Welcome! Good questions. I won’t be surprised if life, even intelligent life is found, à la C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy. If you haven’t read them, you might enjoy them.
On the other hand, I think there is a distinct possibility that we are it. This is a favorite of mine, and it also speaks to what you are asking:
There are also a number of books that build on that theme, that where we are in the cosmos is very peculiar.