And now in the countdown to 2009, Jim has been absolutely and startlingly correct on 1, 3, and 4 -- his most eerie prediction being that Michael Jackson thing.
Number 2, however, "Strong" evidence of microbial life outside our planet, perhaps on mars, may not be there yet.
There was the 2004 and then affirmation in June 2009 of the discovery of methane (theorized as microbial
"farts") but I wouldn't call that "strong evidence."
The
Phobos-Grunt launch would have happened in 2009 and could have possibly discovered microbial life , but it was delayed.
December 9, 2009 was the Imperial College press release on BBC that methane depositing asteroids are
ruled out. But that doesn't rule out other possible chemical reactions for producing small amounts of methane.
I am going to give this one to Jim in another way -- simply reaching critical mass in 2009 for the number of solar systems and a modified use of the 1961 famous "
Drake Equation."
On December 15, 2009 the American Museum of Natural History posted this really
cool video on youtube.
Oh at least for me, visually, in my observations in 2009, there are at least 125 billion galaxies in the universe. It is estimated that at least ten percent of all sun-like stars have a system of planets; then, there must be at least 6.25×10(to the power of 18) stars with planets orbiting them in the universe. If even a billionth of these stars have planets supporting life, there are some 6.25 billion life-supporting solar systems in the universe.
Press Release -- Good old "Drakorian" mathematics proves "Jim Elvidge Correct, life does exist outside of earth".
