Signs of Water Gysers on Saturns Moon
I have problems conceiving we are the only intelligent life in the universe, but I don't believe our first realization of that fact will be brought about by anything in our solar system. Unlike extreme warmth which can harbor a vast array of life, the extreme cold of Saturn would be unsuitable for housing any living organism without freezing it to death before it had a chance to evolve into something more. I love this stuff.
I get creeped out when I think of the conditions a planet needs to have in order to sustain life...it just seems so remote that I often question that we are here at all.
I get creeped out when I think of the conditions a planet needs to have in order to sustain life...it just seems so remote that I often question that we are here at all.
Quote:the extreme cold of Saturn would be unsuitable for housing any living organism without freezing it to death before it had a chance to evolve into something more
It'd be unsuitable for any living organism _on Earth_. What's to say that evolution and the random smashing together of DNA might not produce a bacterium or something on Saturn's moon that requires virtually no heat to survive?
Quote:Original post by Cypher19Quote:the extreme cold of Saturn would be unsuitable for housing any living organism without freezing it to death before it had a chance to evolve into something more
It'd be unsuitable for any living organism _on Earth_. What's to say that evolution and the random smashing together of DNA might not produce a bacterium or something on Saturn's moon that requires virtually no heat to survive?
Yea, thats what I always thought.
Quote:Original post by Cypher19
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It'd be unsuitable for any living organism _on Earth_. What's to say that evolution and the random smashing together of DNA might not produce a bacterium or something on Saturn's moon that requires virtually no heat to survive?
Based upon what we *know so far, the building blocks of life can only fuse together if the conditions are right. DNA doesn't just smash together to create life... Biological entities can only be formed at specific temperatures with the aid of certain molecules and other environmental conditions. I guess a lifeforms ability to form depends entirely upon the compounds present in the atmosphere and their willingness to bind to other materials. The temperature of a planet obviously greatly influences molecules rate of speed and willingness to bond or collide to other molecules about them causing a reaction... Saturn's specific setup and temperatures of around -270 degrees Farenheit seems inhospitable because organic materials cannot form properly, let alone sustain any living thing. Any deviation from these general principles and the possibility of life becomes impossible...according to our knowledge.
(*which is nothing)
I agree with you by the way. Anything and everything is possible as far as I'm concerned. I just don't believe Saturn favors such conditions.
Wait, if it's so cold, then why is there apparently liquid water? Conspiracy! (Actually, I haven't read the article yet)
EDIT: Oh, it's "more than tens of meters below the surface."
EDIT: Oh, it's "more than tens of meters below the surface."
Quote:Original post by Rain 7You should have talked to my creepy Astronomy professor in my freshman year.
I get creeped out when I think of the conditions a planet needs to have in order to sustain life...it just seems so remote that I often question that we are here at all.
He's claim was that life is everywhere. Single cell and possibly simple multiple cell creatures floating in the atmosphere of Jupitor and Saturn. Mar's occasional melting of the caps reawaken life on it, that stays dormate in it's current phase.
The only planet he didn't think had life was possibly Mercury, because it was too close to the Sun. However, the Sun has life as well.
If there is intellegent life anywhere in the universe, it certainly isn't on Earth.
As per life existing. The water exists at some point as a liquid. This means at some point it was above freezing point. Which is all that is required for life to exist.
An abstract example, is that Human's blood boils at 277K (four degrees centigrade) when at ~0kPa. This discovered by Cyborgnetics research (technically, if we had more knowledge and understood the human body better, we wouldn't need space suits) reference: The Cyborg, editted by Gray (a collections on essays about Cyborg). Now ignore the cyborg part, other than that is the source of information, Humans could exist with a blood temperature of 277K at ~0..2kPa. As well as a few other variables no doubt.
Is it too much to think life could exist there?
Another example is the life we find in various extremes here on earth. Bacteria exists in Antartica. Polar Bears exist in the Artic. Heck watch March of the Penguins for a good example of some extremes. Then there is the life existing so far below the ocean that light does not make it down there. They just require volcanic vents...
Which gysiers are a form of...
And wait, what was it they found on that moon.
As per life existing. The water exists at some point as a liquid. This means at some point it was above freezing point. Which is all that is required for life to exist.
An abstract example, is that Human's blood boils at 277K (four degrees centigrade) when at ~0kPa. This discovered by Cyborgnetics research (technically, if we had more knowledge and understood the human body better, we wouldn't need space suits) reference: The Cyborg, editted by Gray (a collections on essays about Cyborg). Now ignore the cyborg part, other than that is the source of information, Humans could exist with a blood temperature of 277K at ~0..2kPa. As well as a few other variables no doubt.
Is it too much to think life could exist there?
Another example is the life we find in various extremes here on earth. Bacteria exists in Antartica. Polar Bears exist in the Artic. Heck watch March of the Penguins for a good example of some extremes. Then there is the life existing so far below the ocean that light does not make it down there. They just require volcanic vents...
Which gysiers are a form of...
And wait, what was it they found on that moon.
Quote:Original post by DakeDesu
If there is intellegent life anywhere in the universe, it certainly isn't on Earth.
As per life existing. The water exists at some point as a liquid. This means at some point it was above freezing point. Which is all that is required for life to exist.
An abstract example, is that Human's blood boils at 277K (four degrees centigrade) when at ~0kPa. This discovered by Cyborgnetics research (technically, if we had more knowledge and understood the human body better, we wouldn't need space suits) reference: The Cyborg, editted by Gray (a collections on essays about Cyborg). Now ignore the cyborg part, other than that is the source of information, Humans could exist with a blood temperature of 277K at ~0..2kPa. As well as a few other variables no doubt.
Is it too much to think life could exist there?
Another example is the life we find in various extremes here on earth. Bacteria exists in Antartica. Polar Bears exist in the Artic. Heck watch March of the Penguins for a good example of some extremes. Then there is the life existing so far below the ocean that light does not make it down there. They just require volcanic vents...
Which gysiers are a form of...
And wait, what was it they found on that moon.
hehe...when you think about it consciousness is quite possibly the greatest marvel of the universe and yet it is still for the most part completely useless. :)
Scientists found water on the moon I believe...but water doesn't automatically indicate lifeforms, also considering that its about 1 percent of the moon's surface which is encrusted with VERY SMALL ice shards it doesn't seem to further the belief that Saturn may yet beat the odds and somehow harbor biological organisms. I see what you're saying though.
I guess the main point is that organisms first need to survive in a mild environment and allow natural selection to give them the ability to adapt to unsuitable (extreme) living conditions. An organism that is birthed in a mild environment stands a greater chance of surviving and producing offspring for the survival of its species. The organisms on the earth that currently live in extreme environments most likely originated in mild environments and evolved to their current state. I highly doubt that any organism becomes automatically equipped to deal with extremes in temperature or environment, rather that is a trait that becomes realized through LOTS of time and evolution.
Also, the disparities in Temperature (degrees) between Anarctica and Saturn are quite vast. :D The processes of life are so fragile. Progenitor organisms aren't well crafted in extreme conditions.
Quote:Original post by Rain 7
Also, the disparities in Temperature (degrees) between Anarctica and Saturn are quite vast. :D The processes of life are so fragile. Progenitor organisms aren't well crafted in extreme conditions.
And yet, somehow even though the temperature (degrees xor Kelvin) differences between Anartica and Saturn don't appear to be enough to disallow water from being above the melting point.
Slightly OT: How many people were listening to this when the person from NASA was on Coast to Coast AM. Heck that NASA guy was even saying there was a chance life would be on there, but there has not been enough research into it to know. Like they've known something was up with this moon since the 1970s, but they only recently got the data that the something that was up was gysers.
edit: yes, I am aware there is a difference between melting point and boiling point
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