Existance of Life

2008-06-19 14:18:58

#1

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7312|Alberta, Canada

Why do astronomers always assume that when they find a planet that is too hot to 'support any kind of lifeform', or does not have any oxygen present in the atmosphere, that it can't support life?
Do they have proof that all living creatures can only live with oxygen and water? Why can't other lifeforms on distant planets survive in an atmosphere made up of methane, or have seas of molten lead?

Just because humans, animals, and planets need oxygen and water, doesn't mean other lifeforms do too.

2008-06-19 14:20:10

#2

^*AlphA*^: F*ckers; +3,135|7207|The Hague, Netherlands

because they know life needs it here, and it's the only life we know of atm, so it's the best way to look rather then sending a prob to every freaking rock in the cosmos.

https://bf3s.com/sigs/36eac2cb6af70a43508fd8d1c93d3201f4e23435.png

2008-06-19 14:20:37

#3

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6430|Washington DC

I was thinking just that the other day. I was at a planetarium and the guy mentioned how water is crucial to life. And I thought to myself, "what if there is life that DOESN'T need water?"

Someone else pointed this out on BF2s the other day... if we ever find crude oil on Mars (or elsewhere)... we'll know there are other organisms amongst us.

2008-06-19 14:21:19

#4

Gooners: Wiki Contributor; +2,700|7101

^*AlphA*^ wrote:
because they know life needs it here, and it's the only life we know of atm, so it's the best way to look rather then sending a prob to every freaking rock in the cosmos.

Cosmos S

On Topic: Yes, It would be too expensive to send probes to places where it would be more unlikely to have life.

2008-06-19 14:23:55

#5

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7312|Alberta, Canada

Gooners wrote:
^*AlphA*^ wrote:
because they know life needs it here, and it's the only life we know of atm, so it's the best way to look rather then sending a prob to every freaking rock in the cosmos.
Cosmos S

On Topic: Yes, It would be too expensive to send probes to places where it would be more unlikely to have life.

So they discover a planet and realize it has a dense concentration of methane and helium in the atmosphere. Oh, we better not waste our time here, nothing can live on it.
These planets they are finding or thousands of light-years away, a probe couldn't even reach it if they wanted to investigate it.

And just because carbon is the basis of life doesn't mean other elements could create life on other planets.

Last edited by Ryan (2008-06-19 14:24:42)

2008-06-19 14:24:42

#6

Gooners: Wiki Contributor; +2,700|7101

Ryan wrote:
Gooners wrote:
^*AlphA*^ wrote:
because they know life needs it here, and it's the only life we know of atm, so it's the best way to look rather then sending a prob to every freaking rock in the cosmos.
Cosmos S

On Topic: Yes, It would be too expensive to send probes to places where it would be more unlikely to have life.
So they discover a planet and realize it has a dense concentration of methane and helium in the atmosphere. Oh, we better not waste our time here, nothing can live on it.
These planets they are finding or thousands of light-years away, a probe couldn't even reach it if they wanted to investigate it.

Don't look at me, go ask Nasa... I'm just trying to find a logical reason...

2008-06-19 14:26:45

#7

^*AlphA*^: F*ckers; +3,135|7207|The Hague, Netherlands

Ryan wrote:
Gooners wrote:
^*AlphA*^ wrote:
because they know life needs it here, and it's the only life we know of atm, so it's the best way to look rather then sending a prob to every freaking rock in the cosmos.
Cosmos S

On Topic: Yes, It would be too expensive to send probes to places where it would be more unlikely to have life.
So they discover a planet and realize it has a dense concentration of methane and helium in the atmosphere. Oh, we better not waste our time here, nothing can live on it.
These planets they are finding or thousands of light-years away, a probe couldn't even reach it if they wanted to investigate it.

And just because carbon is the basis of life doesn't mean other elements could create life on other planets.

then we would never know if there is life anyway, kinda missing it...

if you never can reach it, then don't bother, atm we can't but 100 years ago what couldn't we all do then.

if some day you can, and you got options between a ice planet, and a methane planet or a gas giant.... if you wanna find life... which one would you choose.

2008-06-19 14:29:20

#8

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7312|Alberta, Canada

^*AlphA*^ wrote:
Ryan wrote:
Gooners wrote:

Cosmos S

On Topic: Yes, It would be too expensive to send probes to places where it would be more unlikely to have life.
So they discover a planet and realize it has a dense concentration of methane and helium in the atmosphere. Oh, we better not waste our time here, nothing can live on it.
These planets they are finding or thousands of light-years away, a probe couldn't even reach it if they wanted to investigate it.

And just because carbon is the basis of life doesn't mean other elements could create life on other planets.
then we would never know if there is life anyway, kinda missing it...

if you never can reach it, then don't bother, atm we can't but 100 years ago what couldn't we all do then.

if some day you can, and you got options between a ice planet, and a methane planet or a gas giant.... if you wanna find life... which one would you choose.

I'm not saying that humans can go around planet hopping for a vacation. I'm just wondering why astronomers keep saying that if a planet doesn't have water or oxygen, it cannot support life. I guarantee you out of the billions of planets there are in our universe, one is bound to have life on it. Whether it be crazy aliens, tiny amoebas, or even humans, there are planets without oxygen or water that can support life.

2008-06-19 14:29:32

#9

i g: Banned; +876|6333|GA

i hate thinking about stuff like this. i just want to know the damn answers! there HAS to be other shit out there somewhere. hopefully i'll get to see some of it before my time is up.

2008-06-19 14:31:13

#10

^*AlphA*^: F*ckers; +3,135|7207|The Hague, Netherlands

Ryan wrote:
^*AlphA*^ wrote:
Ryan wrote:

So they discover a planet and realize it has a dense concentration of methane and helium in the atmosphere. Oh, we better not waste our time here, nothing can live on it.
These planets they are finding or thousands of light-years away, a probe couldn't even reach it if they wanted to investigate it.

And just because carbon is the basis of life doesn't mean other elements could create life on other planets.
then we would never know if there is life anyway, kinda missing it...

if you never can reach it, then don't bother, atm we can't but 100 years ago what couldn't we all do then.

if some day you can, and you got options between a ice planet, and a methane planet or a gas giant.... if you wanna find life... which one would you choose.
I'm not saying that humans can go around planet hopping for a vacation. I'm just wondering why astronomers keep saying that if a planet doesn't have water or oxygen, it cannot support life. I guarantee you out of the billions of planets there are in our universe, one is bound to have life on it. Whether it be crazy aliens, tiny amoebas, or even humans, there are planets without oxygen or water that can support life.

it's the only thing we have atm, like everyone thinking the Earth was flat. we won't know for a long time.

2008-06-19 14:36:01

#11

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6666|Winland

If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities. Infinity is something the human mind can't grasp, sux2bus. I personally like to think that everything exists in infinite numbers. There is even ain infinite number of you's, me's and George Bushes. If the universe really is infinite, nothing can prove that theory wrong.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2008-06-19 14:39:49

#12

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7312|Alberta, Canada

Freezer7Pro wrote:
If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities. Infinity is something the human mind can't grasp, sux2bus. I personally like to think that everything exists in infinite numbers. There is even ain infinite number of you's, me's and George Bushes. If the universe really is infinite, nothing can prove that theory wrong.

According to the Big Bang Theory, we exploded from a little ball of matter, and have been expanding outward ever since. I read somewhere that we are expanding about 3 million light years every 5 seconds (approx). Beyond that is unknown. So the universe does end somewhere. But that is an entirely different subject.

2008-06-19 14:45:03

#13

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6962|N. Ireland

I'm pretty sure the current "accepted" theory is that even if we could travel the universe, it's circular and so we'd pass a spot were we had already passed within a certain amount of time. Existence of life? The odds do exist somewhere - but only by our standards.

Freezer - nice line: "If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities" - I like that.

2008-06-19 14:45:16

#14

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6666|Winland

Ryan wrote:
Freezer7Pro wrote:
If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities. Infinity is something the human mind can't grasp, sux2bus. I personally like to think that everything exists in infinite numbers. There is even ain infinite number of you's, me's and George Bushes. If the universe really is infinite, nothing can prove that theory wrong.
According to the Big Bang Theory, we exploded from a little ball of matter, and have been expanding outward ever since. I read somewhere that we are expanding about 3 million light years every 5 seconds (approx). Beyond that is unknown. So the universe does end somewhere. But that is an entirely different subject.

But, but. What's beyond that?

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2008-06-19 14:46:05

#15

VicktorVauhn: Member; +319|6861|Southern California

Its a huge ass place so its possible that anything goes...

However its not like our bodies randomly need water and oxygen... The actual properties of these are really important.

There is a lot of chemistry that needs to be in water to take place, and science isn't really a regional thing. When places get too cold the rate of chemical reactions slows down. Temperature is not all just a relative thing. Heat is a form of energy, and corresponds to the actual energy contained in the material. It can only go as low as -273 *C and then there is no energy for chemical reactions needed to keep something alive.

Water also stores a lot more thermal energy then most materials, and helps to keep global temperature more consistent by absorbing heat as temperatures rise, and releasing it when they fall.

Most of the chemistry that takes place in your body needs to take place in water solution, thats why your body is such a high percentage water. When you start looking at higher temperatures the water needed for your bodies chemistry starts to dry up.

There could be something more complex, and completely different then we ever could have guessed.... But we cannot investigate everything. If we can only follow one guess its makes a lot more sense to choose the more likely situation.

Last edited by VicktorVauhn (2008-06-19 14:48:28)

2008-06-19 14:46:39

#16

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6962|N. Ireland

VicktorVauhn wrote:
Most of the chemistry that takes place in your body needs to take place in water solution, thats why your body is such a high percentage water. When you start looking at higher temperatures the water needed for your bodies chemistry starts to dry up.

There could be something more complex, and completely different then we ever could have guessed.... But we cannot investigate everything. If we can only follow one guess its makes a lot more sense to choose the more likely situation.

We're made of star dust.

2008-06-19 14:48:02

#17

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6969|so randum

kylef wrote:
I'm pretty sure the current "accepted" theory is that even if we could travel the universe, it's circular and so we'd pass a spot were we had already passed within a certain amount of time. Existence of life? The odds do exist somewhere - but only by our standards.

Freezer - nice line: "If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities" - I like that.

Yeah, i think the currently accepted model is the "rubber ball idea"

Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella

2008-06-19 14:50:07

#18

i g: Banned; +876|6333|GA

Freezer7Pro wrote:
Ryan wrote:
Freezer7Pro wrote:
If the universe is endless, so are the possibilities. Infinity is something the human mind can't grasp, sux2bus. I personally like to think that everything exists in infinite numbers. There is even ain infinite number of you's, me's and George Bushes. If the universe really is infinite, nothing can prove that theory wrong.
According to the Big Bang Theory, we exploded from a little ball of matter, and have been expanding outward ever since. I read somewhere that we are expanding about 3 million light years every 5 seconds (approx). Beyond that is unknown. So the universe does end somewhere. But that is an entirely different subject.
But, but. What's beyond that?

a brick wall

2008-06-19 14:53:45

#19

m3thod: All kiiiiiiiiinds of gainz; +2,197|7140|UK

i don't blieve there is anything else out there. Only us.

Blackbelts are just whitebelts who have never quit.

2008-06-19 15:00:21

#20

i g: Banned; +876|6333|GA

m3thod wrote:
i don't blieve there is anything else out there. Only us.

honestly?

2008-06-19 15:10:44

#21

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7312|Alberta, Canada

m3thod wrote:
i don't blieve there is anything else out there. Only us.

In the millions of galaxies, with the billions of planets orbiting trillions upon trillions of stars, and you think there are only a few billion people, with a few million animals and plants?
I'm not criticizing your theory, but you have to look at the big picture.

2008-06-19 15:15:53

#22

VicktorVauhn: Member; +319|6861|Southern California

Here is a good link on why water is so important
http://witcombe.sbc.edu/water/chemistrystructure.html

2008-06-19 15:16:10

#23

m3thod: All kiiiiiiiiinds of gainz; +2,197|7140|UK

Ryan wrote:
m3thod wrote:
i don't blieve there is anything else out there. Only us.
In the millions of galaxies, with the billions of planets orbiting trillions upon trillions of stars, and you think there are only a few billion people, with a few million animals and plants?
I'm not criticizing your theory, but you have to look at the big picture.

There is only space for one fucked up species in the billion of gazillion of galaxies and that's us. There is no one else.

Focus your energy on making money and screwing as much women as you can and forget the nonsense of space and all that other jiggery pokery.

Blackbelts are just whitebelts who have never quit.

2008-06-19 16:46:19

#24

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7070|132 and Bush

They don't assume anything. However it makes the most sense to start with the knowledge we already know about life.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2008-06-19 16:53:54

#25

Airwolf: Latter Alcoholic; +287|7189|Scotland

all physics is probability.

You can never be entirely certain, only have a high probability prediction.

Freezer7Pro wrote:
If the universe really is infinite, nothing can prove that theory wrong.

which is why we can only take what theoretical physicists say with a pinch of salt.

There was one comment above me that said the universe was expanding at 3million light years every 5 seconds, how is that possible? The speed of light is the absolute maximum, or is there something i don't know?

BF2S Forums Existance of Life

^AlphA^ wrote:

Gooners wrote:

^AlphA^ wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Gooners wrote:

^AlphA^ wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Gooners wrote:

^AlphA^ wrote:

^AlphA^ wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Gooners wrote:

Ryan wrote:

^AlphA^ wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

VicktorVauhn wrote:

kylef wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

m3thod wrote:

m3thod wrote:

Ryan wrote:

m3thod wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

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