Methane-Based Life Possible On Titan

Randym writes: With the simultaneous announcement of a possible nitrogen-based, cell-like structure allowing life outside the "liquid water zone" (but within a methane atmosphere) announced by researchers at Cornell (academic paper) and the mystery of fluctuating methane levels on Mars raising the possibility of methane-respiring life, there now exists the possibility of a whole new branch of the tree of life that does not rely on either carbon or oxygen for respiration. We may find evidence of such life here on Earth down in the mantle where "traditional" life cannot survive, but where bacteria has evolved to live off hydrocarbons like methane and benzene.

Comments

Re:membrane

[ColdWetDog]

Sure it is. That's how you concentrate things. Probably wasn't the first thing life did - replication has to happen first, but it was an early (and energetically favorable) change.

Oxygen-based life possible on Earth

[Anonymous Coward]

Although the third planet from the Sun suffers from crippling gravity and heat, scientists long held that the corrosive atmosphere of oxygen and water vapor is what forbids life as we know it.

If we didn't melt instantly from the heat or collapse from the gravity, the oxygen would burn us up in a flash! Scientists have been unable to explain how so much uncombined oxygen could exist in the atmosphere of such a hot planet, but new data suggests life *is* possible with a carbon-based shell of special molecules called lipids and proteins.

etc... etc.. etc...

Doesn't rely on carbon or oxygen?

[ShadowRangerRIT]

Methane is CH4. The C is for carbon. Come on people!