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Titan Occupies A Solar System Sweet Spot

Posted by Zonk on from the i-had-dibs dept.

SocietyoftheFist writes "From an article on the BBC website, scientists have determined that Titan occupies a 'sweet spot' much like Earth. Venus is the same size as Earth but too hot so water boiled off long ago ending most geologic processes. Mars is too small to generate enough heat to keep water from freezing so it too slowed down geologically. Titan is much like the Earth with winds, rains and tectonic forces but instead of water it has an abundance of methane. Methane is liquid at the temperatures found in Titan's atmosphere and replaces water in the equation."

5 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Speed by JohnWiney · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A fundamental issue, as I understamd it, is the speed of chemical reactions. Roughly speaking, chemical process speeds are related exponentially to temperature. Generally speaking, the temperatures on Titan are far to low to permit life processes anything like the sort we see on Earth. That isn't a definite "no", but any life forms would have to be radically different from anything on Earth.

    1. Re:Speed by RobertF · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Most likely, if there's any life it's by heat vents. They said Titan is geologically active, and appears to be erupting continuously. In that case, it's similar to life that exists in vents in the crust under the ocean. Those things do look other worldly, but I'd wager that its conceivable that a single-cell organism could develop by these geological hotspots.

      --
      And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be bannana-shaped.
  2. Re:Methane doesn't replace water. by Mr2cents · · Score: 5, Interesting

    But it still remains very interesting to study. All these problems you propose are valid, but the chemistry at those places could still be very complex, and the thing with life is, once it has started its' complexity will rise with the next generations.

    Our experience life is, let's face it, laughable. We only have one genesis to work with. The premise of liquid water is solely based on Earth observations. I don't know about you, but at least I don't know about any holiday resort on Earth next to a liquid methane lake. there just aren't any.

    If I hear about an energy source, complex carbon-based chemicals and a liquid to mix them, then, with an open mind, I think some emerging intelligence may occur after billions of years. Even if it is a freak accident, if you believe a complex system can exist for even a few hundred millions of years without one freak accident, then you're obviously not an engineer. Maybe it will not be life as we know it, but damnit Jim, it will be alive!

    --
    "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
  3. Re:Wow! by KingSkippus · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Titan is perhaps the most Earth-like place in the Solar System other than Earth

    Has anyone considered that maybe Earth is just the most Titan-like place in the Solar System other than Titan?

  4. Re:methane? by Kainaw · · Score: 4, Interesting

    not all life has to be carbon-based, mostly water, and oxygen-breathing.

    That is true, but you also have to take into account the fact that solid water (ice) is less dense then liquid water. We take it for granted, but think about how it affects our planet. The bottom of the ocean is not solid like the bottom of a methane ocean. They are liquid and at a controlled temperature (4 degrees celcius). How much of a role does this little oddity of water play into our planet's evolution?

    --
    The previous comment is purposely vague and generalized, but all of the facts are completely true.