Humanity will find alien life in the next 20 years.
Humans are likely to find alien life by 2043
Professor Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of astrophysics at the University of Exeter, believes it is "increasingly likely" that evidence of extraterrestrial life will be discovered by 2043.
The scientist argues that devices like NASA's James Webb space telescope are on the brink of spotting 'biosignatures' - atmospheres on exoplanets with gases emitted by living things.
Professor Hinkley wrote in an article for The Spectator magazine: "The likelihood of life existing in some form in the universe is quite high. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that it is looking increasingly likely that the detection of life on an exoplanet will happen in my lifetime."
However, the boffin warned that the human race may not necessarily have an encounter with little green men.
Professor Hinkley added: "To be clear, the detection of life on another planet will not necessarily mean an alien civilisation exists on another planet, nor that we are about to have some form of communication with such lifeforms."