Let's look for life in the outer solar system

Let's look for life in the outer solar system

www.exchangemagazine.com

Physicist Freeman Dyson suggests that we start looking for life on the moons of Jupiter and out past Neptune, in the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. He talks about what such life would be like -- and how we might find it.

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We have all speculated that there might be some life in the outer reaches. Now that somebody as noteable as Freeman Dyson is saying the same thing.
I know this will raise the eyebrows of some but I say...What if?

www.exchangemagazine.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by VIKINGANT


I would love to get my hopes up, but the only people capable of looking for life in the outer solar system would never tell us if they found any. I am not a big fan of NASA.

To think we are the only life in the universe is an insult to life in the universe.

Love everything

Z

I don't think NASA would be able to keep it quite for too long though. They do not control EVERY space agency.

The video is fantastic to watch. If things are how Mr. Dyson describes it, it is a thriving busy place to be out in the K.Belt. I'm sure its not but it is a great description of how it could be.

Hi there

I just wanted to say that concerning life in the solar system, officials tell us the same thing like all other news; they tell us in a manner we don't really understand.

More than 10 years ago I asked a simple question to scientific organizations, skeptics too, and I am still waiting for the answer. ( Well to say the truth, an answer was given a few months back in the newspaper for all to see... )

My question? A very simple one, so here it is: If many moons of our solar system are covered with liquid methane, solid ( ice ) methane and an atmosphere full of methane, isn't it an indication of life on that body? After all, methane is a by product that is naturally created when PLANTS DECOMPOSE! I continued by asking if there was another way to have methane ( unless all plants are considered UNliving things... ), but like I said: NO ANSWER!

A few months back, in "Le Journal de Montréal", in Québec, Canada, was presented an article from a space agency we have here. Guess what they were saying? They had built a component that has been sent to a moon of Jupiter ( if I remember well ) and it will ANALYSE THE METHANE THAT IS THERE BECAUSE METHANE COULD BE A STRONG INDICATION OF LIFE...

Language is a code and it can be played with. An exemple; If I say " I do not wish to see nobody in that room", chances are nobody will go in that room, even when knowing that 3 "nays" in a sentence is equal to a "yea"... Imagine to "bordel" when talking about scientific mumbo-jumbo...

A last exemple of cloudy meaning, if you need one: When people are telling " I wish you all the happiness in the world", people are only saying " I wish you all the luck in the world". Look in the dictionnary, it's the same meaning for that word in any given laguange.

I wish you all a JOYOUS day! ( After all, isn't CHANCE ( happiness ) the fruit of the devil? )

Many people seem dubious about the fact that if there is life elsewhere we will never be told, but the way I see it, if more distinguished people like Mr. Dylon start saying lief is out there, or at least possible people like NASA will have no chice but come clean.

reply to post by Aresh Troxit


That's a very good point. When life metabolizes substance one of the byproducts is methane. In fact, I was watching a video on the Nasa web site about how they are analyzing the light which passes through the atmosphere of distant planets to see if that planet has any methane present. The idea, of course, was to see if there was the possibility that life existed there.

My question is, what else could produce methane gas? I know that both animal life and plant life release the gas. But could it occur without life?

Although the temperature on those moons is very cold I would say there is a good chance we could find life in the outer solar system. Can't wait to see what the results of such an expedition turn out to be.

Originally posted by Promecus

My question is, what else could produce methane gas? I know that both animal life and plant life release the gas. But could it occur without life?

It is my understanding that it can occur without life but is also an indicator of the exsistance of life.
This is why when they find a planet with methane they tell us it indicates life is "possible" but cannot say "life is there" without question

reply to post by VIKINGANT


If NASA can deny it and we can't PROVE it, they won't ever come clean. I am pretty well convinced that the only way we will know if life is "out there" is when that life comes here and presents itself.

Methane can also be released through geo-thermal and volcanic activity.



[edit on 16-7-2008 by TheComte]

[edit on 16-7-2008 by TheComte]

[edit on 16-7-2008 by TheComte]

reply to post by TheComte


I did not know that. Thanks TheComte!

Is there a difference (that we can detect) between methane released by life forms v.s. methane released by volcanic activity?

Hopefully I'm not getting too far off topic.

reply to post by Promecus


I'm not sure but I think the molecule is identical.

Of course volcanic activity has been known to be connected with some pretty strange lifeforms here on Earth, especially down under the ocean. So although it's not necessarily an indicator of life, I think it's safe to say that any planet with methane is at least worth checking out.

Lets hope that when the Dawn spacecraft gets to the 'outer reaches' in 2015 it has a bit of a look further out into the K.belt. And then see if anything is reported back....