Dr. Michael Geffert is the German Coordinator for the International Year of Astronomy

DW-TV: Joining us in the studio is the astronomer Dr. Michael Geffert. What do you think? Is there really life out there?

Michael Geffert: Yes,personally I believe there is life somewhere in the universe,but the contact is very difficult because the distances in the universe are so large. +++

DW-TV: Getting in contact would mean that life is intelligent.

Michael Geffert: Yes,I think that,of course,there is some other life,but I think also there is some intelligent life somewhere in some galaxy. But the distance is so far that the signals would take so long to come here to Earth and our answer would also take a lot of time.

DW-TV: That would not really be a dialogue?

Michael Geffert: No,that wouldn't be dialogue,that would just be one signal. There are some people in astronomy who only listen with their radio telescopes to get messages from aliens.

DW-TV: Life here on Earth is based on oxygen and on water. Do you think there could be a completely different form of life?

Michael Geffert: It is difficult to imagine. I think life -- how it developed here on Earth -- is a good system,a good development. It's difficult to think about other ways.

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