Some of my readers embrace my pessimism. Some hate it!
Finding life on other planets is the Holy Grail of science. The final punch in the age-old fight between scientists and creationists. It runs deep.
It would finally prove life can exist elsewhere. To date no proof exists.
There are candidates right here in our own solar system with some moons in orbit around Saturn and Jupiter. They are going to spend a lot of money to look. They had hope for Mars. That hope faded quickly when we realized Mars is dead.
My gut feeling is on the side of pessimism, though.