Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134089089
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Seth Shostak
Publisher: PEARSON
expand_more
expand_more
format_list_bulleted
Concept explainers
Textbook Question
Chapter 1, Problem 22POS
The Science of Astrobiology. The study of astrobiology is sometimes criticized as being the study of something for which we have no data, since we do not yet have evidence of life beyond Earth. Is astrobiology a science or speculation? Defend your opinion.
Expert Solution & Answer
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionStudents have asked these similar questions
Which of the following is least reasonable regarding the difficulty in contacting extraterrestrial life using space flight and radio communication.
Group of answer choices
Space flight to the nearest star would take thousands of years with current technology.
Even if another intelligent civilization is within a few hundred light-years of us, conversations would be very slow with a turnaround time of decades or even centuries.
The spacecraft that NASA sent to Proxima Centauri a few years ago should be approaching its target within a decade or two, depending on solar wind conditions.
Earth has been broadcasting at radio wavelengths since the 1930's, so any civilization within a radius of about 100 light-years or so could have received the broadcast by now.
Without some major breakthrough, interstellar space flight is totally impractical.
Imagine that we discovered a new planet that has the potential to support
life. This planet has plenty of water on its surface and carbon dioxide in its
atmosphere, and a nice, comfortable temperature similar to Earth. The
only difference is that this planet orbits a star that produces green light
only.
If we took some plants from Earth and planted them on this new planet,
would our plants be able to grow? Explain your answer.
Tutorial
A radio broadcast left Earth in 1925. How far in light years has it traveled?
If there is, on average, 1 star system per 400 cubic light years, how many star systems has this broadcast
reached?
Assume that the fraction of these star systems that have planets is 0.30 and that, in a given planetary
system, the average number of planets that have orbited in the habitable zone for 4 billion years is 0.85. How
many possible planets with life could have heard this signal?
Part 1 of 3
To figure out how many light years a signal has traveled we need to know how long since the signal left Earth.
If the signal left in 1925, distance in light years = time since broadcast left Earth.
d = tnow - tbroadcast
d =
light years
Submit
Skip (you cannot come back)
Chapter 1 Solutions
Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
Ch. 1 - Why are scientists interested in the possibility...Ch. 1 - People have long been interested in life beyond...Ch. 1 - Prob. 3RQCh. 1 - Prob. 4RQCh. 1 - What do we mean by a habitable world? Does a...Ch. 1 - What do we mean by the universality of physics and...Ch. 1 - Besides Earth, what worlds in our solar system...Ch. 1 - Prob. 8RQCh. 1 - Prob. 9RQCh. 1 - What do we mean by astrobiology? What are the...
Ch. 1 - An extrasolar planet is (a) a planet that is...Ch. 1 - A habitable planet is (a) a planet that has oceans...Ch. 1 - Prob. 13TYUCh. 1 - Prob. 14TYUCh. 1 - The correct order for the eight official planets...Ch. 1 - Today, the research known as SETI is conducted...Ch. 1 - Prob. 17TYUCh. 1 - Scientists today are interested in searching for...Ch. 1 - Based on current evidence, the object in our solar...Ch. 1 - Prob. 20TYUCh. 1 - Universal Laws. Briefly discuss how the idea that...Ch. 1 - The Science of Astrobiology. The study of...Ch. 1 - Conducting the Search. Given the large number of...Ch. 1 - Funding for Astrobiology. Imagine that you are a...
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Find more solutions based on key concepts
Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning. Did a large terrestrial planet ever fo...
The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals (2nd Edition)
Write each number in decimal form.
41. 4.5 × 1012
Applied Physics (11th Edition)
(II) Uphill escape ramps are sometimes provided to the side of steep downhill highways for trucks with overheat...
Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics
A student has briefly connected a wire across the terminals of a battery until the wire feels warm. The student...
Tutorials in Introductory Physics
Check Your Understanding. A current I(t)=(5.0A)sin((200rad/s)t) flows through the solenoid of part (b) of Examp...
University Physics Volume 2
108. The surface area of an adult human is about 1.8 m2. Suppose a person with a skin temperature of 34°C is st...
College Physics: A Strategic Approach (3rd Edition)
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- Why are we limited to finding life on planets orbiting other stars to situations where the biosphere has created planet-scale changes?arrow_forwardWhat are the advantages to using radio waves for communication between civilizations that live around different stars? List as many as you can.arrow_forwardIf life is based on information, what is that information?arrow_forward
- What are two characteristic properties of life that distinguish it from nonliving things?arrow_forwardWhat is the difference between chemical evolution and biological evolution?arrow_forwardTutorial A radio broadcast left Earth in 1923. How far in light years has it traveled? If there is, on average, 1 star system per 400 cubic light years, how many star systems has this broadcast reached? Assume that the fraction of these star systems that have planets is 0.50 and that, in a given planetary system, the average number of planets that have orbited in the habitable zone for 4 billion years is 0.40. How many possible planets with life could have heard this signal? Part 1 of 3 To figure out how many light years a signal has traveled we need to know how long since the signal left Earth. If the signal left in 1923, distance in light years = time since broadcast left Earth. d = tnow - broadcast d = 97 97 light years Part 2 of 3 Since the radio signal travels in all directions, it expanded as a sphere with a radius equal to the distance it has traveled so far. To determine the number of star systems this signal has reached, we need to determine the volume of that sphere. V, = Vb…arrow_forward
- 200 years has passed and now it is year 2220. The Earth is out of basic resourcesas they have been drastically drained in the past 200 years. The president of theUnited World Council (UWC) has approved you and your crew’s Mission toMars. You will pilot the most advanced spaceship the world has ever known, theExcelsior! It will carry equipment that will help to transform Mars so as toresemble the Earth, especially so that it can support human life.Before the mission can launch a few items need to be figured out. What is thecapacity of the fuel tank? How long should the fuel burn to achieve escapevelocity (otherwise the Excelsior will be stuck in the Earth’s gravitational pull)?How long will it take the Excelsior to arrive at Mars?1. The ground crew is filling the fuel tanks. You know tharrow_forwardWater is life. Nothing survives without water. Water is abundant everywhere. Now, we said before that water contains the primary components of good fuel. The hydrogen. Is there is a possibility that water will be a source of Hydrogen? Or we mean, we can subject water in a certain process and we are deriving Hydrogen from it continuously? If yes, how?arrow_forward
arrow_back_ios
arrow_forward_ios
Recommended textbooks for you
- AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStaxStars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399944Author:Michael A. SeedsPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399920Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage LearningHorizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...PhysicsISBN:9781305960961Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399944
Author:Michael A. Seeds
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399920
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...
Physics
ISBN:9781305960961
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
General Relativity: The Curvature of Spacetime; Author: Professor Dave Explains;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7V3koyL7Mc;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY