Is there life somewhere else in the universe?

I can’t answer this for certain, but more and more the answer seems to be “probably.” We keep looking in places here on Earth where nothing could live, and we keep finding living things there!

We thought no ecosystem could survive without light to power photosynthesis. But then Robert Ballard discovered organisms living around deep ocean geothermal vents. Whole ecosystems that depend on chemosynthesis flourish in the depths.

Surely nothing can live in boiling, or almost boiling water. I mean, that’s how you sterilize things, right? But in the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone, we are proven wrong again, spectacularly. Water bubbles into the spring at 160 degrees. For comparison, hot tubs are at or below 104. Your home's water heater should be at 120, so that you don't get scalded. As the water in the spring moves towards the shore, it cools slightly. Different species of bacteria live in the different temperatures, giving the spring its colors. By the way, that brown line on the left of the photo is a boardwalk. If you look closely, you can see people on it.

Okay, what about cold temperatures? Well gallfly larvae and even some turtles can freeze solid! Some fish produce antifreeze. And recently, after scientists drilled a hole through 600 feet of ice, they found living things.

So every time we think we find an environment that can’t support life, we’re proven wrong. So while I can’t guarantee that there is life on other planets, I’d say it’s probable. Life finds a way.