The biological process which lead to intelligent life on earth was a fluke that is unlikely to have been repeated anywhere else in the universe, claims Professor Brian Cox.
The presenter and scientist blames a series of 'evolutionary bottlenecks' for the lack of extraterrestrial life on other planets, despite there being a mind-bogglingly vast number of them in the galaxy.
Humanity miraculously overcame them in a chance binding of two single cells merging somewhere in the mists of time, he said.
'There is only one advanced technological civilisation in this galaxy and there has only ever been one - and that's us. We are unique.
This kind of parochial thinking is endemic in the academic community. There's an unspoken rule that one does not touch subjects that are 'semi-officially' verboten to discuss. The thought of the human race being the only advanced life form in the Universe is so depressingly horrific to me, that I cannot even go there. But I (and many others!) know better. All these "tenured" hacks and shills will eat crow. But of course, there will be no real penalty for their intellectual dishonesty and cowardice. To read more, click here.