Exercise: Extra-terrestrial Life




BIO372 : Evolution : Origin of Life : Exercise: Extra-terrestrial Life

Exercise: Extra-terrestrial Life

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Conditions under which life originated on earth must have been very different from those we experience today. Some people think that life has originated at other locations in the universe.

1. Make a table of the planets of the solar system, including for each: temperature, surface composition, and atmosphere.

Planet Temperature Surface composition Atmosphere

Earth   _________________      _________________     _________________

Mercury   _________________      _________________     _________________

Venus   _________________      _________________     _________________

Mars   _________________      _________________     _________________

Jupiter   _________________      _________________     _________________

Saturn   _________________      _________________     _________________

Uranus   _________________      _________________     _________________

Neptune   _________________      _________________     _________________

Pluto   _________________      _________________     _________________

Planet	Temperature	Surface composition	Atmosphere
Earth	_________________	_________________	_________________
Mercury	_________________	_________________	_________________
Venus	_________________	_________________	_________________
Mars	_________________	_________________	_________________
Jupiter	_________________	_________________	_________________
Saturn	_________________	_________________	_________________
Uranus	_________________	_________________	_________________
Neptune	_________________	_________________	_________________
Pluto	_________________	_________________	_________________

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2. Rank these "heavenly bodies" in order of their potential for the development of life? Explain your ranking.

3. De Duve said that life has probably originated on other planets. How did he justify this statement?

4. If life occurs on other planets in the universe, do you think it is possible we have been "visited?" Explain.

5. If visitation is one hypothesis for the appearance of life on earth, what is its alternative? What evidence would you need to test these two hypotheses of the appearance of life on this planet?

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