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Molecular Basis for Life Found on Extrasolar Planet
DarkProphet writes "NASA scientists have discovered the first evidence of organic molecules on an extrasolar planet. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, they detected trace amounts of methane on a swirling gas giant about 63 light-years from our own planet. Being a gas giant, there's almost no chance this discovery represents extrasolar life. A unique find, just the same. 'HD 189733b, a so-called "hot Jupiter," located 63 light years away, has proven a boon for scientists studying exoplanets. Its large size and proximity to its star mean that it dims the star's light more than any other known exoplanet. Combine that with its home star's high brightness, and scientists find that the system creates the best viewing conditions of any known extrasolar system. At different wavelengths, every atom and molecule has its own telltale footprint, so scientists can convert what are known as absorption spectra into the chemical composition of the object they're looking at.'"
they found methane which is quite common in our solar system, its not that they found methane being present thats is the breakthrough here, its the fact that they have fine enough instruments to measure a planet ~60 light years away, this absolutely amazing! fairplay!!
the planet in question is bigger than Jupiter and closer to its sun than mercury, so its way too hot for any life "as we know it" to survive
Here's a quote from one of the workers:
HCG 50a = 2MASX J11170638+5455016
11h17m06.4s +54d55m02s
Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
Being a gas giant, there's almost no chance this discovery represents extrasolar life
considering how regularly we find life in places our usual view of where life can survive don't work, like around geothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean, or inside solid rock 2 miles below the surface, I find this comment incredibly narrow-minded. That gas giant is about on keel with the ocean here on earth, and last I checked, life here began in the seas.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
photosynthesis produces oxygen as a waste product. when oxygen levels in the air became sufficient, it resulted in what is called the oxygen catastrophe because oxygen is quite poisonous to many anaerobic organisms. finding oxygen in the presence of reducing chemicals like methane signals that there is an active process for making oxygen and reducing chemicals and one of the best ways to do this is with active life.
Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
More relevant here is the fact that the upper limit of stability of any carbon-based macromolecule or polymer is about 400 Celsius, even in "inert" atmospheres due to C-H bonds breaking. Though this does not rule out other chemistries, the news here is about carbon-based life.