The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Galaxy: A Numerical Audit of the Rare Earth Hypothesis
“If some god-like being could be given the opportunity to plan a sequence of events with the express goal of duplicating our "Garden of Eden," that power would face a formidable task. With the best intentions, but limited by natural laws and materials, it is unlikely that Earth could ever be truly replicated. Too many processes in its formation involved sheer luck.” - Peter Ward Job 38 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? -God The question of whether we are alone in the universe has migrated from the realm of philosophy to the rigorous domain of computational astrophysics. One of the most significant contributions to this shift is the numerical testing of the "Rare Earth Hypothesis" (REH). This hypothesis suggests that while microbial life might be common, the evolution of complex...