BOFFINS: Oxygen-free, methane-based ALIENS may EXIST on icy SATURN moon Titan

[jpak]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/28/saturn_titan_azotosome_life_not_as_we_know_it/

Scientists believe they have come up with a solid model for a new type of methane-based, oxygen-free life form that could thrive in the harsh, icy conditions of Saturn's mysterious freezing moon, Titan.

The researchers over at Cornell University reckon they have come up with "the first concrete blueprint of life not as we know it."

Chemical engineering graduate, James Stevenson, said he had been partly inspired by sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov, who wrote the essay Not as We Know It about the concept of non-water based life in 1962.

Stevenson worked with chemical molecular dynamics boffin, Paulette Clancy, and Cornell's director for radiophysics and space research, Jonathan Lunine, on the project.

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[greytdemocrat]

1. Now you knew this was coming...

[TexasProgresive]

2. that's an alien

You can argue that cats are not aliens but there's no denying Siamese aren't. All the ones I lived with were. "We are Siamese if you please, we are Siamese if you don't please!"

[pinboy3niner]

3. It must be like a happy carnival up there

They're Titanic Saturn Aliens.

[randome]

7. Do they celebrate Saturnalia?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)[/center][/font][hr]

[surrealAmerican]

13. On Titan, every day is Saturnalia.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. So it goes.

nt

[foo_bar]

6. I was the victim of a series of accidents, as are we all.

[hifiguy]

5. Carl Sagan would have loved this idea.

[phantom power]

9. Sagan published papers about biochemistry on Titan

[FLPanhandle]

8. Pat Robertson will be so pissed!

Cool article, but "may exist" is a very encompassing word.

[superpatriotman]

10. Do they know which color the dress is?

Just wonderin'

[hifiguy]

11. Indescribable.

Aliens can perceive more colors than humans because they can see a wider spectrum of light. Probably "splunge."

[randome]

12. Bill O'Reilly saw a picture of Titan so he already has the complete story.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)[/center][/font][hr]

[MFrohike]

14. Hahahahahahahahaha

Thanks.

[Motown_Johnny]

16. The impact of my favorite author lives on!

Loving this story!

K&R



http://www.bigear.org/CSMO/HTML/CS09/cs09p05.htm


^snip^


Not as We Know it
The Chemistry of Life
By: Isaac Asimov



But other planets?

In 1931, the spectroscope revealed that the atmosphere of Jupiter, and, to a lesser extent, of Saturn, was loaded with ammonia. The notion arose at once of Jupiter being covered by huge ammonia oceans.

To be sure, Jupiter may have a temperature not higher than -100° C. (-148° F.), so that you might suppose the mass of ammonia upon it to exist as a solid, with atmospheric vapor in equilibrium. Too bad. If Jupiter were closer to the sun ...

But wait! The boiling point I have given for ammonia is at atmospheric pressure — earth's atmosphere. At higher pressures, the boiling point would rise, and if Jupiter's atmosphere is dense enough and deep enough, ammonia oceans might be possible after all.

An objection that might, however, be raised against the whole concept of an ammonia background for life, rests on the fact that living organisms are made up of unstable compounds that react quickly, subtly and variously. The proteins that are so characteristic of life-as-we-know-it must consequently be on the edge of instability. A slight rise in temperature and they break down.





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