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  3. "Life in Our Solar System" Although we can imagine life based on something other than carbon chemistry, we know of no exampl

"Life in Our Solar System" Although we can imagine life based on something other than carbon chemistry, we know of no exampl

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问题                    "Life in Our Solar System"
   Although we can imagine life based on something other than carbon chemistry, we know of no examples to tell us how such life might arise and survive. We must limit our discussion to life as we know it and the conditions it requires. The most important requirement is the presence of liquid water, not only as part of the chemical reactions of life, but also as a medium to transport nutrients and wastes within the organism.
   The water requirement automatically eliminates many worlds in our solar system. The moon is airless, and although some data suggest ice frozen in the soil at its poles, it has never had liquid water on its surface. In the vacuum of the lunar surface, liquid water would boil away rapidly. Mercury too is airless and cannot have had liquid water on its surface for long periods of time. Venus has some traces of water vapor in its atmosphere, but it is much too hot for liquid water to survive. If there were any lakes or oceans of water on its surface when it was young, they must have evaporated quickly. Even if life began there, no traces would be left now.
   The inner solar system seems too hot, and the outer solar system seems too cold. The Jovian planets have deep atmospheres, and at a certain level, they have moderate temperatures where water might condense into liquid droplets. But it seems unlikely that life could begin there. The Jovian planets have no surfaces where oceans could nurture the beginning of life, and currents in the atmosphere seem destined to circulate gas and water droplets from regions of moderate temperature to other levels that are much too hot or too cold for life to survive.
   A few of the satellites of the Jovian planets might have suitable conditions for life. Jupiter’s moon Europa seems to have a liquid-water ocean below its icy crust, and minerals dissolved in that water would provide a rich broth of possi- bilities for chemical evolution.A Nevertheless, Europa is not a promising site to search for life because conditions may not have remained stable for the billions of years needed for life to evolve beyond the microscopic stage. B If Jupiter’s moons interact gravitationally and modify their orbits, Europa may have been frozen solid at some points in history. C
   → Saturn’s moon Titan has an atmosphere of nitrogen, argon, and methane and may have oceans of liquid methane and ethane on its surface.D The chemistry of life that might crawl or swim on such a world is unknown, but life there may be unlikely because of the temperature. The surface of Titan is a deadly -179℃ (-290°F). Chemical reactions occur slowly or not at all at such low temperatures, so the chemical evolution needed to begin life may never have occurred on Titan.
   → Mars is the most likely place for life in our solar system. The evidence, however, is not encouraging. Meteorite ALH84001 was found on the Antarctic ice in 1984. It was probably part of debris ejected into space by a large impact on Mars. ALH84001 is important because a team of scientists studied it and announced in 1996 that it contained chemical and physical traces of ancient life on Mars.
   Scientists were excited too, but being professionally skeptical, they began testing the results immediately. In many cases, the results did not confirm the conclusion that life once existed 0n Mars. Some chemical contamination from water on Earth has occurred, and some chemicals in the meteorite may have originated without the presence of life. The physical features that look like fossil bacteria may be mineral formations in the rock.
   Spacecraft now visiting Mars may help us understand the past history of water there and paint a more detailed picture of present conditions. Nevertheless, conclusive evidence may have to wait until a geologist in a space suit can wander the dry streambeds of Mars cracking open rocks and searching for fossils.
   We are left to conclude that, so far as we know, our solar system is bare of life except for Earth. Consequently, our search for life in the universe takes us to other planetary systems.
How will scientists confirm the existence of life on Mars?
选项 A、By sending unmanned spacecraft to Mars
B、By looking at fossils on Mars
C、By viewing pictures taken of Mars
D、By studying the present conditions on Mars
答案B
解析 ... conclusive evidence [of life] may have to wait until a geologist in a space suit can... open rocks... searching for fossils." Choice A is not correct because a geologist will travel in the spacecraft. Choice C is not correct because pictures are not mentioned as a way to confirm the existence of life on Mars. Choice D is not correct because the present conditions could be studied in a variety of ways, but conclusive evidence depends on a manned flight that will allow a geologist to study the physical evidence.
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