Origins

[Votto]

So why is there only life on earth? This question is troublesome for most scientists. Here is but one theory as to why

Astrobiologists from the Australian National University Research School of Earth Sciences suggest that the reason why we haven't encountered alien life is because all the aliens are extinct, the university reported Thursday. In studying how life might develop on other planets, the scientists realized that early critters likely had a hard time quickly evolving to their heating or cooling planets and did not survive.

"Early life is fragile, so we believe it rarely evolves quickly enough to survive. Most early planetary environments are unstable. To produce a habitable planet, life forms need to regulate greenhouse gases such as water and carbon dioxide to keep surface temperatures stable," Dr. Aditya Chopra said in the paper publishing the astrobiologists' findings.

"Life on Earth probably played a leading role in stabilizing the planet's climate," co-author Associate Professor Charley Lineweaver said.

The paradox of astrobiology is that many planets likely check all the boxes for being habitable for life, but we have yet to discover any. The researchers have named their solution to this paradox the "Gaian Bottleneck." "One intriguing prediction of the Gaian Bottleneck model is that the vast majority of fossils in the universe will be from extinct microbial life, not from multicellular species such as dinosaurs or humanoids that take billions of years to evolve," Lineweaver said. —

 

[Votto]

In 1968, Professor Harold Morowitz, a physicist at Yale University, published the book "Energy Flow in Biology". Along with other physicists and mathmaticians, he had become concerned about the casualness with which some scientists studying the origins of life were assuming that unlikely events must have occurred. These scientists were making assumptions without any attempt to rigorously investigate the probability of such events. Morowitz presented computations of the time required for random chemical reactions to form a bacterium -- not an organism as complex as a human, not even a flower, just a simple, single celled bacterium. Basing his calculations on optimistically rapid rates of reactions, the calculated time for the bacterium to form exceeds not only the 4.5 billion year age of the Earth, but also the entire 15 billion year age of the universe. The likelihood of random processes producing life from a primordial bath of chemicals is even less likely than that of your shaking an omelet and having the yolk and the white separate back into the original form of the eggs

 

[Votto]

The oldest sedimentary rocks are dated at about 3.8 billion years on earth. The oldest evidence of fossil forms found in rocks is about 3.3 billion years. So in this span of about 500 million years, the common ancestor of life must have developed the extraordinary and exquisite chemistry of life and also mutated sufficiently to have produced a variety of progeny.

As a result, it would appear that life appeared on Earth about as soon as it formed. This has led Nobel laureates Svante August Arrhenius and Francis Crick and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle, and others, who have come to the conclusion that our origins must have originated somewhere other than Earth.

 

[jon_berzerk]

who says there is only life on earth

 

[Auld Phart]

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, in our galaxy.

I seriously doubt we've had a close view of 1/100th of them.

 

[IsaacNewton]

The oldest sedimentary rocks are dated at about 3.8 billion years on earth. The oldest evidence of fossil forms found in rocks is about 3.3 billion years. So in this span of about 500 million years, the common ancestor of life must have developed the extraordinary and exquisite chemistry of life and also mutated sufficiently to have produced a variety of progeny.

As a result, it would appear that life appeared on Earth about as soon as it formed. This has led Nobel laureates Svante August Arrhenius and Francis Crick and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle, and others, who have come to the conclusion that our origins must have originated somewhere other than Earth.

Note however that life remained in a single cell form for the next 2.5 billion years. All the iron had to be leached out of the oceans before any further evolution could happen.

The Earth, relatively speaking, has remained stable throughout its 4.5 billion year history save the formation and late bombardment which likely saw it as a molten sphere.

I suspect the real reason for Earth's incredibly long run of 'stability' is because of the high iron content and the magnetic field it generates which in effect produces a force field to deflect most of the solar wind away from the Earth. This provided enough time for life to terraform the Earth to a point where oxygen producing organisms could evolve and transform the atmosphere.

I think any other planets we find with life on them will also have to have high iron content for this purpose. Otherwise the solar wind denudes the surface of a planet over time.

Finding 'advanced' life is another matter. There are a number of events that took place that allowed mammals to evolve into humans, not the least of which was the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Consider this one event. The size of the asteroid had to be large enough to kill everything over 50 lbs, but not too large so it killed everything. Out of millions of asteroids out there that is REALLY picking the needle from the haystack.

 

[TNHarley]

I think that is possible, although I doubt we are the smartest species in the universe so far..
I think its possible they could have killed themselves off. Like us nuking each other to death..
Another reason I have always believed, is that we are only looking for life in conditions we are livable in. What if other life isn't carbon based?
Too many questions and life isn't long enough.

 

[talksalot]

Why is this a religion and ethics topic?

 

[the_human_being]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

 

[the_human_being]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

 

[the_human_being]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

Refuse to do the calculations? It's not my OP but the questions remain open for anyone willing to do the calculations and comment on their findings.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

Refuse to do the calculations? It's not my OP but the questions remain open for anyone willing to do the calculations and comment on their findings.

shutup troll

 

[the_human_being]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

Refuse to do the calculations? It's not my OP but the questions remain open for anyone willing to do the calculations and comment on their findings.

shutup troll

You answered my post. I didn't answer yours. Now when I press you to back up your own claim, you start whining like a little kid.

 

[Votto]

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

Refuse to do the calculations? It's not my OP but the questions remain open for anyone willing to do the calculations and comment on their findings.

shutup troll

You answered my post. I didn't answer yours. Now when I press you to back up your own claim, you start whining like a little kid.

Finally, odds that we can believe in.

 

[IsaacNewton]

Odds and probabilities are just statistical predictors. They have no affect on what happens whatsoever. Even if probability of something happening is 10 to the 100th power, it could still happen the very first time.

 

[BreezeWood]

.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

you needn't bother - there are only single or single multisubdivided celled organisms on our planet - no multicelled organisms exist and illustrates the transition as a common origin.

.

 

[jon_berzerk]

old

new

Where:

N is the number of planets with detectable biosignature gases
N* is the number of stars within the sample
FQ is the fraction of quiet stars
FHZ is the fraction with rocky planets in the habitable zone
FO is the fraction of observable systems
FL is the fraction with life
FS is the fraction with detectable spectroscopic signatures

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-a-brand-new-equation-reveals-about-our-odds-of-fin-531575395

I would really appreciate the product of the three mathematical probabilities and then hear your own comments concerning each outcome.

face it the chances of life out there are greater then your determination that we are alone

Refuse to do the calculations? It's not my OP but the questions remain open for anyone willing to do the calculations and comment on their findings.

shutup troll

You answered my post. I didn't answer yours. Now when I press you to back up your own claim, you start whining like a little kid.

of course you answered my post you piss ant

i gave you the calculations necessary to predict the possibilities of life out there

 

[alang1216]

Just do the mathematical calculation on the odds of the earth being placed exactly where it is with all the necessities for life being present as we know it.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of even a single cell lifeform crawling out of that cesspool and surviving.

Now do the mathematical calculation on the odds of that single cell lifeform mutating into even a two cell lifeform.

Do these mathematical probability calculations and then tell us what you think.

100%. Just look around you.