Beginning in the latter half of the 20th century, new information began to emerge that challenged the traditional view. Scientists on Earth began finding rugged organisms thriving in harsh conditions that were off-limits to most other creatures. Meanwhile, images beamed back by robotic probes in space revealed that other moons within our solar system were much more interesting geologically -- and perhaps biologically -- than our own.
However, beginning a decade ago, planets discovered around other stars began to reveal a diversity of planetary systems that was beyond expectations.
A few near-future predictions:
We will find extant life on Mars.
We will discover life among the moons of gas giants. Likely candidates include, but are by no means limited to, Europa and Titan.
Within fifty years (barring cataclysm), we will have catalogued at least one terrestrial exoplanet with an active biosphere.
2 comments:
My predictions:
Yes, we will find extant life on Mars (even if microbial-bacterial).
Sorry Mac, I believe Titan’s as dead as it gets… it could harbor life in the very distant future however, as the sun became a red giant and warmed it up.
Europa has not only bacterial life but little “creatures” in its under-ice sea.
Within 30 years we will find a planet with evidence that there is life in such a planet.
Jon
Europa has not only bacterial life but little “creatures” in its under-ice sea.
Interesting issue, jon. Earth-based multicellular organisms required substantial oxygen in the atmosphere to evolve, which is why this event took ~ 3-1/2 billion years to happen. So the relevant questions are: 1) does Europa have the requiste oxygen dissolved in the water of its subsurface ocean (assuming it does possess one) or 2) Can multicellular critters evolve in the ABSENCE of oxygen. I agree with Mac. We should know within 50 years or so.
BTW, I SUSPECT that there may be macro critters on Mars. Macro plant life almost certainly but possibly animal-type life as well. If Mars' underground ice contains oxygen, these creatures could load up on ice and then "burn" it for their surface adventures, such as preying on one another. At any rate, I am betting they will at least find fossils of multicellar animals on Mars, possibly even some fairly large ones.