...that life doesn't necessarily require water or a certain temperature? It is an utterly indefensible position I am sick of hearing. Please, point me toward someone who isn't so homocentric.
2007-04-27 04:27:01 · 5 answers · asked by Alowishus B 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Where did I say I've got no other ideas? I thought it would be obvious that I wanted a name so that I could contact that person and exchange ideas.
Why so defensive?
The argument that goes, "all life on Earth requires water, therefore all life anywhere requires water" is absurd. If you grew up your whole life only ever seeing people with green eyes, does that mean everyone everywhere has got green eyes? Where's the difference between the two?
So what, you are only interested in finding life like our own?
I was simply looking for someone who was open to the possibility, the likelihood even, that the galaxy abounds with life unlike our own.
All I want is a name. If you don't know of anyone, don't answer. How's that?
2007-04-27 05:18:47 · update #1
J. B. S. Haldane speculated on ammonia-based biology some years back:
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/A/ammonialife.html
The Wikipedia article mentions some alternatives but is weak on references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_biochemistry
2007-04-27 06:27:56 · answer #1 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How else would you like us to test for life? They only kind of life that we know about is our own, so that's all we can test for. Sure, we know moons that have ice, and who knows, they might contain life - but looking at other planets, there are few ways to directly test for life. And water is one of them.
Until you give us another way to test for life on a planet that's too small to see with the best telescopes, you're going to have to live with the fact that the smartest people in that field can't think of any either. And trust me, they are equally sick of hearing that point of view from someone who has nothing else to offer.
2007-04-27 11:35:29 · answer #2 · answered by eri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only life we know of is the life on Earth. There are soooo many different kinds of life on this world, yet all of them have a couple things in common. One is that they all need water to survive. So, as far as we know, all life could need water. Until we find evidence of life that doesn't need water to survive, we will find out what makes it "tick" and then test for life in an additional way.
2007-04-27 11:48:25 · answer #3 · answered by Spilamilah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very good point, and I too was thinking the same thing this evening. I think you will find it is human nature to try to fit things into categories that we know about or can explain, but your point is totally valid, there are many things we do not know as yet, and I think we need to follow this simple theory, "if you cant prove that something does exist, nor can you prove that it doesn't exist."
2007-04-27 12:28:46 · answer #4 · answered by wombatusium 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's indefensible, please explain why. If you simply don't understand why certain conditions are considered necessary, I'm sure I can find references.
2007-04-27 11:40:07 · answer #5 · answered by Iridflare 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋