
So, it is clear that there is plenty of potential life-harboring planets, but how likely is it that life is actually there? I direct to your attention the water bears, or tardigrades. Tardigrades can survive a remarkable variety of conditions on Earth, including extremes of starvation, temperature, dessication, and radiation. Previously, only lichen and bacteria were known to be able to survive exposure to the vacuum and radiation of space, but apparently water bears can survive for at least ten days and still produce viable offspring.
So, in the opinion of this humble blogger (All right, I'm not so humble.) given the incredible adaptability of life, coupled with apparently numerous Earth-like exoplanets, it is not only possible, but downright LIKELY that there is life on other planets. I just hope, and I'm considerably less sanguine about this probability, that some day our descendents, or whatever species inherits this planet from us, figures out a way to get to these planets and take a look.
Feast your eyes on the magnificent picture of a tardigrade that was recently featured by NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day and is available for sale from here.