Geological Sources
Esteemed Author» Therefore, you know the methane is being replenished. The best way to replenish methane in the presence of oxygen is with life.”
Is a geological source of methane also not likely?
Boffins: Searching for ALIENS is like looking for PIZZA among students
Boffins have warned that humanity may have missed out on finding aliens because we are looking for the wrong signs. A researcher at the University of St Andrews said we could draw closer to “a profound moment for humanity”, if only we followed his rules on how to find life out in deepest space. He warned that the presence of …
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Monday 15th September 2014 11:25 GMT cray74
Re: Geological Sources
"Is a geological source of methane also not likely?"
Hence the recommendation to search for methane AND oxygen. Like the article said, one of the chemicals by itself is not necessarily a sign of life. As you've noted, you can get methane without life. But having methane and oxygen present means at least one of those chemicals is probably being made by life.
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Monday 15th September 2014 06:34 GMT Anonymous Coward
But even his theory...
Assumes that life can only exist in the way we visionize it.
Lets start with a life form which doesn't require oxygen for example... then what?
Well, then you get a goose chase because you'll be looking for too many possible hints for you to handle.
Its easy to criticise but you gotta start somewhere...
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Monday 15th September 2014 07:09 GMT Chris Miller
Re: Ozone?
The argument runs that on a planet without an active biosphere, any oxygen in the atmosphere will rapidly* become incorporated into material on the surface in the form of oxides and carbonates etc. This is what we see in the solar system on Mars or Venus. So ozone indicates the presence of O2 being converted by the action of UV photons.
But this article is saying that O2 could be created by non-biological processes, so a more sophisticated test is required.
* rapidly in geological terms, i.e. over millions of years.
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Monday 15th September 2014 08:11 GMT Anonymous Coward
I don't like having a pop at boffins (having been one myself) but I can't help feeling what this guy is saying is sort of pointless. I don't think anyone said that finding oxygen or methane or one of a few other chemicals in the atmosphere was proof positive that there was life but finding one of them is certainly a good start.
It's not like we've found so many planets with oxygen or methane in the atmosphere that we just throw them in a big pile and move on. These planets will be studied and I'd be prepared to bet the next thing they do is try to get a full spectrum of the atmosphere.
What would be interesting is to know how low a concentration they can get down to with their measurements. Earth seems to sit around 500ppbv for methane which I would imagine is quite hard to detect over interstellar distances.
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Monday 15th September 2014 10:33 GMT JimmyPage
Life ...
anyone heard the term "ignostic" ? John Lloyd mentioned it on a Richard Herring podcast (slight plug).
It's a philosophy which requires terms to be defined, before an answer is given. So in the case of "Do you believe in God ?" terms need to be decided. Beard ? Sandals ? Tall ? Fat ?
Only when terms are defined, can an answer be given. As he put it "you tell me what I don't believe in."
Same with "life". Define terms.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
