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Discussion » Questions » Science and Technology » 10 years ago we thought the earth was a RARE occurrence. Now, we know there are BILLIONS of inhabitable planets right here in our galaxy. Do you think ANY of 'em have LIFE??

10 years ago we thought the earth was a RARE occurrence. Now, we know there are BILLIONS of inhabitable planets right here in our galaxy. Do you think ANY of 'em have LIFE??

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Posted - August 12, 2016

Responses


  • 1523

    Of course.

      August 12, 2016 11:50 AM MDT
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  • 1002

    There's a good chance. I doubt it would be like us though. 

      August 12, 2016 11:53 AM MDT
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  • 5835

    I don't think we know any such thing. Nobody has any basis to think there is life until they see an example of it. The notion of "inhabitable" is a fiction: made up. Plant life can not exist without CO2 from animals, and animal life can not exist without O2 from plants, so a planet that doesn't have life can't have life unless we take it there.

    We have the famous Drake Equation, which calculates a chance of life somewhere. The fallacy is that life is not a chance event; it is a black swan event. If you see one, you know there is at least one. If you don't see one, you don't know anything.

      August 12, 2016 6:00 PM MDT
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  • 1268

    I really think so, but what do I know?

      August 12, 2016 6:03 PM MDT
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  • 1268

    This is all based on the assumption that life on any planet would require the same things as earthly plant and animal life.

    How can we be certain of that?

    One thing is certain, 'facts' are always changing. Facts are simply based on the knowledge we presently have.

      August 12, 2016 6:06 PM MDT
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  • Almost certainly lots of them do.  That life doesn't need to be like us though.  It might be intelligent.

      August 12, 2016 7:32 PM MDT
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  • 3934

    In a way, it doesn't matter.

    Even if Earth is unique in the entire Milky Way galaxy (which would make us a 1 in 100 billion longshot), there are still on the order of 100 billion galaxies in the observable Universe. Even if we cranked the odds against an Earth-like planet to 1 in 10^24, there would still be about 10,000 Earths in the Universe.

    Assuming life emerged from the physical and chemical processes we observe in the Universe, it seems highly unlikely there WOULDN'T be life on other planets throughout the Universe.

      August 12, 2016 8:09 PM MDT
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  • 3934

    You are neglecting forms of life such as prions, viruses, and archeabacteria.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea

      August 12, 2016 8:11 PM MDT
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  • 46117

    There is life. Is there human life? 

    There is only one Trump

      August 13, 2016 4:15 AM MDT
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  • 1264

    I'm sure of it! Just look at some of the visitors that are on AM, Whoa!

      August 13, 2016 4:43 AM MDT
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  • 3907

      August 13, 2016 7:17 AM MDT
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  • 13395
    Sure, I think it is nature's pleasure to make life begin wherever and whenever possible and let the process of evolution begin for all kinds of species to come into existence.
      August 13, 2016 8:06 AM MDT
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  • 5808
    Yep
      August 13, 2016 8:26 AM MDT
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  • 44604

    Wait a minute...are you saying that marine and lacustrine plants get their CO2 from animals? So if all animals died, all plants would die? Mayhap you should brush up on your environmental science. The CO2-O2 cycle is quite complex and started long before life evolved.

      August 13, 2016 10:44 AM MDT
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  • 44604

    Sure...I believe there might be. Notice I said might.

      August 13, 2016 10:46 AM MDT
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  • 5835

    All branches of science have a lousy reputation. No matter how you look at it, mankind does not know enough to say life is possible or impossible. Almost every time scientists get some new observation, the reaction is "We never expected anything like this!" Zero ability to predict results.

      August 13, 2016 6:35 PM MDT
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  • 44604

    That is why we keep trying insteasd of ridiculing.

      August 13, 2016 6:39 PM MDT
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