Britain's top space scientist predicts life beyond Earth by 2075

A UK space scientist says she is absolutely convinced there is life beyond Earth and that it will be found within the next 50 years. Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock of University College London's Department of Physics and Astronomy told the Daily Mail in an interview ahead of delivering the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures that she expects a positive detection of life on another planet by 2075.

She pointed to the scale of the universe to justify her view. "In the whole of the universe there are approximately 200 billion galaxies," she said, adding that the sheer number of stars and planets makes life in some form likely somewhere beyond Earth. She invoked the Drake equation, a probabilistic framework that has long underpinned arguments about how common life might be, to support her stance that we are not alone. She noted that in the Milky Way alone there are about 300 billion stars and that planets are being detected orbiting many of them. An illustration of a Hycean world, which experts believe K2–18b could be, orbiting its red dwarf star.

K2-18b, an exoplanet about 124 light-years from Earth, has been cited as a promising sign of life beyond the solar system. Scientists have detected molecules in the planet’s atmosphere that could persist only in certain conditions, potentially pointing to oceans and a habitable environment. The discovery prompted discussions that the world—part of a category some scientists call Hycean planets—could host life, possibly even complex chemistry. An image associated with this line of research accompanies this article to provide a visual reference to the exoplanet discussion.

An expected development in the search for life is the ability to obtain concrete evidence. Dame Maggie said that while striking signs have emerged—such as tantalizing hints from exoplanets and ongoing observations with powerful instruments—the challenge lies in obtaining definitive proof. "I think that’s where the challenge lies—concrete evidence. But to put my money where my mouth is, in terms of getting a positive detection, I would say definitely in the next 50 years." She cited the James Webb Space Telescope as a key tool in probing distant worlds for atmospheric signatures that could indicate life.

The search for life is not confined to distant planets. In September, NASA announced findings from Mars that scientists described as the clearest sign yet of life-related processes in ancient times, with mudstone features suggesting minerals formed by chemical reactions that could be associated with microbial activity. Perseverance, NASA’s rover, has continued to collect samples and study a landscape that may unlock clues about past habitability on the Red Planet. While many scientists emphasize caution and underscore that a definitive fossil or microbial life sign would be a watershed moment, others see Mars as part of a broader, multiworld effort to understand life’s potential ubiquity.

Beyond the science, Dame Maggie warned that any discovery of life—even microscopic—would require stringent safeguards to prevent contamination. She stressed that if life exists elsewhere, it must remain isolated from human activity during study. "If there is any form of life, we need to make sure it is totally isolated. It cannot come into contact with any sort of human presence." She added that while the most likely form of life discovered would be microscopic, scientists must be prepared for the possibility of more complex organisms or even technologies that could be far beyond human capabilities.

Her outlook on humanity’s future in space is broadly optimistic. She envisions a spacefaring species moving beyond Earth, with exploration and potential settlement as a long-term objective. "I see us as a space-faring people—space might be the way forward. I find that exciting that we won’t just be Earth-bound. We will expand outwards. It’s the stuff of science fiction, literally, but science fiction does become science fact." She also reflected on a unifying perspective that space exploration can offer, noting that looking at Earth from space reveals a planet without visible borders.

The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for 2025, titled "Is there life beyond Earth?" feature Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and are scheduled to be broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer on December 28, 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. local time. The lectures are among Britain’s most prestigious public science events, and this year’s sessions aim to illuminate one of humanity’s oldest questions for a broad audience.

The pipeline of discoveries and missions continues to shape the debate about extraterrestrial life. In 2017 and 2019, researchers highlighted exoplanets in or near the habitable zone and renewed interest in worlds that could support liquid water. In 2023 and 2024, telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope provided sharper observations of distant atmospheres, fueling ongoing discussions about where life could exist beyond the solar system. While no definitive proof has yet emerged, the cumulative evidence from multiple lines of inquiry has intensified the expectation that humanity may soon encounter clear indications of life beyond Earth.

The topic remains one of science’s most enduring questions, bridging astronomy, planetary science and biology. As researchers pursue farther and more sensitive observations, the public conversation continues to be informed by credible findings, cautious interpretation and a shared curiosity about our place in the cosmos.