Posted on 02/21/2007 11:40:53 AM PST by NormsRevenge
This could get series.
Uh, at least one of the Moons of Jupiter is covered in a water ocean, frozen for several miles down.
I like it! This is more fun than listening to C2C.
Fundamentally wrong. It's all over the solar system. Some places have none or very little, other places are made of it.
http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/astrobio/feat_questions/silicon_life.cfm?video=bob
Here's a better explanation of what I was trying to convey, it has to do with the flexitility of the carbon atom and the ability of carbon chain based molecules to adopt specific conformations due to the chirality of Carbon that is lacking in every other atom of the group.
You obviously have no clue what you're talking about.
Huh...?
And the water ice on Mars doesn't count???
Re-read the article and compare to the assumption made about hydrogen found on Mars that they assume must be water. They made the same assumptions about the planets atmospheres and came up empty.
They finds 'signs' of water which is very different from finding water.
There is very strong evidence of water on Mars. As for hydrogen, it's all over the place, even in not-so-vacuum of space.
It still has to be discovered whether Europa has a liquid water ocean, some slushy stuff, or if the moon's water is frozen solid through and through. The cracks on the surface suggest that it could have liquid water seeping up, though.
Here's a prediction for ya: miles below the surface of Europa there is liquid water and a slush of methane hydrates.
I read that link and found a confusing pair of statements. It says that:
"silicon lacks...chirality, or “handedness.” then in the next paragraph it says:
"Some chemists believe that the chiral selection process in the pre-biotic “soup” might have been aided by a “handed” silica (SO2) surface."
In the first case are they referring only to handedness in silanes, not oxides?
In the first case are they referring only to handedness in silanes, not oxides?
I'm honestly not sure. I do know that the microbiological selection process in early formation favored one "hand" of simple organics over the other and so all life on earth at the molecular level reflects this. From my limited understanding Carbon is the only element that exhibits this in a favorable way in regards to protein conformations.
God could create other planets that live off of ANYTHING known or unknown!! Or when they earth has cooled or burnt up, God could start another earth-TYPE planet that HAS water....either way it's all up to God.
Practically all the Si on earth is in the form of SiO4 tetrahedra linked in various ways. It's the same on the moon, Mars, and meteorites. None of these carbon-like silanes. Also Si has nothing analogous to CO2, whose soluble & gaseous state is so convenient for photosynthesis and respiration. SiO2 is a crystalline solid, almost insoluble.
bump.
Yes, my brother-in-law is a chemical engineer, worked for Shell Oil until 20 years ago(25 years w/the company). He knows all that stuff : polysilanes, liquid sodium, etc. His favorite tune is : Oh, the world owes me a living...about welfare bum demonrats. And design screw-ups with equipment is : MANDATORY CASTRATION!!! He does culligan water treatment systems now.
What else do you want to know?
Uh, at least one of the Moons of Jupiter is covered in a water ocean, frozen for several miles down.
Sure would take a lot of energy to melt that ice and break down the hydrogen-oxygen bonds. The moon could then de-gas and perhaps create an atmoshere. According to Buck Rogers, anyway.
If the silicon atom can sustain such complex chemistries, well it would be an interesting find and something to look for in star searches like SETI. I was particularly interested in your comment about the physical aspects of silicon based aliens (the grays?) and how their silicon chemistry requires certain restrictions from normal stellar radiation. Would you elucidate the particular planetary protections needed for silicon based life to evolve on a planet, and perhaps the type of star system suited to same?
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