Actually, there is a star system only 4.37 light years away from us. However, with our most advanced propulsion systems, it was take thousands of years to get there. In short, if the faster-than-light barrier cannot be overcome, there IS NO space travel to other inhabitable planets.

@dahermit -- Not quite true. The distances are indeed beyond ordinary human imagination, they are not impossible. With current technology in plasma drives, an array of VASIMR engines could get us to Alpha Centauri in 30 years (within normal limits of human longevity). What with propulsion technology advancing as it is, it is conceivable that before this century is out we will be able to make that trip in 18 years or less.

Missions specifically designed for colonizing (one-way trips), we could easily be setting up shop on planets as far away as 100ly beginning before the end of this century. Such journeys will be upwards of 500 years, but they are doable. Looking at this as a futurist, I'd be willing to bet we will have propulsion systems based on antimatter by the end of this century that might cut that 500 years down to 300 by 2200. If not, 500 years is still in the doable range.

@evidentialist Not possible to store 18 years worth of food, tolerate 18 years of radiation, 18 years of near weightlessness, or even 18 years in suspended animation (the body atrophies). Robots could make that trip, but what would be the point. It makes for good si-fi stories though.

@dahermit -- Artificial gravity (rotation). Localized magnetic shielding. Alternating hibernation. Onboard gardens/renewable animal protein/concentrated supplements. Minimal crew for maintenance and arrival preparation. Frozen embryos for colonizing population. Mechanical wombs.

All the foregoing quite likely tech within a time frame of 80 years considering the current rate of advancement.

@evidentialist Yes, and I remember when they predicted everyone would have flying cars, and live underwater by the year 2000. Your "predictions" are based on nothing more than your personal opinion and wistful thinking.

@dahermit -- As are yours. We should get together and compare notes sometime. All I can say in my defense is, at least I know the science well enough to be inside a large ballpark.

If faster than light speed is not possible...never.

Ya think so? I kinda come up with the opposite.

I believe in the "extremely immense amount of time and space and evolution" explanation for how this all happened.

There is alot of evidence and it disproves the timeline and principles of the God explanation while providing logical scenarios. That's why I don't believe in God.

That doesn't mean we know everything that's out there. It is all very very big. We have only just begun to look for simple carbon based life forms like ourselves in very near areas. It seems likely to me that there are other forms of life somewhere. If life truly is a natural occurrence and not magical it seems almost impossible it wouldn't happen somewhere else. We aren't that special.

To me saying things don't exist because we haven't discovered them doesn't even make sense.

@MsAl I’m not saying that that there may not be other life forms...just that at present I can’t say that I believe there is....however were evidence found then I could be persuaded to believe that there is. It’s all about the evidence, as those who believe in god are asked to produce it and they can’t, I have to use the same test on everything else, otherwise Im not using logic.

@Marionville Yes true but there is substantial evidence against God, or at least against him creating the Earth a few thousand years ago and Adam and Eve and Noah exc..
It also is not logical in any way.
None of that is true for the possibility of life outside of our planet.