May 25, 2018 09:12 PM
(This post was last modified: May 25, 2018 09:29 PM by C C.
Edit Reason: added link
)
https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet...180969174/
EXCERPT: In a new publication [...], William Bains [...] and I propose that it’s time to consider search strategies for complex life—and not just simple life—on exoplanets. While the search to date has focused mostly on finding extraterrestrial microbes, we make the argument that space missions are on the horizon that could, in principle, detect the signatures of more advanced life, such as animal and plant life, as predicted by our Cosmic Zoo hypothesis.[*] Our point is that we should prepare for it.
That may seem like a tall order when we have yet to detect microbial life elsewhere in our own Solar System, or even agree on how to detect it. But consider how an alien observer might detect complex life on Earth. [...] More generally, extensive land (as opposed to ocean) life on a planet could point to the existence of complex organisms, as it is hard to see how this could be accomplished by microbes only. Life on land is hard. Species often have to deal with a lack of water and high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Only multicellular, macroscopic life eventually evolved adaptation strategies to settle Earth’s dry land for good.
MORE: https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet...180969174/
- - - footnote - - -
[*] book: The Cosmic Zoo: Complex Life on Many Worlds 1st ed. 2017 Edition, Dirk Schulze-Makuch (Author), William Bains (Author)
~
EXCERPT: In a new publication [...], William Bains [...] and I propose that it’s time to consider search strategies for complex life—and not just simple life—on exoplanets. While the search to date has focused mostly on finding extraterrestrial microbes, we make the argument that space missions are on the horizon that could, in principle, detect the signatures of more advanced life, such as animal and plant life, as predicted by our Cosmic Zoo hypothesis.[*] Our point is that we should prepare for it.
That may seem like a tall order when we have yet to detect microbial life elsewhere in our own Solar System, or even agree on how to detect it. But consider how an alien observer might detect complex life on Earth. [...] More generally, extensive land (as opposed to ocean) life on a planet could point to the existence of complex organisms, as it is hard to see how this could be accomplished by microbes only. Life on land is hard. Species often have to deal with a lack of water and high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Only multicellular, macroscopic life eventually evolved adaptation strategies to settle Earth’s dry land for good.
MORE: https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet...180969174/
- - - footnote - - -
[*] book: The Cosmic Zoo: Complex Life on Many Worlds 1st ed. 2017 Edition, Dirk Schulze-Makuch (Author), William Bains (Author)
~
