Assignment #1
Lianna Goldstein
The field of astrobiology has a wide range of possibilities and questions and is changing constantly. Astrobiology broken down is the study of life on earth and surrounding space. Astro relates to space and stars and biology means life, therefore astrobiology. Astrobiology being a very broad term, often starts can start with a broad question. According to Astrobiology at NASA and other astrobiologists, there are many questions that drive research and questions in the astrobiology field.
A major question that piques the interest of many astrobiologists is the topic of whether our life is the only life out “there”. Many astrobiologists ask “What if life as we know it is really not the only life out there?” (MacLeod
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Life on another planet may originate in a different manner, but at least we’ll have some clues about life’s beginning. We may be able to find compounds on earth that we didn’t know existed from using information we learn about the origin of life on other planets (Scharf 2010/2011, 5-6).
In relation to the previous question, “Can life spread through space itself?” is a common question many astrobiologist ponder. If we find there is life on other planets and we detect how it originated, we can use these clues to figure out if life can travel. This is an important idea to know if our life on Earth can survive on other planets, or if it wilts and dies away (Scharf 2010/2011, 8-10). If our piece of life from Earth survives on another planet then it may mean they are compatible and knowing this will lead to more information about life on other
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If we know what makes life on earth habitable, we may be able to figure out how to sustain life on other planets. Using our knowledge about life on Earth will enable us to learn more about information on other planets. It is important to compare the life sustained on Earth and the life on another planet, as they could contrast each other greatly. According to NASA, many missions have taken place and many more will continue in the future (Fletcher 2016). The great number of missions operating shows how significant a question like “Is there life?” can be. This one question can unravel into many more sub-questions, such as the questions described
As the decades pass, technological advances have enabled researchers, entrepenures and pondering minds the ability to discover more and more about every aspect of our very existence. Over the past three decades the evolutionary tree of life has been expanded at least seven times over. Major advances have been made in the area of evolution to open the eyes of many to the extensive history of the earth. For the very first time, we have tangible knowledge that life evolved and grew to become a flourishing success during the young ages of the Earth. By 3.5 million years ago life was already well advanced. Before this breakthrough no one could have thought that life occurred so amazingly early, that Earth was inhabited by a huge array of tiny life forms through t the first four-fifths of it’s existence, and no one deduced that evolution itself evolved over geologic time.
Cosmology is the answer when it comes down towards how the universe was created. Cosmology comes from the Greek words: kosmos-meaning world and logia- meaning study of.Cosmology is the science of the origin and the development of the universe. Mainly, everyone knows how the world
How would one know if there is life outside human life? Science makes that possible. Society would not know any type of information related to science, if there was no one investigating it. Thus, without the continuous advancements individuals produce, this information would still remain unknown. Physicists, microbiologists, scientists, biochemists, biologist and any other scientific-related career dedicate to further the growth in the scientific field. Endless effort is being implemented to give society the most efficient technology and up-date scientific findings.
The existence of life – Aliens, beyond our planet has been a controversial topic for several centuries, and is a debatable issue even today in the 21st century. What is our topic you may ask? Aliens, Do, Exist. According to theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, it would be improbable for life not to exist somewhere other than Earth. This is a bold claim, but there is evidence to support this statement. The evidence we seek is in the many Alien occurrences we have experienced throughout human history.
It is without a doubt that the most fascinating thing about space is the possibility of life elsewhere beside Earth. It is estimated that the Milky Way Galaxy itself contains about 300 billion stars. Each star contains planets and some planets might even have moons. With these findings, the question is no longer whether life exists elsewhere. The probability that Earth is the only place where life exists in the universe is far too slim. NASA has identified many planets that have similar conditions to Earth but most of these planets are hundreds of light years away so traveling there to find out if there’s any living organism is not easy. Luckily, scientific evidences have pointed out that one of the moons of Jupiter, Europa, could be one of the places where life can exist. If the theories proposed by astronomers about Europa are true, life on Europa might not even be entirely different than life near the bottom of Earth’s oceans.
Stars are luminous spheres that have been around longer than humans. In fact, it has been said that, “We are a way for the universe to know itself. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return. And we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of star stuff.” [1] Just like any other animate object, stars also go through a life cycle. They grow up, live their life, and slowly but surely die out. Stars can live for billions and even trillions of years. The life span of a star depends on how fast or how slow they use up and burn their nuclear fuel. The size of the star also determines the longevity.
Since the 18th century speculation of unearthly life has been brought up by many influential people. One of the founding fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, once stated "I believe that Man is not the most perfect Being but One; rather that as there are many degrees of Beings his Inferiors, so there are many degrees of Beings superior to him”. This quote justifies the fact that even the most prominent people believed in cosmic beings. Further in time, In July 1947, an unidentified flying object crash landed in a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. What military officials discovered was nothing more than the debris of a weather balloon that was being tested. However, people did not seem to fathom the truth and began to investigate what the military did not want the public to know. Bodies of unknown humanoid beings were seized by the military and taken into a secret base for further analysis. Various reasons as to why celestial beings could lurk the universe are being brought upon by today’s modern science committee possibly unlocking an insight onto future life. The first reason as to why extraterrestrial life could perhaps exist is that there is a vast amount of galaxies, stars, planets, and solar systems that humans have not yet discovered. To think that humans, the only civilization on planet earth, are the only living organisms in space would be quite absurd. Furthermore, a second reason as to why extraterrestrials could subsist is that life thrives in the most extreme conditions. This means that whether organisms are in the depths of the ocean, in the midst of the ozone layer, or in the scorching hot temperatures of volcanos; life always finds a way to adapt. However, some may argue that life could not possible coin...
Have you ever looked up in the sky and wondered if there is life elsewhere in the universe? Have you ever looked at a photograph of Mars and wondered if there really was ever life on it? People have a wide variety of opinions regarding these questions and with good reason. As far back as the broadcast of H. G. Well's novel, "The War of the Worlds", the world has been fascinated with the possibilities of what Mars may hold. Over time, the majority of people have come to realize that there is no way that life can currently be on Mars. Those who are uncertain think there may be microscopic bacteria underground.
Biology, is quite the expansive field in the world of science. The term itself has its roots in Greek with “bios” meaning life and “logos” meaning study. The term itself refers to the study of all walks of life that occur in nature. It covers all of the grandeur of life from the various structures of cells and the materials that comprise living creatures to the make up of primeval cells of the past. It encompasses the vast strata of the life from the infinitesimally small cells to the the gargantuan blue whales and other leviathans of the world. Underneath the umbrella of biology are a bevy of unique disciplines such as: physiology, genetics, ecology, and morphology.
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.
One of the most common unanswered questions scientists find themselves asking is "Is there life on other planets?" Since the first famously documented UFO sighting in 1947, the idea of extra-terrestrial life has been debated almost non-stop. The subject has inspired many TV programs, such as The X-Files, and films (Mars Attacks, Independence Day, and the Men in Black films to name but a few). Scientists have come up with many new ideas and ways of trying to either prove or disprove the existence of life elsewhere.
Are any scientific theories true? If so why? If not why do we rely on them?
Ever since the beginning of time there have been stars. Not only stars in the sky, but moons, planets, and even galaxies! Astronomy is defined as the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. In other words it is the study of space, planets, and stars. Throughout the ages, many people have used astronomy to help them learn about the universe, our own planet, and even make predictions about life itself. Understanding astronomy means understanding where it originated, the different groups/cultures that used it, and modern purposes of the science of the stars.
The argument suggesting life existing on other Earth-like planets has been present since man first looked into space and questioned his own existence and the existence of others like him. Today there are many theories on the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, but only one theory goes beyond them and into an even larger realm. The contents of this theory, known as the “multiverse” theory, suggest that humans on Earth live within one universe of many others that reside within a primordial vacuum containing many other universes (Jenkins and Perez). Each of these universes possesses potentially different natural constants and physical laws that govern them differently, thus calling forth some logical questions. First, what is the likelihood such universes even exist, and second, how can we test the constants and laws that still result in the possibility of intelligent life in other universes? Moreover, what implications does this theory have on the ideology that this universe is designed specifically for human beings?
...ws radiation from the sun to expose the surface of the planet, adding to environment changes. If life exists on Mars today, it is most likely hiding beneath the surface. Over the past four billion years Earth has had many rocks blown from the surface of Mars, after much research, scientists say that of the thirty-four meteorites, three have the potential to carry evidence of past life on Mars (Carey, 2006). Researches have gathered evidence and continue to explore for life outside of Earth. Earth has provided these scientists with enough knowledge to understand the components needed to sustain life, therefore any research found is compared to the knowledge already understood about life on Earth. Earth is home to billions of plants, animals, bacteria and all types of living things, it is where human beings have evolved and adapted making this planet our home.