Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Waterless planets surprise astronomers
AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/21/07 | Seth Borenstein - ap

Posted on 02/21/2007 11:40:53 AM PST by NormsRevenge

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last
To: timer

Not much, what are they silicate chains?
I can't remember the exact reason why Carbon is the only atom that forms stable chains like it does but we went over this in a couple of the biochem and organic chem classes I took WAY back in college.


21 posted on 02/21/2007 12:21:40 PM PST by TheKidster (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: TheKidster
That idea makes good Star Trek episodes but in reality the carbon atom is the only one with ability to form the complex stable molecules necessary for amino acids and other life essential building blocks.

I guess you are not a chemist? What about silicon?

jas3
22 posted on 02/21/2007 12:23:13 PM PST by jas3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: TheKidster; timer

Silicon is a popular alternative for Macroevolutionists contemplating extraterrestrial life. It is in the crust of rocky planets (at least in the Solar System) in quantities rivaling that of carbon. Furthermore (again, from the Macroevolutionary viewpoint), life simply has to have a way to encode information. On Earth, carbon-based amino acids do this, but in theory silicon could about just as easily be used (as in computers and stuff). Macroevolutionary models of extraterrestrial life don't need DNA either (just a way to encode information), and now even water (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, could be used, for one).


23 posted on 02/21/2007 12:24:11 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Jedi Master Pikachu
DNA either
24 posted on 02/21/2007 12:26:12 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Uncle George
What about comets? Haven't they bothered to scan a coma or two?

And, I thought one of Saturn's rings was, and is still being created from water vapor spewed forth from Enceladus? (Or is Enceladus spewing something else?)

And Triton needs a closer look. Io, too, maybe.

25 posted on 02/21/2007 12:26:30 PM PST by Calvin Locke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Old Professer

If this nonsensical Impact-Splash scenario had happened 4.4B years ago, a mars directly impacts the earth and slashes out the lunar mass into stable orbit beyond the roche lobe, we as water-rich critters wouldn't even BE here. That event would instantly release 10^31 J of KE, a gamma ray burser like the Shoemaker-Levy comet fragments impacting Jupiter in 1994, only of VASTLY greater magnitude.

What settles out AIN'T delicate molecules like H2O, NH3, etc; more like pyroxenes...this planet would be just as sterile as venus. So astronomy geniuses, how did earth's OCEANS get here as early as 3.9B years ago?


26 posted on 02/21/2007 12:26:42 PM PST by timer (n/0=n=nx0)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Calvin Locke

Guessing that Io's too hot to have water on it.


27 posted on 02/21/2007 12:28:23 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: jas3

everything in that group can form chains but I thought only Carbon could form the necessary rings and other structures necessary. Maybe research has been done since that clarifies this? No I'm not a chemist, I just play one online


28 posted on 02/21/2007 12:31:48 PM PST by TheKidster (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Uncle George
Man will go to any length to prove this wrong, science has not produced one drop outside of earth.

There is water vapor in Mars' atmosphere, and it's 99% evident comets have water in them.

29 posted on 02/21/2007 12:32:55 PM PST by RockinRight (When Chuck Norris goes to bed at night, he checks under the bed for Jack Bauer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Jedi Master Pikachu

That's why I said "maybe".


30 posted on 02/21/2007 12:32:59 PM PST by Calvin Locke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: azcap

Don't be confusing the poor man with science.


31 posted on 02/21/2007 12:33:42 PM PST by RockinRight (When Chuck Norris goes to bed at night, he checks under the bed for Jack Bauer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: TheKidster
That idea makes good Star Trek episodes but in reality the carbon atom is the only one with ability to form the complex stable molecules necessary for amino acids and other life essential building blocks.

Life, as we know it.
I don't pretend to be God and know that there are no other forms of life out there.

32 posted on 02/21/2007 12:34:45 PM PST by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Jedi Master Pikachu; TheKidster

Polysilanes are Si-H chains and chemically similar to C-H chains but not as robust, they quickly photovolatize in our sunlight. Thus polysilane organisms can only develop on planets with huge cloud covers. This is why the little gray aliens visit earth at NIGHT. Also, living with very low light levels, they depend on polarization to see/discriminate objects, that's why their eyes are long ovals set at 90 degrees or so to each other.


33 posted on 02/21/2007 12:38:03 PM PST by timer (n/0=n=nx0)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Calvin Locke

No insult was intended.


34 posted on 02/21/2007 12:38:13 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Uncle George

"Water is only on this created earth."

That is certainly not true.

There are small iceballs that are frozen water that come from space and pellet the atmosphere of Earth, adding water that was previously not here.
There is so much 'rain' that it had scientists puzzled because it gave off a 'background' noise easy enough to be detected but very, very had to see. Like looking for a needle in a haystack. Eventually,

Satellites and the scanning equipment on them identified this 'noise'.

Many comets also have large amounts of water on them.

Snowballs on Fire. Isn't God Amazing???


35 posted on 02/21/2007 12:38:41 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (It's turtles all the way down.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight; Uncle George

Don't ping people behind their figurative back.


36 posted on 02/21/2007 12:38:58 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Jedi Master Pikachu; Uncle George

Wasn't trying to - I had already pinged him the post prior. Sorry, UG.


37 posted on 02/21/2007 12:40:07 PM PST by RockinRight (When Chuck Norris goes to bed at night, he checks under the bed for Jack Bauer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight; Uncle George
Don't ping about people behind their figurative back.

If you read the other comments, you would see that several freepers have pointed out that there is extraterrestrial water--most typing (telling) him that in a rather rude manner.

38 posted on 02/21/2007 12:41:29 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

Then sorry, in turn, for comments 36 and 38.


39 posted on 02/21/2007 12:42:05 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: timer

Appreciate the info on polysilanes.


40 posted on 02/21/2007 12:43:01 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson