This lends credit to the theory that life can substitute any of the basic blocks with the next element up on the periodic table, because chemically they all behave is their series.
Actually, slowly freezing the solute of a bunch of chemicals actually makes the reacton go faster. The solution forms ice (frozen) crystals that push the other elements into microscopic groups, greatly increasing their concentration (only for a very small amount of it though). That is what they theorize happened on earth at some point, those small bunches formed DNA and what not faster than if left unfrozen. Heat does play a part (the molecules bounce around faster, making them hit other molecules and react more often), but so does concentration (which makes them so close together they inevitably bounce into eachother). The only way they would never react is to reach absolute zero, but good luck with that.grimsprice said:Except that there isn't enough heat energy to drive any kind of chemistry, there are pools of liquid fuel for gods sake. Thats like.... 250 degrees below zero F.Grayjack said:Read this earlier. Now that we know that lifeforms based on other chemicals are possible, methane based lifeforms on Titan seem very possible.
OT: Yeah, read this on Discovery News. Cool. Like. Cool.
I know, everyone is sad that it is only arsenic based life (yeah, only life using an element toxic to other life). What excites scientists sometimes doesn't excite the public.Aeshi said:I love how everybody was expecting fully sentient aliens or something similar (apparently the fact that something like that couldn't be covered up or hidden apparently never occurred to them)
Maybe they're trying to limit the number of things in the universe that their feeble little minds can't comprehend.A Curious Fellow said:How the fuck is this new to the scientific community? Am I really the only person who was open to the possibility of organisms using different elements in their composition?
This isn't even the first time I've been struck dumb by the narrow view of typical science on this subject. For Christ's sake, all they ever look for when looking for "planets that could have life" are planets that could support carbon based life forms and other things unique to Earth, like that's the only possible option. As if there aren't more possibilities in the infinite expanse of the universe.
Where is your imagination Science? Where?
Aethren said:I'm sure they can, just step into this lovely van over here and I'll take you to them!Jack and Calumon said:Calumon: I wonder if they can prove I exist?
Well I can name a few unimportant things that suit that category.Digikid said:Thats it? Big whoop de do /sarcasm.
If it is not biped and has space travel then it is not that important.