It boils down to reducing your search space. By definition you can't search for something you know nothing about. (Another form of life than the one we know) S

It boils down to reducing your search space. By definition you can't search for something you know nothing about. (Another form of life than the one we know) So when we search for "life" you really need to read "life as we know it" A new form of life would be a massive discovery, but is by nature almost impossible to target as to a of the research.