Life on Titan?

[RedOne77]

I haven't seen anything about this yet so I'd thought I'd bring it up. Life on Titan? New clues to what's consuming hydrogen, acetylene on Saturn's moon

From Science Daily June 7, 2010

Two new papers based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft scrutinize the complex chemical activity on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. While non-biological chemistry offers one possible explanation, some scientists believe these chemical signatures bolster the argument for a primitive, exotic form of life or precursor to life on Titan's surface. According to one theory put forth by astrobiologists, the signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized "methane-based life."

One key finding comes from a paper online now in the journal Icarus that shows hydrogen molecules flowing down through Titan's atmosphere and disappearing at the surface. Another paper online now in the Journal of Geophysical Research maps hydrocarbons on the Titan surface and finds a lack of acetylene.
This lack of acetylene is important because that chemical would likely be the best energy source for a methane-based life on Titan, said Chris McKay, an astrobiologist at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., who proposed a set of conditions necessary for this kind of methane-based life on Titan in 2005. One interpretation of the acetylene data is that the hydrocarbon is being consumed as food. But McKay said the flow of hydrogen is even more critical because all of their proposed mechanisms involved the consumption of hydrogen.

Interesting stuff going on here. Enjoy!

 

[Buttercup]

Well, unless scientists discover some type of life form in the streams and lakes of methane on Titan, all that goes through my mind are crude jokes. If some form of life is discovered to live in methane, it will only encourage my husband to produce more. He's simple like that.

Seriously though, I read a similar article today as well. It's exciting to imagine life in such a cold, cold place.

 

[fantome profane]

Well, unless scientists discover some type of life form in the streams and lakes of methane on Titan, all that goes through my mind are crude jokes.

I wonder what their farts smell like? Is that the kind of crude joke you were thinking of?

 

[Engyo]

They probably fart oxygen................

 

[Amill]

Would be pretty sweet if there was some primitive life there. I wonder if it could be habitable for more complex life after the sun starts to expand. Even with all that though I'm far more interested in what might be in the oceans of a few other moons.

 

[painted wolf]

Would be pretty sweet if there was some primitive life there. I wonder if it could be habitable for more complex life after the sun starts to expand. Even with all that though I'm far more interested in what might be in the oceans of a few other moons

I think finding "more complex" life would depend on the nature of the probable critters already living there.
If they are "primary producers"... that is they take all their required energy from the environment... then there would potentially be room for a more complex ecosystem involving consumers.
However I think a lot of that would also depend on the energetics of a methane based metabolism.

I hope I live to see exploration of these potential ecosystems.


wa:do

 

[haltensie]

Very unlikely there's life on Titan. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, holds much more promise of harboring life. I have a few reasons for why I don't think there's life on Titan but I'm frankly too tired to go over them all, perhaps I'll come back another day and do it. Just wanted to put in my 2 cents for now.

 

[painted wolf]

I'm sure we all look forward to it!

wa:do