Complex Building Blocks Of Life Detected At The Centre Of The Galaxy

Scientists have discovered an unsettlingly complex molecule at the centre of our galaxy which could hint at the beginning of life-forming chemistry.

The chemical ('Iso-propyl cyanide') might not have a very approachable name, but the implications are profound.

Detected resting on the surface of dust particles billions of miles from Earth, it has a branched carbon structure similar to organic molecules upon which the emergence of life on our planet depended, like amino acides.

Scientists say it is more complex than any molecule found elsewhere in interstellar space. And the discovery implies it is possible amino acids could emerge alongside the birth of stars -- meaning that the essential ingredients of life could be far more common that previously thought.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/30/life-chemicals-galaxy_n_5905314.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

Awesome! Makes you wonder if "life here began out there"

It could be well be the case Ben, but how many planets have the right combination to kick start life on them?
Must be millions and just makes me wonder what other kind of life forms are out there.

Didge wrote:It could be well be the case Ben, but how many planets have the right combination to kick start life on them?
Must be millions and just makes me wonder what other kind of life forms are out there.

Agreed, and I'm always a bit disappointed at how the focus usually seems to be on what "intelligent" species there might be, with little speculation or imagination as to what sort of animals, plants -- or things we couldn't even categorize as one or the other -- might evolve. Especially when we have such oddities as anglerfish and Venus fly traps

triffids......

victorisnotamused wrote:triffids......

Well, right after I posted that I thought, "what about sci-fi?" But I meant more of a serious, scientific look at what might might evolve on alien worlds ... I've seen studies that seem to indicate a creature with a large number of legs would have to devote too much brain power to coordinating them in order to develop intelligence, and speculation about non-carbon based life -- stuff like that, but not much.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Didge wrote:It could be well be the case Ben, but how many planets have the right combination to kick start life on them?
Must be millions and just makes me wonder what other kind of life forms are out there.

Agreed, and I'm always a bit disappointed at how the focus usually seems to be on what "intelligent" species there might be, with little speculation or imagination as to what sort of animals, plants -- or things we couldn't even categorize as one or the other -- might evolve. Especially when we have such oddities as anglerfish and Venus fly traps

Particularly when you consider almost all land animals evolve from one species, which gives us all the basic 'head, spine and 4 limbs' design.
I mean even in the ocean we have the Cephalopodan design which is dramatically different than anything on land and could feasibly be a working design for a land animal (as opposed to fish too specifically designed for liquid).

Ben_Reilly wrote:

victorisnotamused wrote:triffids......

Well, right after I posted that I thought, "what about sci-fi?" But I meant more of a serious, scientific look at what might might evolve on alien worlds ... I've seen studies that seem to indicate a creature with a large number of legs would have to devote too much brain power to coordinating them in order to develop intelligence, and speculation about non-carbon based life -- stuff like that, but not much.

assuming they don't distribute their nervous nexus like Octopus... Seems life already found a solution to that problem on earth. just put part of a brain in each limb

They pull it off, but I don't think an intelligent centipede would work

If the only requirement is to have 100 limbs I cant see why not?
What if it didn't need to consume like us, we use a huge amount of our power for gut function, more life forms sustain themselves through photosynthesis than consumption.
it could even look pretty similar to a centipede and just be muscle, brain and exoskeleton covered in chromophores.
100 limbs would potentially give it the same sort of ability to hold and move things as our opposable thumbs, so all it would need is brain mass.

they way we have evolved from worms to humans (and all the other creatures) is so random that I don't see how any design that is capable of holding and shaping objects in it's environments couldn't lead to 'intelligent life'. It is not like evolution is a first past the post race, look at dinosaurs, 100 million years ago if you looked at the life on earth you would have no reason to believe that the little furry rodent-like animals descendants would dominate the planet and become an 'intelligent' life form. Dinosaurs like Troodon could easily have given rise to an intelligent tool using species.

Personally I think it wouldn't need to look so hominid if the hands became more refined and the eyes shifted to full front facing (for depth perception for throwing) it would be a workable design for all the things Cavemen did, once a species starts making tools weapon shelters and clothing to resist the elements (expanding it's liveable habitat) It is potentially as intelligent as us.