Feb 20, 2025 By Nick Jacobs 4 min read

Have you ever looked at the beach and wondered how many grains of sand there are?

That can be mind-boggling to think about. Scientists estimate that, depending on the grain size and density, a single cubic yard of sand might have billions of grains. That’s a lot of sand – and that’s just one small part of one beach.

Now imagine it’s a clear, cloudless night, and you are looking up at the sky and start to wonder: How many stars are out there? Astronomers estimate that our Milky Way galaxy alone contains between 100 billion to 400 billion stars.

But let’s zoom out even more. The observable universe, which is the part of outer space we can currently study, contains about 200 billion trillion stars. That’s 2 followed by 23 zeros. And this number will absolutely grow as new galaxies and stars are discovered. I don’t know about you, but that number is too vast for me to comprehend.

Now, let’s take a sharp turn in our thought journey. Did you know that humans and chimpanzees share about 99% of the same DNA? That’s right – despite all our differences, there’s only about 1.23% of the genome that makes us different from chimps. Most of these differences are in areas related to brain development and other traits like speech and social behaviors. That 1% makes a huge impact.

Back to the stars. What are the chances that life exists on one of the planets orbiting those stars? Scientists estimate there could be 300 quintillion (3 × 10⁰) Earth-like planets in the observable universe. In our Milky Way galaxy alone, there might be 300 million to 40 billion planets that are Earth-sized and located in the “habitable zone” – they like to call the Goldilocks area where everything is just right to support life.

But our technology isn’t advanced enough to explore these planets. The closest star system, Alpha Centauri, is 4.5 light-years or over 26 trillion miles away. With today’s technology, it would take tens of thousands of years to reach. Mars, on the other hand, is much closer. It takes about 10 months to get there. Not only does it have resources like water but also studying it will help scientists develop the strategies needed for future interstellar travel.

Now, back to the big question: Could there be life out there? Some scientists say the odds of extraterrestrial life on another Earth-like planet are as favorable as 9 to 1. Now imagine if one of those civilizations is just 1% or even 10% smarter than us. What kind of technology could they have?

Let’s consider an example. Humans, with training and special equipment, can withstand up to nine Gs of gravitational force. Yet radar data has shown that reported unidentified flying objects (UFOs) sometimes reach speeds of over 24,000 mph, creating forces of up to 1,094 Gs. If these objects are controlled by intelligent beings, they have technology that is way beyond anything we’ve developed.

As we end this thought journey, let’s reflect on the vastness of the universe and the incredible possibilities it holds. From grains of sand to stars, from DNA similarities to technological advancements, there is so much to learn and discover.

If even a fraction of the billions of planets harbor life, imagine what we could learn from them. Perhaps, somewhere across space, a civilization is looking up at their night sky, wondering the same about us. Let’s hope they’re not only smarter but also kinder and more compassionate than we could ever imagine. And most importantly, let’s remember, in the big picture. Perhaps they’re also asking how we can connect across the stars?

Until then, let’s remember the beauty and mystery of our small but extraordinary place in the universe. In the grand scheme of things, we’re as tiny as a grain of sand – but together, we may create something truly cosmic.