if life was found on mercury?

Question

this is just pretend but if life was found on mercury, what would be some ways it could survive on mercury? what things on mercury would allow for such life forms to form and how would it adapt?
homework help please...

Answer 1

Hi. Mercury is unusual because there is water ice at the poles. (I know, almost nobody knows this, but it seems to be true.) If the surface has ice there may be water deeper in the surface. Life would have to have adapted to the rigors of this environment. It may have developed a water proof shell, or a way to line it's 'cave' with something, or some other idea along these lines. Use your imagination. Not necessarily a water based life form.

Answer 2

It would have to be pretty hardy, but not impossible (at least for organic life).

On the negative side, Mercury goes to extremes in terms of temperature (430 degrees C during the day, -180 at night). There's not very much atmosphere to speak of, and what little there is is mainly trace amounts of hydrogen and helium. Since there isn't much of an atmosphere, a lot of radiation (esp UV) gets through to the surface.

On the plus side, life doesn't have to be on the surface. Chemotrophic life forms can live below the crust, out of the reach of harmful radiation and temperature changes. There may be water ices in craters at the poles that are shielded by permanent shadows. Last but not least, life can be as tough as a two buck steak. Conditions on our own planet are pretty harsh, and living organisms (particularly bacteria) have been found in what could have been considered dead zones in theory. Bacteria can even survive in a vacuum for an indefinite period of time...Strep bacteria spores were found in Surveyor 3 (a lunar probe) after several years on the lunar surface.

Answer 3

The only evidence of water on mercury is radar signatures from the north polar craters protected from the sun.

Since it's so close to the sun half is scorching and the other half freezing. Mercury has little atmosphere to speak of and liquid water would be all but impossible, because of the tempature extremes and slow rotation. (They only have three 'days' every two 'years') Any surface water that isn't protected from the sun would at some point be exposed to close, direct sunlight, quickly melt, evaporate and probably escape into space.

It has virtualy no atmospheric pressure and what little it does have is only 3% water vapor.

The only really viable way for life to exist on Mercury is perhaps some sort of ice plant that could dig into the north polar ice and.. heck, I dunno, maybe feed of heat from solar flares?

*edit* Yeah, that other guy reminded me they've found life in underwaret lava founts hot enough to melt steel.

Answer 4

maybe by evolving to breathe different gases and not so much water in their systems to not retain the heat. In the colder climates of earth animals grow fur. Maybe on Mercury they have some sort of skin that reflects heat. You know how in the summer a white shirt is cooler than a black one.

Answer 5

Extreme resistance to heat like the thermophile animals and bacteria that live near submarine vents and hot springs. Any life would probably be restricted to the colder poles. Perhaps the creatures would live under the crust to escape the heat.

Answer 6

I'm not sure how they would survive being that Mercurcy is so close to the sun. Perhaps they would have to be some hybrid species that has extremely durable outer shells, or maybe they dwell beneath the surface.

If anything, I would say perhaps micro-organisms with extreme protection systems would be all that could survive.

Answer 7

i think they would have to have a SUPER thick glass to keep them from burning to death

Answer 8

id see ye there tomorrow

Answer 9

i was raised on mercury.