Author Question: What is meant by the idea life on Earth had an interstellar origin? What will be an ideal ... (Read 107 times)

tichca · **on:** Jul 27, 2018

What is meant by the idea life on Earth had an interstellar origin?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What do we mean by life as we know it?

What will be an ideal response?

kusterl · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Organic molecules have been found in comets and some meteorites. The large amount of water on Earth implies it was impacted by many comets in the past. Thus, organic molecules would have been introduced onto the Earth. Also, interstellar molecular clouds contain many complex molecules, which may have rained down on Earth during its formation.

Answer to Question 2

Our life is based on chains of carbon atoms with DNA, RNA, and proteins formed out of amino acids and nucleotides. Life as we know it depends on liquid water as its medium. It's possible other atoms may also be suitable for life to be based on, which would be radically different from ours.