Researchers from the Space Research Institute in Graz, Austria, have presented new calculations on the possibility of life in the Milky Way galaxy. Scientists Manuel Schrv and Helmut Lammer concluded that the closest civilization to us is likely 33,000 light-years away, on the other side of the galaxy. Their calculations show that for ten civilizations, including our own, to exist simultaneously, their average lifespan must exceed 10 million years. Key factors for complex life include the right distance from a star, sufficient oxygen (at least 18%), and a certain level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, tectonic plate movement, which releases CO2 into the atmosphere via volcanoes, is also critical. The researchers believe that in 200 million to a billion years, plate movement on Earth will cease, leading to the complete absorption of carbon by rocks and the disappearance of photosynthesis. Despite the low probability of finding extraterrestrial life, Schrv urges not to stop searching, as it is the only way to know if it exists.
