How excited would you be at the prospect of finding life on other planets? Some people would, perhaps, but not all. One of the latter is Nick Bostrom, who explains how the discovery of life on Mars may be linked to what he calls The Great Filter and the fate of the human race.

Bostrom is the director of the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford. His Great Filter is basically a probability barrier that consists of evolutionary steps an Earth-like planet must take in order to produce a civilization capable of interstellar exploration. The problem is that we really aren't sure whether the Great Filter is chronologically behind us or ahead of us.

What does it have to do the red planet? Simple: If there is life on Mars, it implies life is capable of evolving independently elsewhere across the galaxy as well. If that is so, then according to the Great Filter theory, it means that humans are at the point of technological development wherein they may possibly be headed for existential disaster.

On the other hand, if Mars is found to be barren, it would mean that the Great Filter is still behind us. It also means that we humans have the potential to evolve into something greater than what we are now.

What you've just read above is Bostrom's theory at a mere glance. If you'd like a more complete, dissected explanation on the role of the Great Filter in the future of humankind, just click on the source link below.