2008 Woodie Awards
Searching for life on other planets
By: Joe Borlik
Issue date: 3/21/08 Section: News
Copernicus was right when he suggested that Earth wasn't the center of the universe.
In fact, the original Greek translation for 'planet' is 'wanderer,' suggesting our planet is simply wandering around among millions more.
This belief led people like NASA research scientist Dana Backman to an even bigger question - are we alone in space?
Backman, the speaker for the "Looking for life in all the right places: an astronomical tour of our solar system," lecture Wednesday, addressed the possibility of life past Earth, believes there is.
But don't picture the gray bald-headed alien from the X-Files.
"I believe in life in the universe, but I think intelligent life is rare, I think there's simple life on most planets with water, but it's out there," Backman said. "All life on earth is based on liquid H2O. Water is the second most common element in the universe. We don't just like it because we're made out of it."
With liquid water being fundamental to life, our universe has (or has had) potential for theoretically breeding life on other planets.
Jupiter's moon Europa, is believed to have more water underneath the surface than the total amount of water on earth.
"NASA wants to send a probe to Europa, melt the ice and see what's under there," Backman said. "Probably not in my lifetime though."
Saturn's moon Titan is covered with organic compounds similar to those of Earth and bears similar geographic features such as dunes, ices, rivers and volcanoes.
In many ways Mars is the planet most like Earth. The dried-up channels on Mars' surface suggest large bodies of water were once on the surface. The original water is believed to now be locked under a layer of ice.
The Viking Mars Landers spacecraft in 1976 determined potential biological activity, and the meteorite ALH84001, believed to have fallen from Mars, and found in Antarctica, proves that some rocks can travel interplanetary.
"There are certainly Martian and moon rocks in our country," Backman said. "We just don't know how to spot them. There are at least 12 Martian rocks just in Antarctica."
If rocks can travel through space could a life form?
Physics professor Christopher Tycner invited Backman, and enjoys astronomy as well.
"I get excited to see other astronomers," Tycner said. "I believe there is a high probability of life in the solar system and astronomers are on a quest to find it."
news@cm-life.com
In fact, the original Greek translation for 'planet' is 'wanderer,' suggesting our planet is simply wandering around among millions more.
This belief led people like NASA research scientist Dana Backman to an even bigger question - are we alone in space?
Backman, the speaker for the "Looking for life in all the right places: an astronomical tour of our solar system," lecture Wednesday, addressed the possibility of life past Earth, believes there is.
But don't picture the gray bald-headed alien from the X-Files.
"I believe in life in the universe, but I think intelligent life is rare, I think there's simple life on most planets with water, but it's out there," Backman said. "All life on earth is based on liquid H2O. Water is the second most common element in the universe. We don't just like it because we're made out of it."
With liquid water being fundamental to life, our universe has (or has had) potential for theoretically breeding life on other planets.
Jupiter's moon Europa, is believed to have more water underneath the surface than the total amount of water on earth.
"NASA wants to send a probe to Europa, melt the ice and see what's under there," Backman said. "Probably not in my lifetime though."
Saturn's moon Titan is covered with organic compounds similar to those of Earth and bears similar geographic features such as dunes, ices, rivers and volcanoes.
In many ways Mars is the planet most like Earth. The dried-up channels on Mars' surface suggest large bodies of water were once on the surface. The original water is believed to now be locked under a layer of ice.
The Viking Mars Landers spacecraft in 1976 determined potential biological activity, and the meteorite ALH84001, believed to have fallen from Mars, and found in Antarctica, proves that some rocks can travel interplanetary.
"There are certainly Martian and moon rocks in our country," Backman said. "We just don't know how to spot them. There are at least 12 Martian rocks just in Antarctica."
If rocks can travel through space could a life form?
Physics professor Christopher Tycner invited Backman, and enjoys astronomy as well.
"I get excited to see other astronomers," Tycner said. "I believe there is a high probability of life in the solar system and astronomers are on a quest to find it."
news@cm-life.com
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