There's simply no way to know until we find it. We can look for life-supporting conditions, such as the presence of water, reactive gases, moderate temperatures and such, although we've seen plenty of Earth evidence that life can appear in some very inhospitable places. We can look for seasonal changes in a planet's surface appearance that can't be explained by weather. But until we can identify an actual life form that can't be explained by contamination from Earth, it's all speculation.
Any life we find will likely by very primitive, like algae and lichens, since we haven't seen any obvious signs of life activity. It's a matter of searching long enough in the most likely places. But in order for life to be on a planet or moon, it has to have begun there at some point in the past. If that never happened, no amount of searching will reveal it. If it HAS happened, we will eventually find it, or at least evidence of it if it has died out.
Life can assume many amazing forms. We can't assume we know the minimum conditions for life to occur. But until it does occur, even the most favorable condition don't matter.
The discovery of the first truly alien life form, however simple, will have a tremendous impact on the science of biology (not to mention philodsophy and theology), simply because it will demonstate that life began on more than one world. Until that day, all we can do is wait for the evidence.
2007-01-22 05:14:24
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answer #1
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answered by skepsis 7
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No, there is no life on the Moon or Mars. The Moon and Mars cannot support life.
2007-01-22 13:30:27
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answer #2
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answered by bldudas 4
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It is yet impossible to determine this definitively. Scientists did some years ago find something like a "virus" that may be present in quite a few mases in space that some postulate may have fallen to earth on meteor or such, and which could have been the seed from which living organisms in earth's rich environment could grow and eventually differentate into the species which inhabit the earth now--including we humans. They also have determined that some of the moons around Jupiter contain large amounts of H2O "water" which, along with oxygen and carbon are the basic necessities for what is called carbon-based biological life. However, there are so many variables that are needed to create and sustain even the simplest organism, and an environment must have absloutely all of those variables intact before even the spark of what we call "Life" (as opposed to mere biological architecture), the scientifically agreed-upon criteria for life including respiration of food and such, excretion of used food and such, ability to procreate either by mitosis, asexually or sexually, etc.
They still have not been able to find the correct number of variables in any of the planets or meteors that have been explored either visually or physically, though as I said there does happen to be water on some moons, and Mars does have a terrain that suggests that it once was covered with water (but which may have been eroded by something else, so until they find water even the base our earthly-defined biological life is not very probable--unless they find a living entity there first). Also, the Sun does contain and project into its system all of the building blocks upon which the variables necessary for biological life are created themselves, so in this Solar System, there might be something living, but at this point it's probably a better use of time and money and genius to focus on more pragmatic issues regarding our relationship to other-than-earth phenomena. Also, Mercury, Venus, Jupter, and Saturn have all been pretty much disqualified for being able to sustain our definition of biological life because of either too much heat/cold, or the presence of gasses that are beyond deadly for any carbon-based life form.
Persnally, considering the size of the Universe as it is even postulated at this time, and that it is supposed to contain billions on billions of stars, a good number of which it can be at least slightly postulated have planets of their own--looking at this with basic math, the odds of there being in one planet variables necessary for life--at least near to what we know here on earth--must be quite high. So, I believe in the possibility and the probability but will not put any money down on it until it is pretty well indicated empirically.
I also personally believe that there would be a large range of evolutionary levels to the lives on other planets--from germs at the lowest to civilizations that make us eat their dust technologically, philosophically, and ethically, maybe even "spiritually" though no matter what one believes personally on that front is not veriviable or non-verifiable within emprical limitations.
Only time will tell us the ultimate truth, so if you ask your question again a hundred years from now, or a thousand, you might get a quite different answer.
Best of luck in your learning about this marvelous Universe!
2007-01-22 13:36:14
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answer #3
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answered by Shivakumar 2
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I think there can be life on Mars, with what I've read so far. Probably some microbes that have peroxide (or something) and water to prevent their insides from freezing and to absorb moisture from the environment. I don't know if there *is* life, but it would be a cool finding!
2007-01-22 14:21:06
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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Not on the moon but there might be or may have been some sort of microbes on Mars. Stay tuned for future experimental results. What I think doesn't matter.
2007-01-22 12:56:00
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answer #5
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answered by Gene 7
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Yes, there should be life on every planet & stars as well. But they doesn't appear to be having same qualities as human thinking now. They live like beyond our thoughts. We are exploring water or ice sources to find there is any living entity on these planets but its false. Without water they are many living things can survive. Thats what God's creation is. Cross your fingures and put a best mark on my answer :-)
2007-01-22 14:04:34
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answer #6
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answered by Krrish 1
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it is difficult to believe that life sustain on moon but there r fair chances that it may exist at mars.let 's cross ur fingers & hope for it.it may be possible because traces of water r found on mars.
2007-01-22 13:03:29
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answer #7
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answered by SHOBHIT J 3
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Searching for life?
Life exist in many folds 8,00,000 Kms above and below Himalaya in 07 levels find out some of them first.
2007-01-22 13:26:19
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answer #8
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answered by pankaj s 3
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No.actually there is no life on mars.But the explorers which we send from earth may carry some micro-organisms which may spread on the surface of mars.This may result in some form of life in future.
NOTE:this is only what i think...
2007-01-22 13:29:42
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answer #9
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answered by halo 2
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yeah according to the recent investigations published bye NASA there is a scope for life. if u follow the news papers daily u cud be aware of that. try to refer to NASA website for more information and refer recent articles in news papers about astronomy
2007-01-22 13:29:51
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answer #10
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answered by sweety 1
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