Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Astronomy isn't my strong suit, but if that is true, the abundance of carbon could also be a good indication that extraterrestrial biological processes might be much more common than we suspect as well.
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:53 pm Posts: 175 Location: Toronto
Barbra: A very common argument/inference... probably second most common after the 'X numbers of Galaxies, with Y numbers of solar systems, that have Z numbers of planets in the 'habitable zone' makes for a number that makes Earth much much MUCH more common than a fine, unheated, 10 ct Burmese Ruby'.... .
The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and helium. Our element-generators are our stars. Hydrogen is most likely to form Helium. Helium is most likely to form Carbon (via the 'Triple Alpha Process'). So yes, Carbon is not only abundant... but the most likely result when all that hydrogen and helium undergoes nuclear reaction.
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