i know there are nebulas out there in the universe consisting of gases. so my question or theory is: is it possible that lifeforms can exist without a planet? are there regions in space filled enough with oxygen so that a lifeform(human) could breath in space? in my theory there could be rocks in such a place like islands and lifeforms would travel between this rocks. or lifeforms would live in space entirely feeding from sunlight water or related lifeforms.

Looks like someone's been reading Larry Niven's Integral Trees.

My answer though: No, not possible.

Originally posted by feyd rautha
i know there are nebulas out there in the universe consisting of gases. so my question or theory is: is it possible that lifeforms can exist without a planet? are there regions in space filled enough with oxygen so that a lifeform(human) could breath in space? in my theory there could be rocks in such a place like islands and lifeforms would travel between this rocks. or lifeforms would live in space entirely feeding from sunlight water or related lifeforms.

Maybe not life as we know it but life that is very different from that which is on earth. Maybe a energy or crystal form of life...who know?

How exactly is it not possible? although you are an expert......................still how?

what life as we know it needs in order to servive .
Sunlight ? not nesserly . water? not nesserly . oxgen not nesserly.
there are life forms here on earth that live just fine without oxgen or sunlight or water . as a matter of fact oxgen water sunlight will kill these life forms.
When Nasa was going to the moon back in the 70des one mossion landed close enough top and old landing sight so the astronots grabed a camra that was left behind at the site for THREE years .
gess what nasa found in the camra when they took it apart in the lab.
Bactirea that had SURVIVED 3 years in Hard radation with no water and temps from - 230 to + 230 with no air what so ever.
So as to your question is it possible that life can excist in a nubla typ area. Id have to say yes .
Ps If there wasent life on mars befor we sent probs . There is LIFE there now as no matter how carefully nasa strilised the equment there were a few bactirea that survived it and have adapted to the mars atsmesspher.

Originally posted by Simcity4Rushour
what life as we know it needs in order to servive .
Sunlight ? not nesserly . water? not nesserly . oxgen not nesserly.
there are life forms here on earth that live just fine without oxgen or sunlight or water . as a matter of fact oxgen water sunlight will kill these life forms.
When Nasa was going to the moon back in the 70des one mossion landed close enough top and old landing sight so the astronots grabed a camra that was left behind at the site for THREE years .
gess what nasa found in the camra when they took it apart in the lab.
Bactirea that had SURVIVED 3 years in Hard radation with no water and temps from - 230 to + 230 with no air what so ever.
So as to your question is it possible that life can excist in a nubla typ area. Id have to say yes .
Ps If there wasent life on mars befor we sent probs . There is LIFE there now as no matter how carefully nasa strilised the equment there were a few bactirea that survived it and have adapted to the mars atsmesspher.

But if i remember right the bactira didn't increase in number, showing that it couldn't advance or evolve over the long term

I wouldn't rule out the possibility of bacteria either, but I believe that feyd rautha was asking about humans or a similar creature.

personly im not looking to see any gray guy come walking up saying high from alpha cantary.
on the other hand Im looking very very closly at mars wishing they would send the right equment theres little dought in my mind that theres life of some kind there even if only bacteria.
There mite very well be millions of plaents with intellegent life on them but there also probly billions of planest with just lower life forms even if only bacteria.
so in my book barring the luck of finding a crashed UFO in your back yard or et wanting to borrow your phone .Id say the chances of finding lower life forms are much better .And they dont try to hid from you eather.

Originally posted by feyd rautha
i know there are nebulas out there in the universe consisting of gases. so my question or theory is: is it possible that lifeforms can exist without a planet? are there regions in space filled enough with oxygen so that a lifeform(human) could breath in space? in my theory there could be rocks in such a place like islands and lifeforms would travel between this rocks. or lifeforms would live in space entirely feeding from sunlight water or related lifeforms.

Regions in space filled with oxygon? Then it wouldnt be space by definition, would it?

At any rate, there IS a phenomena that is highly... suspect... regarding life in space. Astronauts film these round "discs" (as in not UFO's) that shimmer and have a darker cut and an a dark hole in the center of them. There are even photos of it here on earth too I think (remember seeing one). Cant remember any good link that goes through it though, try searching.

no i have not read the book from niven, the idea came when i watched pictures of nebulas. and yes i meant something like human live breathing in space but thinking further those gasclouds or nebulas are probably not dense enought to support the needed amount of oxygen. probably there is no way of knowing this for us now???

to state it more clear i didnt mean a dysonsphere neither, i thought of a natural developed region of space.

thinking further i remember the ideas of inhabitated trees in space from dan simmons impressive book hyperion though. :

another idea is a cloud of water dense enought to contain life(like the sea but massive and floating in space). i have for sure not read about that idea before.

@merka
sounds interessting but how should i google your vague description? are there photos of it?



[edit on 1-11-2004 by feyd rautha]

[edit on 1-11-2004 by feyd rautha]

For any lifeform to exist in the "emptyness" of space, I think it would probably have to "breath" or "eat" radiation, seeing at this to my very limited knowledge is the most abundant "stuff" in space? Although I'm not sure how this would be possible? Also I'm not sure how such a lifeform could cope with gravitational changes as it nears a planet / comet / star / whatever? If it evolved in an area where there were little gravitational forces, then everytime it got near a planet with above normal forces it would perish?