Cassini Images Reveal Spectacular Evidence Of An Active Moon

Space Daily.com ^ | Dec 07, 2005 | JPL, NASA

[tricky_k_1972]

Yet another body in this Solar System with liquid water on it or in it.

Can anyone possibly argue with 4 possible bodies within our own Solar System that life exists nowhere but Earth and that in all the other Solar Systems throughout just one Galaxy that no other intelligence besides us exists in the Universe?

It has been proven time and again on our own planet that life can exist in the most inhospitable places imaginable.

[tricky_k_1972]

Space Ping! If you want on or off this list please Freepmail me. My Home Page

[z3n]

It has been proven time and again on our own planet that life can exist in the most inhospitable places imaginable.

This is true, once life has formed. However, the conditions for life to form are far far more specific.

[add925]

Astroflatulence?

[Deguello]

Looks like a hole in the Ozone layer...dang those SUV's.

[tricky_k_1972]

So what if we find life in existence on any of these solar bodies, does that crush the world view of uniqueness or does it not in fact enhance the awe of the Creator.

For me it is the later.

[RightWhale]

Until we get our life-detectors out there and actually detect life, the arguments must continue. It is possible there is life on the moon, on Mars, and on Titan since our robots have landed and might have carried life on them in spite of efforts to make them as sterile as possible.

[Grut]

Can anyone possibly argue with 4 possible bodies within our own Solar System that life exists nowhere but Earth and that in all the other Solar Systems throughout just one Galaxy that no other intelligence besides us exists in the Universe?

The thing is, if life exists elsewhere then so should technology-using intelligences -- lots of technology-using intelligences. And we don't see 'em.

So that's a pretty good argument that Earth is unique. It wouldn't surprise me to be wrong on this, but the argument is there.

[tricky_k_1972]

Err.. Yes most defiantly a bad gas problem.

[chipengineer]

>The thing is, if life exists elsewhere then so should technology-using intelligences -- lots of technology-using intelligences. And we don't see 'em.

Do bacteria 'see' us?

[orionblamblam]

> The thing is, if life exists elsewhere then so should technology-using intelligences -- lots of technology-using intelligences. And we don't see 'em.

Yes... because *lots* in a universe this big means *very* far away.

What makes you think we'd know about another humanlike species that's, say, a mere 1500 light years away?

[wickedpinto]

I absolutely believe that there is life elsewhere in the universe, however, I don't believe that intelligent life could possibly develop based on these results without a number of variables that are consistent with our own planet, then again I'm arrogant :)

Having said that, I can't show you the math myself, but the intuition based on sheer numbers I think proves that we ain't so special, though special enough to keep looking for others like us.

Personally I'm a fan of the "why is there life on earth? Because of the moon" sort of argument, but it's bigger than that. That photo of Saturn's moon doesn't validate that life CAN exist on it any more than it confirms that any life on that moon must be very specialized, and hardy to survive on a planet/moon being torn apart by Saturn's gravity.

But ain't a scientist, I just love Asimov :)

[Question_Assumptions]

Can anyone possibly argue with 4 possible bodies within our own Solar System that life exists nowhere but Earth and that in all the other Solar Systems throughout just one Galaxy that no other intelligence besides us exists in the Universe?

Yes.

It has been proven time and again on our own planet that life can exist in the most inhospitable places imaginable.

The question is not whether life can live in an inhospitable place. The question is whether the more specialized conditions required for life to first form and prosper is present or not. And the conditions required for life to first form from inanimate matter is most certainly more specialized thant he conditions to which life, once formed, can adapt.

Just because humans can life in orbit around Earth does not mean that life could first evolve there. Just because bacteria can exist in Antarctic ice does not mean that life could first evolve there.

[billybudd]

Actually, the truth about Enceladus is much deeper.

[sit-rep]

No, and I would like to stick my neck out and state that I believe if our solar system has this life ability(earth included) the odds are against the idea of life does not exist elsewhere in our galaxy, and the millions of others. Additionally, if a question you could only answer yes or no to were posed, "Is there life like on Earth elsewhere in the universe?" the only logical answer would be yes. Why? because the probability rate is higher than a no....

Asbestos suit donned...

[tricky_k_1972]

Their might be some other limiting factor such that precludes technological development, but not intelligence. Their maybe some cultural or another hindrance we aren't taking into account.

The Idea that we and we alone or sole intelligence in the entire Universe seems to me to be an expression of utter hubris.

Maybe Einstein is right and there is no way to bend the rules and achieve faster than light travel, although I would not bet on it.

The Jews were God's chosen people, which did not limit the Creation to them or only allow them the spark of intelligence.

[Question_Assumptions]

The Moon may have allowed life on Earth but not for the reason most people used to site (i.e., tides). I think the Moon, is important because the Moon-formation collision that is now the leading candidate for how it formed reliquified the Earth and likely contributed heavy elements, iron, and water to the young Earth. This has kept our core molten all these billions of years so we have a magnetic field. That means that unlike Venus or Mars, we aren't being directly hit by the solar wind and other radiation and crust isn't collapsing and cracking as the planet solidifies. In fact, the evidence of the other rocky planets in our solar system suggests that core solidification in the first billion or two years is the norm and Earth is unusual in that it still has a molten core and magnetic field. The Moons of Jupiter retain liquid and warmth through gravity deformation and radiation, not necessarily the most life-friendly energy sources for a world to have. Do any of the big outer moons have magnetic fields?

[Question_Assumptions]

The Idea that we and we alone or sole intelligence in the entire Universe seems to me to be an expression of utter hubris.

And one would arge that the Idea that we share the universe with countless other intelligent beings may simply be an expression of hope and a desire to not be alone in the universe. The only thing anyone can say without expressing wishful thinking or pessimism is that we just don't know if we are alone or not. Everything else is a guess.

Maybe Einstein is right and there is no way to bend the rules and achieve faster than light travel, although I would not bet on it.

The odds are likely that we'll never travel faster than light. See the "light cone" and causality. This isn't like claiming that no car will ever go over 60mph or no plane will ever break the sound barrier.

As a fan of science fiction, I'm not saying this because I like it. It's just what I see when I look at the evidence. Of course I also feel the same way about science fiction energy sources.

[cogitator]

So that's a pretty good argument that Earth is unique.

If there was one "intelligent" life form per major galaxy in the Universe, the nearest one would be 2 million light years away. That would make it somewhat difficult for them to look us up.

Plus, we don't know how long technically-advanced civilizations can survive. Others could have existed in our own galaxy and gone extinct before we learned how to make wheels.

[wickedpinto]

Well, The collision itself isn't the cause for the mantle, as I understand, the tidal forces, like a slow moving blender on the mass of the earth maintain the tasty liquid center of the earth.

Once life was established, the tidal affect also helped create a more constant dynamic of atmosphere and sea. The manipulation of the oceans, allowed for a renewal of the surface waters, as well as a significant source of oxygen dissolution within the waters. Also the tidal forces of the moon pull on ALL mass on the earth, likely we wouldn't have tectonic forces on earth to the degree we do, allowing a continuous exchange. The effect of the moon are innumerable on all things concerning life on the planet.

So I agree, but there are a LOT of things worth agreeing about when it comes to the moon being the real reason for life on earth.