Scientific field Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) was established more than six decades ago. Despite being unsuccessful, scientists have not lose hope with one even revealing two reasons why they have not have found alien life yet.

SETI researcher and astronomer Jill Tarter says there are two major pieces still missing in the puzzle of alien life quest. These factors explain why finding intelligent life outside of the Earth remains elusive despite the advanced technologies being developed through time.

The Vast Universe

Tarter says experts have not yet found alien life partly because of the universe's huge size. Scientists have not yet been able to investigate every part of the universe.

The devices that have been created over the years were only able to survey an astonishingly small area of the universe. Technology can only give as much as it can and the things we know now are pretty much everything the devices and years of scientific research were able to come up with. Unfortunately, that does not include proof of alien life.

Tarter compared the ocean and the part of the universe that have already been surveyed for alien life. She says the equivalent of the surveyed areas in the universe only amounts to a glass of water out of the world's oceans. The scope of what has been investigated is really small.

21st Century Technology

Tarter says another reason why experts have not found alien life yet is because the world is confined within the walls of the 21st century physics and technology.

"We may not have invented the right way to do this yet," she says in an interview with TechCrunch.

Despite this, Tarter says technology continues to advance thus improving the efficiency of their quest. She predicts that someday SETI researchers will be able to look for intelligent life as if they are surveying lakes and pools.

Tarter says the invention of radio telescopes and advanced computing has helped them tremendously in their studies. She says the biggest improvement in technology is perhaps the discovery that planets are more alike than previously believed.

Being able to determine which planets are similar to the Earth may put scientists one step closer to finding out which planets are able to host life as well.Tarter believes that shifting focus to these planets may improve the chances of finally discovering alien life.

Photo: John Fowler | Flickr