The search for extraterrestrial life continued this week even as scientists considered research showing mankind may never interact with intelligent life from beyond our planet.

Research presented at the 65th International Astronautical Congress, the world's largest gathering of top celestial scientists, engineers, researchers and astronauts, suggested this week the vast distances of space and the time it takes light to travel makes such an interaction nearly impossible.

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The annual congress was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. More than 3,000 space scientists and workers along with astronauts attended the weeklong series of workshops, lectures, discussions and interactive experiences. Heads of all major space agencies were also there.

For starters, the potentially good news is calculations show there may be as many as 3,000 extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way. Earth is estimated to be one of 40 billion planets that could host life. One new life-friendly planet forms in each of our Earth years.

Unfortunately, the Milky Way is more than 100,000 light years long. Since light travels at 186,000 miles per second, it would take 100,000 years to go from one side of the Milky Way to the other.

Speaking at the conference, Michael Garrett, an astronomer who heads ASTRON, the Dutch astronomy research foundation, said civilizations will be expected to be no closer than 1,000 light years away in the Milky Way. Considering the necessity of a round trip for light and transport, that meant 2,000 light years is the minimum distance that must separate civilizations.

Considering the finite time spans of civilizations and distances involved, it seems that interaction or even contact through SETI program signals is unlikely, said Garrett, who added he didn't "want to be too negative about this."

Still, SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, program was worth continuing, Garrett said. Scientists and space enthusiasts around the globe along with regular people on the street remain interested in trying to discover what life may be out there, he said.

TagsAlien life, SETI, search for life, 65th International Astronautical Congress, NASA, space travel, extraterrestrial life, Allen Telescope Array