In 1976 Carl Sagan hypothesized that ammonia-based life could evolve in Jupiter's upper atmosphere. Sagan based this hypothesis on the ecology of terrestrial seas which have simple photosynthetic plankton at the top level, fish at lower levels feeding on these creatures, and marine predators which hunt the fish. The Jovian equivalents Sagan hypothesized were "sinkers", "floaters", and "hunters". The "sinkers" would be plankton-like organisms which fall through the atmosphere, existing just long enough that they can reproduce in the time they are kept afloat by convection. The "floaters" would be giant bags of gas functioning along the lines of hot air balloons, using their own metabolism (feeding off sunlight and free molecules) to keep their gas warm. The "hunters" would be almost squid-like creatures, using jets of gas to propel themselves into "floaters" and consume them.
Do anybody has a picture of this life-forms?
2006-10-21 23:48:24 · 4 answers · asked by Elias l 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I only saw them on Cosmos...In the show, the sinkers just look like giant seeds with small wings that let the fall gently in the wind. Floaters look like gigantic hot air balloons with camouflage patterns on their skins. The hunters look like small jets. Well that's what I remember.
Hey! I found that in Google video, you can watch the whole series of Cosmos. Maybe you can find what your're looking for there.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7430337603450194321&q=Carl+Sagan&hl=en
2006-10-21 23:58:53 · answer #1 · answered by John the Pinoy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. But I LOVE your thesis and analogy. I always knew I liked Carl Sagan, and I've always suspected that life in other systems would be based on some other element than carbon and thrive on some other compound than H2O. I don't know why scientists today waste so much time trying to find water and carbon-based life forms!
I also have fantasized about life in the Jovian planetary mass, and Sagan's explanation is wonderful in that it provides a life-based reason for the swirling clouds of goo visible even from here. The fact that the little spot has changed color to red would intrigue our guy Carl if he were still among us.
2006-10-21 23:54:57 · answer #2 · answered by nora22000 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Being surfaceless, existence on Jupiter could ought to adapt to the density of the gasoline at despite distance fromt he midsection of the planet it developed at. Why did you chosen a gasoline massive? heavily?
2016-12-08 19:00:13 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought your question was what you saw when you were looking in the toilet.
2006-10-22 00:25:41 · answer #4 · answered by James 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋