Could we discover life on another planet?

Could we discover life on another planet?

Future developments in telescope technology could enable us to capture images of planets similar to Earth, and precise investigation of the light from such planets could show us whether they harbour life or not. The presence of life changes the atmosphere of a planet by affecting its chemical balance. For example, a high oxygen level, as found in the Earth's atmosphere, can be a sign of an inhabited world. Perhaps, within a few decades, we will be able to detect intelligent life on distant worlds if, like us, the extraterrestrials have polluted their atmosphere with artificially produced chemicals.