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> On Sat, 20 Jun 1998 Michelle Jones <spike66@ibm.net> Wrote:
>
> >perhaps we live in an unfortunate place within the best of all
> >possible universes.
>
>
> I think the idea that we live in the best of all possible worlds is a
> profoundly depressing thought, I'd hate to think it's true.
Yes, but as time goes on, it definitely seems like we are at least making it
happen, eh??
>
>
>
> >what if we lived in a globular cluster, so that the nearest stars
> >were only a few light days away,
>
>
> The heavier elements are made in supernova explosions but globular clusters
> are made up of population one stars that are very old and created out of the
> original stuff from the Big Bang, so most metals vital for a technological
> civilization like iron, copper, tin and uranium would be virtually nonexistent
> in them. Even carbon would be rare making life in globular clusters doubtful.
Additionally, I was under the impression that globular clusters with stars so
close would have much higher density, levels of radiation than there is in our own
vicinity, so we would need to live on a much larger planet with a much more
pronounced EM field to protect us from that radiation.
>
>
> Another problem is that we would be ignorant of the larger universe,
> everything would be so crowded together we'd only be able to see things a
> few hundred light years away and we'd think that was the entire universe.
>
>
> >and the home planet had a low gravity field?
>
>
> A planet much smaller than the Earth couldn't hold on to a substantial
> atmospheric. A planet much larger than the Earth would be able to retain so
> much of the primordial hydrogen that was common during its formation that
> free oxygen would be impossible.
Considering that Venus is slightly smaller than Earth, yet has a much much denser
atmosphere (most likely due to its lack of a moon the size of our own), it is
evident that intelligent life of our kind could possibly evolve on a smaller
planet than ours with no large moon that had an earth normal atmosphere. For
example, if Mars, which has 1/3 of the gravity of our own planet, were in the
orbit of our own world, the solar flux levels would be high enough for it to have
an earth normal atmosphere (most of Mars' early atmosphere, which was close to
earth normal, is now bound in the crust due to the cold). It could have a moon
only a few hundred miles across to give it sufficient tide to enable enough
tectonic activity for volcanic fertilization, for maintainance of the mantle/core
dynamo that would generate a radiation protection EM field, as well as a near
enough location for inspiration of a manned space program in a technological
society.
With a 1/3 G field, it would be almost infinitely easier to afford widespread
space travel, as it would be within the capability of a supersonic jet plane to
escape a 1/3 gravity field. Thus, it would cost the equivalent of a Concorde
ticket for a normal person to fly into space...$2,000.00
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?