pluto

[computeruler]

During science class my teacher said that pluto was made of mostly ice.  Also, in the definition of comet, it says something about ice.  That got me thinking... If there is ice on pluto or on comets, then couldnt they have at one time had life on them? What do you think about it?

[BC_Programmer]

did your teacher also happen to tell you the temperature on pluto? or you know, how the atmosphere is a thin layer of methane? Or did you simply forget about that.

Water is necessary for life. NOT ice. the water MUST be liquid for life to form.

the temperature range where water is liquid is comparitively thin, only 100 degrees centigrade. temperatures must remain within this range for a LONG time for life to form, and even longer for it to develop and evolve.

Comets are a small nuclei covered with ice. the ice is burned off with every encounter with the sun. the temperature is right for only an instant.

[computeruler]

But the earth and universe and stuff is so old.  It Pluto or all those other planets with ice could have been closer to the sun.  It could have been different, and a long time ago there could have been life on a different planet.  Theres so much about space we dont know.  Its amazing and interesting

[BC_Programmer]

It Pluto or all those other planets with ice could have been closer to the sun.  It could have been different, and a long time ago there could have been life on a different planet.

Pluto does NOT HAVE ANY OXYGEN.

It's oceans are seas of slushy methane.

What other frozen planets?

[computeruler]

I herd there ice on mars at one time too.  There could also be some way that people adapted to breathe plain old methane.
Look at this too.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709140815.htm
Carbon dioxide is in our air. 

[BC_Programmer]

Carbon dioxide is in our air. 

Your point?

[computeruler]

So people could have some how adapted or something and they could have somehow had something to breathe.  Maybe they didnt need oxygen

[computeruler]

And one more thing, why does out planet have air and stuff but none of the others do? 

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Because we're special.

[BC_Programmer]

So people could have some how adapted or something and they could have somehow had something to breathe.  Maybe they didnt need oxygen

this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

I take it you haven't learned WHY we need oxygen? you know, it's role in metabolism?


the only way a organism could breathe another element/compound would be if it's entire anatomy was changed from a Carbon based life-form to something else.

But the other prospective elements (silicon, sulphur) are either to unstable or simply too inert to form the necessary compounds that promote self-sustaining metabolism.

Not to mention that such a radical change is not possible via evolution- the entire chain has to evolve that way; eg; right from the primordial soup.

[JJ 3000]

During science class my teacher said that pluto was made of mostly ice.  Also, in the definition of comet, it says something about ice.  That got me thinking... If there is ice on pluto or on comets, then couldnt they have at one time had life on them? What do you think about it?

If you think that's cool, you should check out Europa. Europa is a moon of the planet Jupiter and has a liquid ocean beneath its icy surface. Many scientist believe that it is the most likely candidate for extraterrestrial life in our solar system.
Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(moon)

[Helpmeh]

The ice has to be a certain thickness, but low possibility is better than none.

[patio]

Carbon dioxide is in our air. 

Carbon DudeOxide is in our air.

[kpac]

But the earth and universe and stuff is so old.

Not really. Well, the earth isn't old anyway, comparing it to the Universe.

[Aegis]

Carbon DudeOxide is in our air.

This explains a great deal of the wackiness, doesn't it?