NASA Astronaut Leroy Chiao
Ground personnel carry U.S. astronaut Leroy Chiao (C) in Arkalyk airport in northern Kazakhstan April 25, 2005. Reuters/Shamil Zhumatov

The science community continues to be divided about the existence of aliens because while there are some indicators such as radio signals picked up by a Russian telescope recently, it turned out to have come from Earth. However, a former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) American astronauts says aliens exist.

In an article in Space.com, Leroy Chiao, who was aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 230 days, writes, “I believe that there is life all over our universe, since it would be the height of arrogance to think we are alone.” Chiao, who made six space walks across four missions in the ISS, returned to Earth in 2005 aboard a Russian Soyuz space capsule with Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov and Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori.

In the article, published on Sept 2, he admits his views on alien life may be surprising to many people and could not endear him to some religious organisations. The basis of his belief is his experience of space flights and gazing down at Earth, marveling at the moon and peering out at the universe.

But he admits finding evidence of alien life around another star would not be easy, particularly if the aliens live hundreds of millions of light-years away from Earth. Chiao notes that given the current technology, it would take man almost 80,000 years to reach Proxima Centauri.

He says in this century, man has better chances of finding evidence of microbial life under the surface of Mars. If evidence is found, it would prove his theory on alien life without man needing to send missions to probe other star systems.

Chiao says he pondered on the idea of alien life at that vantage point. Despite the unpopularity of that belief, he points out Galileo had a similar experience when he insisted that the Earth orbits the sun and not the other way around. The astronaut points out Galileo was pardoned 300 years later.

In the same article, he also warns that the decline of Earth would be because of modern technology and humanity. Chiao explains that our planet dying out – either from natural causes or man’s handiwork – is a natural progression similar to human life on the planet which technology could not undo.

He explains, “I believe that life is always starting in some parts of the universe at the same time that it is dying out in others. We don't know about each other, simply because the distances are so vast,” quotes Express.

VIDEO: NASA Astronaut on ‘Gravity’, Mars Colonization & Sex in Space ǀ Interview with Dr. Leroy Chiao

Source: breakingtheset