Astronomy 2021A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Exoplanet, Europa Europa, Patricia Briggs
1 Jun 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Why has scientific interest in life beyond earth exploded in the past few decades: although large, multi-cellular life in our solar system seems unlikely anywhere but on. > we now understand enough about biology to explore the conditions that might make it possible for life to exist on other worlds, and we know enough about planets to consider which ones might be capable of harboring life. Three particular disciplines play an especially important role in framing the context of the scientific search for life: astronomy, planetary science (includes geology and atmospheric science), and biology. Human view of the cosmos changed dramatically about 400 years ago. We know that earth is one but tiny world orbiting a rather ordinary star in a vast cosmos, and this fact opens up countless possibilities for life on other worlds. Two important ways planetary science helps shape the context for the search for life: 1.
