Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Science and Technology => Topic started by: Shaker on April 30, 2016, 02:30:02 PM

Title: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Shaker on April 30, 2016, 02:30:02 PM
... whether on planets or not: http://goo.gl/uy6fzV
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Sriram on April 30, 2016, 04:21:47 PM

Life could exist in an elemental amorphous state everywhere, in fact!  It could manifest in physical form only under certain circumstances.

Its possible that we need chemicals, suitable environment, evolution and so on only for the physical form...not for Life itself. 
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Bubbles on April 30, 2016, 05:53:50 PM
Life could exist in an elemental amorphous state everywhere, in fact!  It could manifest in physical form only under certain circumstances.

Its possible that we need chemicals, suitable environment, evolution and so on only for the physical form...not for Life itself.

Tbh I can't think of any life that hasn't got a physical form.

There is no evidence that such a thing could exist, only speculation.

Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Hope on April 30, 2016, 08:55:26 PM
Isn't the 'extraterrestial' in the thread title obsolete?  Or perhaps the 'in space' is tautological?   ;)
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Shaker on April 30, 2016, 09:38:17 PM
Isn't the 'extraterrestial' in the thread title obsolete?
No.
Quote
Or perhaps the 'in space' is tautological?   ;)
No.

Actually reading the article may help.
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: L.A. on April 30, 2016, 09:54:04 PM
It's becoming apparent that carbon based bacteria-like organisms could be ubiquitous in our universe - what is more difficult to gauge is how frequently they might evolve into Eukaryotic-like cells and multicellular organisms.

. . . and there is always the possibility of non-carbon based lifeforms.
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Hope on April 30, 2016, 10:07:33 PM
Actually reading the article may help.
I've read the article more slowly now, rather than the quick skim I originally made, and still see no need for the use of both 'extraterrestrial' and 'in space', Shakes.  At no point does the article require both determiners to be used.

By the way, I've just been reading a series of novels called the 'Bright Empires' series.  Written by Stephen Lawhead - who wrote the 5-book 'Pendragon' 'trilogy' - it combines the ideas of astronomy and time travel with history and classic adventure telling.  Put simply is asks the question whether the universe has been expanding because of the various universes that might be created whenever someone has to choose between 2 or more options.  Weird, but fun!
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: Shaker on April 30, 2016, 10:56:41 PM
I've read the article more slowly now, rather than the quick skim I originally made
Always a mistake, that.
Quote
and still see no need for the use of both 'extraterrestrial' and 'in space', Shakes.  At no point does the article require both determiners to be used.
'Extraterrestrial' refers to beyond/outside of Earth.

'In space' refers, as the article makes clear, to the possibility of life of some form free-floating in deep space a la Fred Hoyle's black cloud rather than life on a solid surface such as a planet.
Title: Re: Extraterrestrial life in space
Post by: jeremyp on May 01, 2016, 08:41:53 AM
I've read the article more slowly now, rather than the quick skim I originally made, and still see no need for the use of both 'extraterrestrial' and 'in space', Shakes.  At no point does the article require both determiners to be used.

Tim Peake is in space. Is he extraterrestrial life?