"We are not alone in the universe," says Chris Hadfield

"We are not alone in the universe," said former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield who believes it would be conceited to think otherwise.

"We always guessed that we're not alone in the universe," Hadfield told local media in Sydney on Tuesday.

"We'd like to think that we're the center of the universe, we'd like to think that we're the only life in the universe but with every big telescope we build, the more we can look. The more we can realize how insignificant we are."

Hadfield is in Australia for a series of talks called "A Spaceman's View Of The Earth" to help answer questions currently facing the world.

Hadfield said the astronomical advancements humanity has made in recent years have brought us closer to finding life elsewhere.

Astronomers have found thousands of planets over the last decade, with at least five being earth-like, Hadfield said.

"We don't know if they have life or not but they are similar to earth -- the same sort of distance from the sun, the same sort of heat," Hadfield said.

Hadfield conceded to local media however that distances from earth to planets with the potential for life, though it is only a matter of time before humanity discovers life in the universe.

"The odds are overwhelming that we're not alone but we haven't found any evidence yet. And that's part of the reason we're exploring the universe to find out are we alone or not," the former astronaut said.

Hadfield is best known for his version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, recorded during his stint on the International Space Station and posted to YouTube.

Hadfield has been credited with reinvigorating the public's interest in space travel, going out of his way to share his experiences in micro-gravity with the world.

"I've seen thousands of sunrises that I wouldn't have if I hadn 't flown in space... It's like someone is pouring a liquid rainbow on the edge of the world as it explodes into life and it happens every 92 minutes and it's gorgeous," Hadfield told Fairfax Media.

"It would be hugely selfish of me not to describe it and show people and not let them see the world for what it truly is." Endi