From: Spike (spike66@comcast.net)
Date: Sun Jul 27 2003 - 14:29:51 MDT
From: Jeff Davis
--- Spike <spike66@comcast.net> wrote:
...
> Humans have rescued the life on this planet from
> universal extinction...spike
...I still think spike is enjoying a dry technoweenie
style amusement with the above ongoing theme of
humanity showing up just in the nick of time and
saving the planet from carbon exhaustion... Jeff
Certainly I am enjoying this theme, as is my
custom. My outlook on life is a kind of converse
of a common 1960s paradigm, adapted by making it into
"If it doesn't feel good, don't do it."
The more I ponder the theme of a one-way carbon-sink
the stronger the notion becomes, for it holds even if
Thomas Gold's notions of hydrocarbon formation
are correct. He is not actually arguing that pure
carbon is formed during the process of planet formation,
but rather the mechanics of hydrocarbon formation
(microbes vs dinosaurs).
In either case, the carbon still eventually ends up in
a form that is unavailable to the kinds of lifeforms
that evolved on this planet, until humans began
liberating it. I do not believe that Dr. Gold would
argue that any known nontechnological lifeform could
break down anthracite coal, never mind diamond.
On this planet we have volcanism and plate tectonics,
which recycle carbon to some extent, however it is
easy to imagine life forming on a planet which does
not have either. This would explain how it is that
life on this planet managed to survive for 85% of its
history in the form of blue-green algal mats without
actually using up all the raw materials.
Still, the carbon cycle is imperfect, and as time went
on, we can imagine it becoming ever less efficient in
recycing the carbon, as the crust becomes thicker and
the mantle ever less accessible. On a planet without
volcanism and plate tectonics, coal would still form
however, so that one could theorize that life on those
planets would not have the luxury of being allowed
a leisurely 4 billion years to figure out how to go
multicellular, evolve intelligence, develop technology.
Perhaps most planets have only one billion years of
procariotic lifespan available until carbon-starvation,
which is in general not enough time to make the
three critical steps given above.
It is not surprising that Robert should suggest
the evolution of non-carbonbased lifeforms, for
he has theorized one: the Bradburian silicon-based
M-Brain. Perhaps we can see this as the fourth
critical step in evolution, that absolutely requires
going thru each of the first three: 1) evolution of
life, 2) development of multicellular lifeforms,
3) the development of technology-capable lifeforms,
4) construction of MBrains.
Claim: there is no possible path to step 4 without
going thru and surviving each of the previous 3.
Claim: the previous 3 steps absolutely require
carbon based life.
spike
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