The article explores the intriguing question posed by Lithuanian scientist Dr. Vytautas Stankus on the silence of the universe, which leads to discussions about the presence of extraterrestrial life and the discovery of exoplanets. Stankus, a lecturer at the Kaunas University of Technology, shares scientific perspectives on these matters, particularly focusing on how many planets outside our solar system have been identified and characterized.

Currently, around 6,000 exoplanets have been discovered, with over 5,000 confirmed, orbiting approximately 4,500 different star systems. This exploration journey began in 1995 when the first exoplanet was found, indicating a long history of research into planetary systems beyond our own. The majority of these planets are located within a radius of about 25,000 light-years from Earth, covering roughly half the Milky Way galaxy, which raises both hope and questions about the potential for life elsewhere in the universe.

As the article emphasizes, the search for other life forms is not just a matter of finding planets but understanding the conditions that could support life and the implications of their absence in a seemingly vast and quiet cosmos. This silence and the challenges of interstellar travel heighten the sense of cosmic loneliness, prompting reflection on humanity's aspirations to reach the stars and the potential existential significance of our solitary existence in a seemingly empty universe.