Planets and the Possibility of Life beyond Earth
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.The question of whether life exists beyond Earth has intrigued humans throughout history. Millennia of speculation have fueled philosophy and also theology, as contemplations of the spiritual state of alien beings shed new light on our own. The relatively recent first scientific detections of planets outside of our solar system, followed by a surge in further exoplanet discoveries and study, are reinvigorating these ancient questions of life beyond Earth. Although extraterrestrial life has not yet been found, astronomy and cosmology are revealing a universe that is intrinsically connected to life, as stars generate the chemical building blocks needed for planets to form and life to thrive. Thus theology and religious expression today would do well to embrace these exciting scientific discoveries of countless planetary systems and the possibility of life in the broader universe, with the consequential enrichment of faith, worship, and awe.
Source: Zygon®
DOI: 10.16995/zygon.19785
Author: Jennifer J. Wiseman
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,630
OpenAlex ID: W4410719098