where did we come from? The explanation I can piece together through memory is that we most likely come from organic matter that (though processes that are not yet well understood) formed the basis for cellular life. Random mutation and natural selection over hundreds of millions of years led to the speciation that includes homo sapiens.
I'm not sure that finding life on another planet would change the science much. Maybe there would be some connection, maybe not - they could be parallel processes, or maybe some kind of seeding function took place.
Either way, it would still be immensely satisfying discovery, one of the greatest ever.
"I'm not sure that finding life on another planet would change the science much. " -- Maybe not, but it would shut up the religios nutjobs, and the creationisms freaks...
If there is life in another planet (even a non-intelligent one) means life is a normal part of the universe, and it is another blow to their idiotic books that claim god created everything.
Where did we come from? Why are we here?