Scientists Suggest Earth’s Life Could Be Result of Alien Terraforming

A new scientific paper proposing that life on Earth may not have originated solely through natural processes has ignited discussions among researchers. Published in March 2025 by Professor Robert Endres of Imperial College London, the study argues that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations could have engaged in deliberate terraforming, significantly influencing the emergence of life on our planet.

Endres applies advanced information theory and artificial intelligence models to illustrate that the probability of life arising spontaneously from chaotic chemical interactions is exceedingly low. In his paper, titled “The unreasonable likelihood of being: Origin of life, terraforming, and AI,” he presents a compelling argument that alien intervention is a “logically open alternative.”

The research utilizes mathematical frameworks grounded in rate-distortion theory and algorithmic complexity. Endres concludes that the formation of a viable protocell within the available geological timescales would require conditions that strain the boundaries of credibility. Through this lens, he posits that natural processes alone may not sufficiently account for the complexity of life.

Challenging Assumptions About Life’s Origins

In a groundbreaking approach, Endres employs Kolmogorov complexity to estimate the informational requirements for life. His calculations indicate that a minimal protocell necessitates around one billion bits of organized information, comparable to complex computer programs. When contrasted with the estimated entropy of prebiotic environments, the findings reveal that a purely random chemical mixture would be insufficient for life to emerge.

“A purely random soup, made up of molecules that eventually enabled the formation of life on Earth, was too lossy,” Endres states in his paper. He suggests that a persistent directional process, lasting hundreds of millions of years, would be essential to gather enough biological information naturally.

Endres draws parallels between ancient theories of life’s origins and modern scientific inquiry, noting humanity’s ongoing ambition to terraform other planets such as Mars and Venus. He argues, “If advanced civilizations exist, it is not implausible they might attempt similar interventions out of curiosity, necessity, or design.”

Historical Context and Modern Implications

The notion that life on Earth could have extraterrestrial origins is not entirely new. In 1973, renowned scientist Francis Crick, along with chemist Leslie Orgel, proposed the theory of “directed panspermia.” This hypothesis suggested that advanced extraterrestrial beings might have seeded Earth with microbial life to kickstart biological evolution. Crick and Orgel’s argument emerged from similar statistical improbabilities that Endres highlights in his contemporary analysis.

Throughout history, various cultures have envisioned creation myths involving divine or celestial beings imparting life to planet Earth. From the biblical accounts in the Book of Genesis to Mesopotamian narratives, humanity has long contemplated the possibility of external influences on its biological origins. Modern theories of directed panspermia now provide a scientific framework for ideas that have persisted across civilizations.

Endres’ calculations present staggering implications regarding the temporal requirements for abiogenesis— the process by which life arises naturally. His models indicate that without a consistent directional influence, random molecular assembly could necessitate timeframes that exceed the universe’s age by millions or even billions of years.

He further employs principles from bacterial chemotaxis to model how chemical evolution might accumulate biological information. If molecular interactions occur randomly without memory, the timescales for assembly become cosmologically implausible. “With a persistence time of one year, the required time is still approximately 10^17 years, about ten million times the universe’s current age,” the paper asserts.

The research leverages modern tools, including AI algorithms like AlphaFold for protein folding and comprehensive whole-cell computational models. These advancements provide unprecedented precision in measuring life’s informational requirements compared to earlier theoretical approaches.

While Endres acknowledges that proposing extraterrestrial terraforming “violates Occam’s razor” by introducing additional complexity, he contends that the mathematical constraints of natural abiogenesis may warrant consideration of alternatives often dismissed as science fiction.

The study highlights an increasingly significant intersection of astrobiology, information theory, and artificial intelligence. As computational models evolve, scientists can quantify biological complexity with greater accuracy, potentially resolving ongoing debates about the origins of life. The question remains: did Earth’s biosphere emerge through undiscovered physical principles, improbable natural processes, or intentional extraterrestrial intervention? Endres’ work underscores the necessity for serious scientific exploration of unconventional possibilities when traditional explanations encounter mathematical challenges.

This investigation into the potential influence of alien civilizations on Earth’s life forms a compelling narrative that continues to captivate both scientists and the public alike.