In 1991 Helen Sharman visited the Soviet space station Mir, making her the first British astronaut in history. Now, 29 years after her mission on Mir, Sharman shares her theory about life from other planets.
In an interview with Observer Magazine, former British astronaut, Helen Sharman said, "Aliens exist, there’s no two ways about it. There are so many billions of stars out there in the universe that there must be all sorts of different forms of life. Will they be like you and me, made up of carbon and nitrogen? Maybe not. It’s possible they’re here right now and we simply can’t see them."
As a chemist for Imperial College in London, Sharman's beliefs are firmly rooted in science. She also explained that her experience as an astronaut changed her perception of the universe, "There’s no greater beauty than looking at the Earth from up high – and I’ll never forget the first time I saw it. After take-off we left the atmosphere and suddenly light streamed in through the window. We were over the Pacific Ocean. The gloriously deep blue seas took my breath away."
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