Recent studies are showing the possibility that there may in fact be life on Mars at the present time. It would be tiny - microbial - and inhabit the extremes of environment. But if confirmed this would of course represent the first verified life forms extraneous to planet Earth.
I don’t expect to be around when it happens, but if dark matter does bring about the end of the universe as we know it, or just the death of all living things as we understand life, then maybe there is in fact hope — via an “escape to another universe”. The idea will be familiar to anyone who’s studied string theory, or thought about wormholes, or read or watched much sci fi.
Wish I could try it.