'No second Jesus': Vatican doubts possibility of alien life forms

The Catholic Church is expressing its points of views in the discovery of Earth 2.0

After the discovery of the Kepler 452b, now known as Earth 2.0, the possibility of life existing outside Earth becomes more likely. However, the Vatican doubts the existence of intergalactic beings.

MUNTINLUPA CITY, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - Evidence over the existence of a habitable planet, Kepler 452b boosts the possibilities of life existing on other planets. Vatican representatives, on the other hand, expressed their skepticism over the possibility of meeting intelligent life or aliens from another planet.

The Castel Gandolfo, summer home of the Pope located at a hilltop, is where the Vatican's observatory is located. The place is considered one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world. Science, the Big Bang theory and Theology are all studied in this area.

After years of hunting, astronomers finally found a planet that likely resembles Earth. After the discovery of Kepler 452b, the closest match yet, speculations of life on this planet emerged. The Vatican is thrilled with the discovery of an Earth 2.0, but is not leaning into the possibilities of life existing on the planet.

Kepler 452b is believed to be 60 percent larger than Earth and is located in a zone that is not too hot nor not too cold to support liquid water, as reported by NASA.

The discovery "is great news," the Observatory's Argentine director Jose Funes told AFP. However, scientists suspect increasing energy from the planet's aging sun might now be heating the surface and evaporating any oceans.

However, while "it is probable there was life and perhaps a form of intelligent life... I don't think we'll ever meet a Mr. Spock," Funes said.

Even with the existence of such habitable planet, Kepler 452B is located 1,400 light-years away, a distance impossible for travel and for cover using man's current technologies.

NASA recently made history after shooting pictures of Pluto during a fly-by, but that mission took nine years before the probe became successful. Pluto is located six light hours away. As for the Kepler 452b, it would take 11 million years to reach using the currently fastest spaceship available in the Solar System.

What is clear, Funes says, is that while God may have created aliens and planets similar to Earth, "there can be no second Jesus."

"The discovery of intelligent life does not mean there's another Jesus," he insisted, because "the incarnation of the son of God is a unique event in the history of humanity, of the Universe."

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online