Is There Life Beyond Earth?

Chapter 9 Section 4
 The “Goldilocks Conditions”
§ Extraterrestrial life- Life other
than that on Earth
§ Earth has liquid water and a
suitable temperature range and
atmosphere for living things to
survive
§ Other planets do not have such
favorable conditions-

Goldilocks conditions

 Life on Earth
§ Scientists have found living organisms on
Earth that get their energy not from
sunlight, but from chemicals
§ The range of conditions in which life can
exist is much greater than scientists
once thought
Life on Mars? Life on Europa?
The Viking Mission §Many scientists believe
Europa, one of
§ Since life as we Jupiter’s moons, may
know it requires have the conditions
water, scientists necessary for life to
hypothesize that develop
Mars may have §Close-up views of
once had the Europa’s crust show
conditions ice that has broken
needed for life to up and reformed
exist §This ice pattern could
mean there is liquid
§ Twin Viking water under Europa’s
spacecrafts ice
reached Mars in §Liquid water may mean
1976 and tested there is also life
the Martian air
and soil for signs
of life
 Review
§ What conditions does life on Earth need to
survive?


§ Why do astronomers think there could be life on

Europa?


§ How did the Viking missions search for life on

Mars?


§ Could there be life as we know it on a planet

closer to the sun than Earth?
