Does life need the sun?

Question

I've heard that worms thrive near volcanic heat vents deep under the ocean where no sunlight penetrates. Does this prove that the sun is not required for life to exist? If so, does this increase the chances that life exists in colder locations of our solar system?

Answer 1

They're called extremophiles. They're really neat, too! And there are more than just worms that live near those black smokers deep in the ocean! There are pretty complex ecosystems that have developed down there. It's very possible that if there is liquid water under the ice on Europa (a moon of Jupiter) there may be life that resembles what we find near those black smokers.

Ultimately, even the animals that live near a black smoker need the Sun to survive - without the Sun, the oceans would freeze (although things might be ok near the volcanic vents, I'm really not sure).

Life as we know it needs liquid water and an energy source - that energy source does not have to be sunlight. Oxygen is not necessary for all forms of life, but on Earth it is necessary for complex life forms.

Answer 2

Life in some form can indeed exist without the Sun, as in cases such as volcanic heat vents. Life, however, does need some source of energy, be that energy the Sun's light or heat due to geological processes. Moreover, the larger and more complex the life-form, the greater amount of energy it needs. So humans require more energy to live than mice, which in turn need more than bacteria.

Of course, the Sun is by far the largest source of energy in the Solar System, and is basically the only source of energy capable of sustaining very complex life. However, that doesn't rule out the existence of bacteria, say, on Mars (which is colder, but not *that* cold), or Jupiter's moon Europa (which, due to the same forces which cause the tides on the Earth has some amount of geothermal energy under its frozen surface which may allow for oceans). So, yes, in some sense it increases the odds that there exists some kind of life elsewhere in the solar system.

Answer 3

Earth would not be liveable if it nevertheless exists at that element. yet while humanity survives for that long the technologies we've would be stepped forward adequate that we'd now not remember on the solar's skill stages at Earth's place the way we do now. At that element we'd have found out the thank you to get the skill we desire from the white dwarf that the solar will replace into, surviving off of that as an area-faring civilization (it rather is, if we are nevertheless even based as a civilization in this photograph voltaic device to start with. we'd have more suitable out previous the photograph voltaic device to greater liveable planets around different stars via then.).

Answer 4

Not all life needs sunlight. Some lives in caves that have no light in them at all.
Adequate heat source water and oxygen seem to be the minimums for life.

And yes there are some moons around Saturn and Jupiter that may harbor primitive life forms.

Answer 5

well, plants and things need sunlight to photosynthesize or there would be no oxygen, plus humans need a temperature range in the earths atomosphere, too hot, we bake, too cold we freeze. We need the heat and light we get from the sun. I would say with few exceptions the sun is neccessary to life.

Answer 6

Yes we need the Sun or we would be dead. Maybe other life forms will thrive in the dark and cold. It would be pointless as they would not be intelligent enough to have a meaningful life like ours.

Answer 7

Right. They just found some bacteria living 2 miles under the earth's surface, and they get their energy from radioactive uranium!! In a gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa. Wow! Sure, life is out there too, don't doubt it!

Answer 8

ok, some creatures dont live in sun, but this dont mean that life needs the sun, i will tell u a small reason. the plants, how do they get their food, by sun, imagine if there was no plants, there would be no animals beacuase some animals eat the plants and those animals are eaten by another animals, so if there was no sun, there would be no animals, and therefore no life on earth

Answer 9

If you would rather be a sulfur-eating, one-celled organism, then sure, get rid of the sun. But, I prefer being human :D. Looking for life outside of earth is a waste of time and money.

Answer 10

well if the sun wasn't here we would be alive as we need heat these worms need heat of different kind like volcanic heat .If it wasn't on our solar system then we would be in Pluto . thanks