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Em.... Life outside the solar system found?

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  • 04-01-2008 3:14pm
    #1
    User45701
    Registered Users Posts: 6,905 ✭✭✭


    "Building blocks of life may have been found in a ring of red dust surrounding a distant star.

    The disc appears to contain large complex organic molecules of the type believed to have given birth to life on Earth.

    It is the first time evidence of life’s chemical precursors has been detected outside the Solar System."

    My own defination of life would be any non teresterial organic compond so to me this would fall under that. I dont think it has to be Intelligent life.

    http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/mheycwsnidey/


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    #2
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    ummm

    source?


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    #3
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    Mordeth wrote: »
    ummm

    source?

    Perhaps click on the link the OP posted?


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    #4
    Redshift
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,486 ✭✭✭Redshift


    marco_polo wrote: »
    Perhaps click on the link the OP posted?

    Last edited by User45701 : Today at 17:09. Reason: Linky & Spelling;)


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    #5
    Fenster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,763 ✭✭✭Fenster


    Some more information on HR 4796A:

    http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/HR4796A.html

    Finding organic molecules simply isn't the same as finding life. We've found organic molecules in places where there's complex chemistry, without there being an actual trace of life: Titan and I believe Uranus are two such planets.

    With our current detection limits life would need to be very blatant for us to see them, as right now we're just about able to sample the atmosphere of a transiting hot Jovian under limited conditions. We're not able to detect or measure anything really smaller than a hot Jovian right now except under special circumstances, such as pulsar planets.

    Give it a few years, though, and look closer to home! I've always had money on there being complex and extant life on several of Jupiter's moons.


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    #6
    admiralofthefleet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,515 ✭✭✭✭admiralofthefleet


    Fenster wrote: »
    Give it a few years, though, and look closer to home! I've always had money on their being complex and extant life on several of Jupiter's moons.

    likewise, since school, when i got into astronomy, i always said there was life on europa


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    #7
    Kevster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭Kevster


    This was reported in the last issue of Astronomy magazine. Anyway, as Fenster said, finding organic molecules isn't the same as finding life. There are organic molecules in a good few places in our solar system including on Titan. This is just the first time they have been found outside the solar system.


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    #8
    AckwelFoley
    Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    Yes, its unlikely we will be getting a visit from them anytime soon..

    Its a significant find none the less


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    #9
    Captain Chaos
    Registered Users Posts: 11,174 ✭✭✭✭Captain Chaos


    admiralofthefleet wrote: »
    likewise, since school, when i got into astronomy, i always said there was life on europa

    Saturn's moon Titan seems a better bet.


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    #10
    Kevster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭Kevster


    I wouldn't be so sure about that Captain Chaos. They say that Titan might harbour life in the distant future when the Sun enters a 'Red Giant' phase and heats up Titan to temperatures suitable for life. At that point in time, the Earth would be uninhabitable.

    Europa, however, has an ocean of water underneath it's icy surface. It has also been shown that the center ('core') of Europa is hot. Considering this, Europa is a better bet for finding life. Life on Earth has been found in the farthest depths of the oceans near hydrothermal vents where no Sunlight ever reaches. These same hydrothermal vents may be found on the oceanic floor of Europa.

    ... ...on top of that: Jupiter is a 400 million kilometers closer than Saturn :p


    Kevin.


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