Is Gliese 581d a Goldilocks planet?

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Gliese 581d is discussed as a potential "Goldilocks" planet due to its estimated gravity and presence of water, raising questions about its ability to support life. The conversation highlights the challenges of detecting life on exoplanets, emphasizing the difficulty of distinguishing biological signatures from natural processes. Participants express skepticism about our understanding of life, noting that Earth-centric views may limit the search for extraterrestrial life forms. The discussion also touches on the evolutionary processes that could occur on such planets, questioning whether life would evolve similarly to Earth. Overall, the complexities of identifying and understanding life beyond Earth are central to the conversation.
  • #51
andiamaj1431 said:
im not sure, but did they use the detection method on Earth to see if it could detect life? was it accurate?
Hang on, I'll be back in a minute...
 
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  • #52
Yep. There's atmospheric oxygen out there!
 
  • #53
The presence of oxygen in an exoplanet atmosphere would be very exciting. It would be very difficult to explain without biogenic replenishment over long periods of time. Actually, ozone is what they look for. It is easier to detect spectroscopically than oxygen, and ozone without oxygen would be improbable. From a chemistry standpoint, carbon is the logical building block for life. An incredible array of molecules can be formed with carbon bonds, and carbon is abundant in the universe. It makes sense to base any search for ET on a proven winner on earth. There is no known non-carbon based life form on Earth to my knowledge.
 

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