Dwarf planet Ceres could have a habitable past.

Dwarf planet Ceres could have a habitable past. 

"Dwarf planet Ceres is shown in these enhanced-color renderings that use images from NASA’s Dawn mission. New thermal and chemicals models that rely on the mission’s data indicate Ceres may have long ago had conditions suitable for life. NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA" (NASA/ NASA: Ceres May Have Had Long-Standing Energy to Fuel Habitability)

Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt. And an interesting thing is that.  This dwarf planet consumes water ice. The more interesting detail on this dwarf planet's surface is Mt. Ceres. That cryovolcano tells astronomers. That there has been some kind of geological activity. And if Ceres has an internal thermal source that lasts long enough, that means that. Ceres might have a habitable past. And that causes questions about some kind of bacteria that could live in that frozen world’s oceans. 

The fact about those kinds of questions is this: Ceres should have an internal thermal source, or something outside affects. That effect must keep Ceres’s oceans liquid as long as those bacteria could form. There are many great secrets in our universe and in our solar system. Ceres is covered in grey dust, but there are white spots on that dwarf planet’s shell. Those spots might be impact craters that open the dwarf planet's inner structures for researchers. There are organic compounds on Ceres. 

(https://www.sciencealert.com/asteroid-belts-largest-object-could-have-once-supported-life)

But that doesn’t mean that there was life. Organic compounds mean complicated carbon-based molecules. Those things tell that. There is a possibility. That some kind of lifeforms could form on, or in, Ceres. But those organic compounds can form for other reasons. That means there is no need to be bacteria. That those chemical compounds are formed. In some models, Ceres could be near some gas giants like Jupiter. 

The water ice layer on that dwarf planet hides its internal structures and chemical fingerprints from researchers. If researchers could compile those chemical fingerprints. With the other three large asteroids, Vesta, Juno, and Pallas. That uncovers many interesting things about those asteroids' origins. And maybe that chemical comparison can prove one very interesting theory right or wrong. There is a theory that those four large asteroids were someday part of a large planet. 

Collisions in the young solar system smashed some planets into pieces. An interesting thing could prove the question: what if those four asteroids Ceres, Vesta, Juno, and Pallas could have their origin in the same mass? There have been many planets in the young solar system that the cosmic collisions wiped away. Planets like Mars lost their outer shell many more times than once.  There is a theory that a cosmic impact formed the Moon to orbit Earth. The Moon’s formation is unknown, but there are two major versions of that process.

One is that centrifugal forces pull the Moon away from Earth. Another one is about a Mars-sized protoplanet called Theia. Impacted Earth. And that separated the Moon. There is also the possibility that Theia. And the centrifugal effect formed the moon. There are remnants of impacts in Earth's mantle. But that doesn’t mean that those impacts formed the Moon. But in some models, in the very beginning of the solar system. 

Earth was far bigger than it is now. The cosmic impacts threw the lava droplets into space. While the Earth was not solidified. When the young Earth is impacted by larger objects, the liquid planet’s elasticity saves Earth. If Earth were solidified, the shockwaves would break its shell and break the entire planet into pieces. Remnants of those impactors can be seen in Earth's mantle as bubbles with a different density from other magma. 

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/dawn/nasa-ceres-may-have-had-long-standing-energy-to-fuel-habitability/

https://www.sciencealert.com/asteroid-belts-largest-object-could-have-once-supported-life

https://scitechdaily.com/dawn-reveals-surprisingly-high-concentrations-organic-material-on-ceres/

https://scitechdaily.com/hidden-organic-reservoirs-found-on-ceres-igniting-hopes-for-alien-life/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theia_(hypothetical_planet)

There are probably life-building blocks on the Titan moon.

  There are probably life-building blocks on the Titan moon.

"New NASA research suggests Titan’s icy lakes might produce natural cell-like structures, offering fresh insight into how life could emerge in alien worlds. Credit: Shutterstock" (ScitechDaily, NASA Unveils Possible Building Blocks of Life on Saturn’s Moon Titan)

"Researchers propose that vesicles could form in Titan’s hydrocarbon lakes, hinting at a new pathway for life’s precursors. This expands the possibilities for where life might originate in the solar system." (ScitechDaily, NASA Unveils Possible Building Blocks of Life on Saturn’s Moon Titan)

Life's building block is not life. Those things are amino acids and other chemical compounds that the DNA and cells require for making their protein shells and other structures. They don’t mean life as we know it. 

There are possible life-building blocks on Saturn’s giant moon Titan. So, does that mean that there is life on that moon? A life-building block doesn’t necessarily mean that there are any kind of life forms. That means that there are chemical components required for the DNA molecule assembly process. So those building blocks are chemical compounds, not life in the form as we know it. Titan is too cold for similar active lifeforms that live on Earth. 

Chemical reactions on that moon are extremely slow. And an interesting question is this: are those chemical compounds formed on Titan, or are some kind of meteorites bringing them to that moon? The origin of those chemical compounds is also an interesting thing. 

We must realize one thing. Life can be far different from what we even expect. Another question is this: should we call the self-replicating molecules “life”?

That is one of the most interesting questions in the world of philosophy. The chemical compounds, like amino acids, are quite common things in the universe. And in the Kuiper Belt, in an absolutely freezing area, those chemical compounds can exist almost forever. The is a small possibility that some kind of cells or DNA, or RNA  can travel between stars and retain their ability to infect cells. In those cases, the cosmic ice bite will transport those cosmic viruses between the stars. At 0K, the chemical environment is very stable. 

The thing that determines if those kinds of molecules can remain in its form is the case that pushed it and the cosmic ice bite out from its solar system. The nova or supernova eruption causes a very high-level radiation burst. That can smash planets into pieces. But there is a small possibility that the DNA or RNA can keep its form during that radiation burst. So, can life travel between solar systems in the cosmic ice bite? That kind of ice bite is not yet found. 

https://scitechdaily.com/nasa-unveils-possible-building-blocks-of-life-on-saturns-moon-titan/

Venus could still be geologically active.

"This artist’s concept of the large Quetzalpetlatl Corona located in Venus’ southern hemisphere depicts active volcanism and a subduction zone, where the foreground crust plunges into the planet’s interior. A new study suggests coronae are the locations of several types of tectonic activity. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Peter Rubin"(ScitechDaily, NASA Just Found New Signs of Life Inside Venus – Geologic Life, That Is)

The thing is that Venus is geologically active is interesting. So-called round clouds and the strange tectonic structure called "coronae" are the things that cause the idea that there can be very hot water vapor or clouds under Venus's surface. If there is water that water must erupt from somewhere. And those coronas are things that can be those places where those hypothetical underground clouds erupt. 

When we think about things Venus is so hot that there cannot be water or ice that makes frost. But elements like tin and lead can also act like water. The temperature on that planet is so high that lead and tin or some alkali metals like lithium or sodium can act like water. The fact is that there is no water or oxygen on Venus and that can make things like lithium exist pure on that planet. There can be metal rivers below the planet's surface. That means those coronas might not have formed from water. 

Venus is a hot planet. The temperature on its surface is over 464 degrees Celsius. There can be lead and tin lakes on that hellish planet. The mountain areas rise higher than Mt. Everest, and the highest mountain on planet Venus Maxwell Montes's temperature is about 380 degrees Celsius, half of the lowlands temperature. The height of that mountain area is over 11 kilometers. 

"New research suggests vast surface features on Venus called coronae continue to be shaped by tectonic processes. Observations of these features from NASA’s Magellan mission include, clockwise from top left, Artemis Corona, Quetzalpetlatl Corona, Bahet Corona, and Fotla Corona. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech" (ScitechDaily, NASA Just Found New Signs of Life Inside Venus – Geologic Life, That Is)

"These illustrations depict various types of tectonic activity thought to persist beneath Venus’ coronae. Lithospheric dripping and subduction are shown at top; below are and two scenarios where hot plume material rises and pushes against the lithosphere, potentially driving volcanism above it. Credit: Anna Gülcher, CC BY-NC" (ScitechDaily, NASA Just Found New Signs of Life Inside Venus – Geologic Life, That Is)

Pressure on those mountains is about 44 atmospheres. Venus's atmosphere is very dense. The surface pressure on that lowlands planet is 95 ber. That is about 93,76 atmosphere. The day of Venus is 275 Earth days. And that describes why Venus is so hot. 

And when researchers talk about life on Venus. There can be silicon-based lifeforms that are like stone vegetables. Or stone bacteria. But there can also be bacteria that hover in Venus's clouds. 

The hypothetical silicon-based lifeforms can be like the DNA-controlled crystals. The crystal can move budding and it can be a series of crystals. When that hypothetical lifeform moves, it just makes a series of crystals and DNA moves inside that channel. 

They talk about the highest mountains, but the most promising place will be Venus's clouds. Some kind of bacteria can hover in those clouds. Because Venus is a very hot planet the silicon-based lifeforms are "living sand" that are crystals that the DNA controls. 

Those lifeforms might be like vegetables rather than animals. They might travel like fungus making crystal lines, or budding. Those budding crystal lines can have channels where the DNA can travel.  But if those DNA-controlled rocks exist that would be a sensation and bring new ideas for nanotechnology. 

https://scitechdaily.com/nasa-just-found-new-signs-of-life-inside-venus-geologic-life-that-is/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_Montes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus

Io and Europa are the most interesting Galilean moons.

"An artist’s concept shows the internal structure of Jupiter’s moon Io. Data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft suggests that Io does not have a shallow global magma ocean and is consistent with a mostly solid mantle (represented by green hues), with substantial melt (yellows and oranges), overlying a liquid core (red/black). Credit: NASA/Caltech-JPL/SwRI, edited." (ScitechDaily, Juno’s Shocking Discovery: Io’s Interior Isn’t What We Expected)

It is not what astronomers thought. There is no solid magma structure on that moon. The tidal forces form magma pockets inside that moon. And that makes Io interesting. It is known for its volcanic activity. And those findings tell that the planet must not have a common magma layer for volcanism. And that means also old planets can have volcanic activity. At least if they have a massive moon that moves particles inside them. 

"Cutaway illustration of Europa’s icy crust, subsurface ocean and possible vents that transport material to the surface. Credit: NASA" (ScitechDaily, We Asked a NASA Expert: Is There Potential for Life on Europa? [Video])

"Is there potential for life on Europa? This icy moon of Jupiter has a massive ocean hidden beneath its icy crust — one that might have the right ingredients for life. Currently en route, our upcoming Europa Clipper mission will explore this mysterious world, searching for clues about its potential habitability. Watch as a NASA scientist explains more. Credit: NASA" (ScitechDaily, We Asked a NASA Expert: Is There Potential for Life on Europa? [Video])

The Io is quite a large moon. It's smaller than our moon and gravity on its surface is lower than the moon. The lightweight composition of Io makes it possible for Jupiter's tidal forces to move things inside it. So the tidal forces can also create friction that forms the magma pockets under that moon's surface. The lightweight form of Io means that particles have space to move inside it. 

Same way Europa moon can keep its undersurface ocean liquid. The icy shell protects water that the tidal waves keep always in move. The magnetic particles in that water create a magnetic field that keeps water molecules in one form because it protects Europa from the cosmic rays. The Europa may be a harbor for lifeforms. The moon is very light and it's possible that there are some primitive organisms. The Europa clipper spacecraft can give an answer to that question. 

https://scitechdaily.com/we-asked-a-nasa-expert-is-there-potential-for-life-on-europa-video/

https://scitechdaily.com/junos-shocking-discovery-ios-interior-isnt-what-we-expected/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(moon)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_(moon)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon

There are two astrobiological models about lifeforms that can survive there. 

In some models, there can be some lifeforms that get their oxygen from electrolysis. Those organisms can have electric organs that can break water molecules by electricity that can be like electric eel's electric cells. 

There is also a model of the silicone-based lifeform. That kind of lifeform can be the silicone cell that is controlled by the DNA. Those organisms could be moon or planet-sized things that can be far from the organisms that we know on Earth. They can be far slower than organisms on Earth. The thing why I mentioned those things as organisms is that they are DNA-controlled structures that can send the silicone bites that carry their DNA even to space. 

The new theory suggests that life on Earth-type planets is likely.

The term earth-type planets mean planets that have similar structures to Earth. They might have solid cores.

But the water layer can cover the entire rocky world. These kinds of planets are called water worlds. 

Or they might be dry. That means there could be hydrocarbon oceans but no water on those planets. Those rocky planets are like the giant Titan moon. There could be giant oceans that formed of hydrocarbons. 

The hostile-looking planets can host the Black Swan-versions of lifeforms. Black Swan means a possible but extremely extraordinary case. And maybe, some extraordinary planet hosts very extraordinary but primitive life forms. 

There is Earth type of planets that are covered with lava oceans. And that kind of lava planet is the only planet that cannot host alien life. Or there is the possibility that in the atmosphere of those hellish planets can hover organisms that use the atmospheric temperature of that planet as an energy source. 

Those life forms could be rather DNA or RNA-controlled miniature crystals than bacteria. There is the possibility that those bacteria are multiplying very fast, and even if a single organism could live only minutes that entirety can be stable. But that kind of theoretical lifeform is possible but very extraordinary. So those theoretical extreme primitive alien proteobacteria are like the "Black Swan" phenomenon of lifeforms. 

So water worlds and super-earths can also be determined as Earth-type planets. Intelligent lifeforms are not the same thing as lifeforms. The lifeforms of those rocky worlds might be different than we can even imagine. And before we can send probes to those distant rocky planets or find lifeforms from some gas giants' icy moons, we can only make hypotheses and theories about the shape of extraterrestrial lifeforms. 

And there is no place where we can close things like primitive lifeforms straight out from possibilities. Those hypothetical lifeforms can live in the depth of the ocean that covers the super earth. And even if the super earth orbits very close to the red dwarf there is a possibility that the super-Earth's massive gravitation keeps the water liquid. So along with water vapor, the planet could be more suitable for fish-type alien organisms than people normally think. 

The surface of the water and atmosphere can be boiling. But deep inside the ocean, the temperature can be more comfortable. Because the planet could orbit the M-type red dwarf there is a possibility that the hypothetical planet is locked. And the nightside, along with the monsoon stabilizes the atmosphere's temperature. Also, water flow between night and dayside of a locked planet could make the ocean of that kind of planet very comfortable. And the atmosphere would be more gentle than we even thought. 

Could a planet with hot ice, Gliese 436b host life? 

Hypothetical lifeform of the most extraordinary exoplanet, Gliese 436b, "the world of burning ice". 

But if we are thinking about the super earth and especially super-earth where the massive gravitation makes water impossible to vapor. There is the possibility that the exoplanets that "hot ice" covers can host hypothetical lifeforms that are similar to tapeworms on Earth. 

We can ask: "could that kind of planet host any kind of lifeform"? The planet Gliese 436b is the kind of planet where massive gravitation causes the effect, where the planet's entire surface is covered by hot ice. The planet's surface is about 712 Kelvin, and the name of that planet is "planet with burning ice". The massive gravitation makes the water stay in the form of ice in very hot conditions. 

The Gliese 436 b is the strangest exoplanet ever found. And that means other exoplanets are less extreme. But can that kind of super strange exoplanet have living habitats? 

The answer is "yes". That Neptune size exoplanet can have tapeworm-type alien worms that could live in that hot ice. Those 2-dimensional alien creatures can dig tunnels in that hot ice. 

And they might have similar electric cells as an electric eel. Those cells can turn the ice or water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. So those hypothetical lifeforms can be a little bit similar to tapeworms on the Earth. That thing came to my mind when I read about the new theory that life is more common in the universe than we ever imagine. 

https://futurism.com/the-strangest-exoplanet-ever

https://scitechdaily.com/new-theory-suggests-that-the-origin-of-life-on-earth-like-planets-is-likely/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_436_b