Life on Mars

The Thin White Duke / Ziggy Stardust

I enjoyed the Camberwick Green styled intro in one episode where Gene Hunt was kicking in a nonce.

it really does though

TBH, even this I would accept.

I do expect to see some 100% confirmation of extraterrestrial life in my lifetime. It may be ancient microbial life on Mars or current microbial life. It may be evidence from atmospheric analysis of planets observed by Kepler or later missions (Again, complex molecules generated as the result of organic respiration/life). It may even be discovery of gasses that cannot occur naturally in extra-solar atmospheres or even (Not likely but technically possible I suppose) signals from other planets - Either intentional like the signals that SETI is/was sending out or communication signals like our own electromagnetic communication.

I don't think a little green man will land in a flying saucer. I believe it is MUCH more likely that we will discover evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars or chemical evidence of microbial life in the atmosphere of Venus.

And that would be cool. If a bog standard sun with a bog standard system can have generated life on two planets then it will be everywhere.

I don't think it will happen in our lifetimes at all but it's impossible to predict. There are, almost certainly, much more advanced civilisations around the universe. It is simply impossible to interpret what aliens may be like but we know that there are many Earth like planets that have been around much longer than Earth. One of the kepler earth like planets is 1.5 billion years older. If those kinds of civilisations existed there for example, or anywhere nearby, they have absolutely already detected this planet and are observing everything. They probably wouldn't interfere with other planets as a general rule, in the same way that humans don't interfere with wildlife, and instead let them live out their basic lives. There also has to be some civilisations out there that would wipe humans out in an instant but they simply haven't detected humanity yet. I think if pushed, Stephen Hawking would have said that humans will eventually get wiped out by aliens. He didn't think it would go well for humanity if contact was made but I never saw him be forthright about that prediction.

No love for the Multiverse?

We could be alone in this universe and one of billions in another!

Given the technology required to make it to earth from somewhere else, I think it might be more akin to us meeting God rather than the indians vs the Europeans.