Quote Originally Posted by pgil
it is however possible that a species exists somewhere with the capability of moving from one habitable planet to another, and from one solar system to another, thereby extending it's possible lifespan by a very large degree (the lifespan of the species itself, not of the individuals within the species).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)

"Even at 0.1c, Orion thermonuclear starships will require a flight time of 44 years to reach Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun. An Orion starship would require 100 years to travel 10 light years. The late astronomer Carl Sagan suggested that this would be an excellent use for current stockpiles of nuclear weapons."

So, I guess the technology could exist. But wikipedia also says the universe is only 13.7 billion years old. Just based on how many elements exist around Earth to allow it to support life, I don't know if that's enough time for another planet to randomly pick up all the accouterments to develop and support intelligent life.