Potential life in Earth's methane lakes

[dimensionless]

There has been some discussion about whether the methane lakes on Titan could harbor life. What I haven't seen discussed is the potential for life in Earth's methane lakes. There are many underground reservoir's on Earth that contain light hydrocarbons such as methane. If I'm not mistaken, the methane is under pressure and should be in liquid form. I suppose no one has preserved methane in its natural liquid state and put it under a microscope. Has no one looked for life in crude oil? I realize no one knows what to look for as radically different life forms might not have DNA. Still, there been so little discussion on this.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I was under the impression that at least some of the methane in the Earth's crust is biogenic in origin
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0009254188901015

EDIT: It also seems that extremophile methanogens exist near ocean vents and possible in the crust and there are organisms called methanotrophs that use methane in their metabolism.

 

[Dr_Morbius]

There has been some discussion about whether the methane lakes on Titan could harbor life. What I haven't seen discussed is the potential for life in Earth's methane lakes. There are many underground reservoir's on Earth that contain light hydrocarbons such as methane. If I'm not mistaken, the methane is under pressure and should be in liquid form. I suppose no one has preserved methane in its natural liquid state and put it under a microscope. Has no one looked for life in crude oil? I realize no one knows what to look for as radically different life forms might not have DNA. Still, there been so little discussion on this.

All methane on Earth that is buried in the Earth's crust is in the gas form. It is far too warm to be compressed into a liquid. The critical temperature for methane is -82.3°C.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_point_(thermodynamics)

 

[dimensionless]

All methane on Earth that is buried in the Earth's crust is in the gas form. It is far too warm to be compressed into a liquid. The critical temperature for methane is -82.3°C.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_point_(thermodynamics)

Well, perhaps liquid butane then.

 

[LudusRex]

I find the idea of potential life in Earth's methane lakes to be intriguing and worth exploring further. While much of the focus has been on the possibility of life in Titan's methane lakes, it is important to also consider the potential for life in similar environments on our own planet.

There are indeed underground reservoirs on Earth that contain methane, and it is possible that these could support microbial life. However, it is important to note that the conditions in these reservoirs may vary greatly from those on Titan's surface. The pressure, temperature, and chemical composition of the methane lakes on Titan are unique and may be more conducive to the development of life.

Regarding the use of microscopy to observe potential life in methane lakes, it is worth noting that traditional microscopy techniques may not be suitable for studying microorganisms in hydrocarbon-rich environments. Alternative methods, such as molecular techniques, may be more appropriate for detecting and identifying potential life in these environments.

Your point about the potential for radically different life forms is also valid. While we often look for DNA-based life, it is possible that life forms in methane lakes may have a different genetic code or even lack DNA altogether. This highlights the need for open-mindedness and a broad range of approaches when searching for potential life in unconventional environments.

In terms of looking for life in crude oil, there have been some studies that have investigated the microbial communities present in these environments. However, the extreme conditions and complex chemistry of crude oil can make it challenging to accurately identify and study potential life forms.

Overall, I agree that there has been relatively little discussion on the potential for life in Earth's methane lakes and believe that further research in this area could yield interesting insights and discoveries. It is important to continue exploring and studying these environments to expand our understanding of the diversity of life on our planet.