Extra-terrestrial life may be out there: Fred Watson

By Matthew Jones
Updated November 6 2012 - 1:06am, first published October 20 2010 - 10:59am
Dr Fred Watson from the Anglo-Australian Observatory will speak at the University of Wollongong about his quest for other life in the universe.
Dr Fred Watson from the Anglo-Australian Observatory will speak at the University of Wollongong about his quest for other life in the universe.

The truth is out there - but you’ll need to go to the University of Wollongong tonight to find it.All things alien will be the order of business at the university as acclaimed astronomer Dr Fred Watson presents an open physics seminar entitled ‘‘An Alien Like You’’.Dr Watson is astronomer-in-charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory at Coonabarabran and has been awarded for his work in helping the public understand science and astronomy.This year, Dr Watson was awarded an Order of Australia for his promotion and popularisation of astronomy.He is also in the remarkable position of having his name given to an asteroid, 5691 Fred Watson.In a night that promises to be of interplanetary proportions, Dr Watson will tackle a question which has perplexed and intrigued the human race for generations: are we alone in the universe?Absolutely not, according to the good doctor.He said hints were emerging from the exploration of Mars and the moons of Jupiter that life once existed there - and may still. But he warned we shouldn’t start brushing up on our intergalactic manners just yet.‘‘If we do find living organisms there, it’s likely to be what we’d call primitive life, basically microbes, things of that sort, rather than anything that we might be able to relate to as human beings,’’ he said.But a discovery of even very basic life forms would be one of mankind’s greatest scientific milestones, he said.He said the search for something more akin to ourselves would likely take us outside the boundaries of our solar system.‘‘It looks as though we’re it as far as the sun’s family of planets is concerned,’’ he said.He said a new generation of telescopes would soon allow us to take a peek at nearby planetary systems, and hopefully catch a glimpse of a planet similar to our own.Dr Watson’s free public lecture will be held from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in the Communications Building, Lecture Theatre 1.

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