It is in principle, quite straightforward to prove that life exists elsewhere in the Universe. We just have to find it. Or it us. Until that day comes, we live in a very special Universe, one where, as far as we can tell, there is only us and the rest of life on Earth. Could this have only happened once? In statistical terms, the answer is no.If it could happen at all, then it would happen millions of times. The best estimates is that life could arise at least once per galaxy. Given that there are more than X galaxies in the observable universe, the place is probably teaming with life. The fact that we don’t see any sign of it has more to do with the scale of distances invovled. But still.

So it is theoretically impossible to prove that we are alone in the Universe. At least, using the scientific method. Even if we undertake the most thorough search possible, which goes on for thousands of years, drawing a blank will never prove that life does not exist in some remote corner of the galaxy. But there is another possibility which entails accepting that we are alone in the Universe as a postulate and then trying to invent a coherent set of conditions which would at least allow the fact of there being only one location for life. What set of circumstances could account for such a unique position. I can think of only two.

The first would be to imagine that the Now is in fact our Now. That a Now somehow emerges from the multitiude of possible configurations and that life is responsible for that emergence. Responsible not in any mystical sense but purely by its characteristics, which consist principally of growing complexity.

But how could complexity generate a unique Now? To be continued….