to reflect on its place in the cosmos.