Why Searching For E.T. Is Good For Humanity Even If They Don’t Exist

Contrary to what conspiracy theorists might claim, there has never been any solid evidence that there is life beyond Earth. There are several possible planets where life could exist, but so far, no alien life form has ever been found. In fact, it’s quite possible that humans will never find extra-terrestrials. Despite this, scientists argue that searching for aliens is still beneficial for humanity.

In the study, Widening perspectives: the intellectual and social benefits of astrobiology (regardless of whether extraterrestrial life is discovered or not), scientists assert that there are other advantages to searching for aliens aside from actually finding them. It all has something to do with Astrobiology, which has an impact on worldview.

“Astrobiology is usually defined as the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the Universe,” the paper’s Abstract reads. “As such it is inherently interdisciplinary and cannot help but engender a worldview infused by cosmic and evolutionary perspectives. Both these attributes of the study of astrobiology are, and will increasingly prove to be, beneficial to society regardless of whether extraterrestrial life is discovered or not.”

The field necessarily involves quite a bit of effort and devotion of resources by its very nature. Some of the investments that apply to the study of Astrobiology include the famous Moon Landing and sending rovers to Mars.

All of these endeavors cost billions of dollars, but they have served humanity well as a result. As Futurism notes, the search for E.T. has advanced 21st-century science to the point where fields have a broader perspective instead of being highly specialized.

Astrobiology also helped to create some of the most useful modern tools and amenities available today, including smartphones and computers. This is why, no matter how likely it is that humans will never encounter beings from another world, searching for them is still important.