Why is Earth the only planet with living things?
Earth or Mars, which would you choose?
(Credit: Hubble Space Telescope/NASA)
Nina Amatulli, in the second grade at the American School in Japan, asks the scientists.
Nina Amatulli: Why is Earth the only planet with living things?
Here with an answer is earth scientist Robert Hazen of the Carnegie Institution For Science. Hazen is an expert on the chemistry and origin of life throughout the universe.
Robert Hazen: You know Nina, this is a really great question. A lot of us still hold out hope that there’s life on Mars and other nearby planets and moons. We think that there’s a really good chance that microbes can eke out a living beneath the surface. Life needs water, and there’s a good chance warm and wet environments exist near the surface of Mars.
Hazen agrees though, that at least in our solar system, Earth is likely the only planet with land plants and animals.
Robert Hazen: Animals face the additional challenge of needing lots of energy to hunt for food, to escape predators. And on Earth, animals only appeared after microbes made lots of oxygen, and that allows fast metabolism, and after plants, which provide food. But, that’s just our solar system. And we suspect that there are countless trillions of solar systems out there in the universe. Given that abundance, my guess is that there are lots of other living worlds out there.
Our thanks to the Monsanto Fund, bridging the gap between people and their resources.
Our thanks to:
Robert M. Hazen
Carnegie Institution for Science
Geophysical Laboratory
Washington, DC
hi
If I were a living thing, given the choice between Mars and Earth, I would choose Earth, because I don’t think my iPhone would get service on Mars. Also, I hear the food there is not that good.
I think it’s cool that there might be other planets with living things.
I’m the same opinion like Rubylikeaflame.
I think it would be unbelievalbe if the scientist would find other living things in our galaxi, but i think also that our prejudices are not realistic. i think that other living things will not need water or air for example, my opinion is that they have their own way to live or to exist.
For the first time it would be unbelievable for scientists and other people of the world to understand it, but how the scientist are…the will find it out sooner or later.
I hope it…
WOW! I may use TEXTILE in my comment. Is gaberdine taken? And Gravatars are enabled. WELL! Thats certainly a relief. In addition, I am comforted my email “will not be displayed”. Why on earth would I wish my comments to be displayed to others?
I obtained this URL from National Public Radio. Perhaps THEY will allocate gaberdine as well as gravitars to me for my effort. But if they will stubornly refuse to display my emails, why bother? Have I stumbled upon a new century version of Romper Room.
Geeze. This place gives me the creeps….
Ann Gela wrote: “…i think also that our prejudices are not realistic.” Please list one or two of these prejudices, and why they are not realistic? Thank you for your elaboration!
ejdavid