Vatican Holds Conference on Extraterrestrial Life November 6th to November 11th

Though it may seem an unlikely location to happen upon a conference on astrobiology, the Vatican recently held a study week of over 30 astronomers, biologists, geologists and religious leaders to discuss the question of the existence of extraterrestrials.

This follows the statement made last year by the Popes chief astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, that the existence of extraterrestrials does not preclude a belief in God, and that its a question to be explored by the Catholic Church. The event, put on by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, took place at the Casina Pio IV on the Vatican grounds from November 6-11.

The Pontifical Academy of Sciences held a "study week" to explore the question of the existence of extraterrestials. Credit: The Vatican The conference was meant to focus on the scientific perspective on the subject of the existence of extraterrestrial life, and pulled in perspectives from atheist scientists and Catholic leaders alike.

It was split into eight different segments, starting with a topics about life here on Earth such as the origins of life, the Earths habitability through time, and the environment and genomes.

Then the detection of life elsewhere, search strategies for extrasolar planets, the formation and properties of extrasolar planets was discussed, culminating in the last segment, intelligence elsewhere and shadow life life with a biochemistry completely different than that found on Earth.

Speakers at the event included notable physicist Paul Davies and Jill C. Tarter, the Director of the Center for SETI Research. Numerous astrobiologists and astronomers researching extrasolar planets also were in attendance to give lectures. The whole series of speech abstracts and a list of participants is available in a brochure on the Vatican site, here.

The event was held to mark the International Year of Astronomy, and the participants hope to collect the lectures into a book. Father Gabriel Funes, the chief astronomer of the Vatican, said in an interview to the Vatican paper, Osservatore Romano last year:

Just like there is an abundance of creatures on earth, there could also be other beings, even intelligent ones, that were created by God. That doesnt contradict our faith, because we cannot put boundaries to Gods creative freedom. As saint Francis would say, when we consider the earthly creatures to be our brothers and sisters, why couldnt we also talk about a extraterrestrial brother? He would still be part of creation.

Even with the discovery of over 400 exoplanets, the question of extraterrestrial life still remains to be answered in our own Solar System. It is a pertinent question for the religious and non-religious alike.

Though it wasnt answered at this most recent conference, the existence of life outside what we know here on Earth has an equal impact on the findings of science as it does the meaning of religion. This event certainly brought the two under the same roof for what were surely some interesting and fruitful conversations.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Davis
• Monthan
• Air
• Force
• Base
• Central
• Park
• New
• York
• Indiana
• Russia
• ufo
• alien
• ship
• craft
• ovni
• jaws
• steven
• speilberg
• clip
• nasa
• moon
• mars
• movie
• full
• amity
• crop
• circle
• probe
• small
• red
• light
• paranormal
• being
• sky
• space
• part
• horror
• king
• unborn
• girl
• teen
• kiss
• dance
• viral
• preview
• music
• jackson
• coast
• noory
• hopkins
• walken
• snl
• Files
• taken
• strieber
• abduction
• mexico
• spain
• russia
• korea
• news
• real
• rap
• Lima
• Peru
• Vatican
• City
• of
• Tacna

[plentyplus1]

religion is made by man so he can enslave man and start wars. every religion has aspects of the truth, but it's time we start to realize we're more alike than we know. be spiritual and not religious! peace, love, light

[plentyplus1]

@Joel0277 when i look around i see only good things and thats what i concentrate on, i guess thats where my peace comes from. it's a bit of an exaggeration to say we are all at war. even if we were it's not impossible to be at peace inside, regardless of conflict.

[Narftaxaku200]

@mcap52 so among those billion and billion exoplanets in the universe, u think we're alone! u don't prove ur affirmation u just affirm your these with anger, nothing else

[gravesgaila1]

love your channel*

[victoneter]

@plentyplus1 Be skeptical, think rational, understand science and become an atheist.

[the11warrior]

Im not a baptized man, though i know The Bible, and in this book said God created Earth, and man. As far as ive read theres no mention of aliens or outer space beings.Just man and woman, and everything else on earth.Sooo.... im feeling something spoooky here folks, i thinks that the CHURCH wants us to not belive in god...huh...interesting...

[mcap52]

Sorry to disappoint all the people who have fallen for the lie that aliens are real, but they are not. One day in the near future governments around the world will attempt one of the greatest deceptions of all time.... you can either choose to fall for it or call them on it.

[thefernando1]

As science advances religion must justify their bullshit or else it ceases to exist. Not one credible religion exists today saying thunder is a mad god, so naturally when Christians are proven wrong (adam and eve being fake) they adapted to Big Bang cause if not people would realize its total bullshit. Prove me wrong if you can.

[lakid87]

why don't they just ask God if there are aliens? cmon pope-e you're slipping son

[ALPHAandOMEGA44]

Catholic Church did the same thing during the holocaust nothing is new under the sun!

[mystisme]

they always knew cause religions come from them in a way but religious people use that to control man and over powered them , in the same time religious people made the man go mantally develloping slow cause they did nt want use the truth about our past now it is inevetible we grown up out of religious myth so they do not have choice, they begin by that to tell us later our real origin

[the211hustle6]

GOD CREATED US....DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANY ALIENS.....