We're too far for aliens and UFOs to visit, says expert
8:00am Saturday 5th July 2008
A LEADING astronomer from Southampton has dismissed rumours that aliens from other planets have been visiting us on Earth.
Dr Christian Kaiser, of the University of Southampton, claims the distance was too vast for a spaceship to fly.
He said while it was possible life existed on other planets the "enormous" gap between us and the next Earth-like body would prevent the journey.
A spate of reported sightings of UFOs, both in Hampshire and across the UK, has led to renewed speculation that aliens were surveying the planet.
As reported by the Daily Echo, several people came forward claiming to have seen mysterious black triangles hovering in the skies over Millbrook and Shirley in Southampton.
The sightings provoked huge debate among readers but investigations showed that there could have been a simple explanation - solar balloons which can be made from bin bags.
However, no explanations have been offered for a strange disk shaped object photographed behind a helicopter over Beaulieu, featured in last Saturday's Daily Echo.
Dr Kaiser, of the university's School of Physics and Astronomy, said: "There has been breathtaking progress in finding planets.
"The proof of life on another planet would be a huge scientific discovery and would also severely challenge our social, political and religious thinking.
"Until recently, most detected planets have masses much larger than that of Earth, but new discoveries push that limit down to only a few Earth masses. Planets comparable to Earth should have solid surfaces and may harbour life.
"However, the distances between stars in our galaxy are enormous. There is no way that life forms from another planet, if such exist, could have already visited us on Earth."