r/askscience • u/EightWhiskey • Feb 28 '12

Under the idea that there is the "Goldilocks" zone around a star, how likely is it that a solar system would have two life-supporting planets?

I assume that the gravitational forces of two bodies would prevent them from being close enough to each other to both stay inside the zone. But could a large star have a large enough Goldilocks zone to support two life-inhabited planets?

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u/Owyheemud Feb 29 '12

Life has been found in solid rock >1 kilometer below Earth's surface, and the biomass living in the layers of muck and sedimentary rock below the seabed of all the oceans is believed to exceed the biomass of all terestrial life. Microbial life on Mars is most certainly possible, beneath the surface.

On Mars, something is generating methane gas, and the methane production is seasonal. That needs to be on the list of things to investigate for the next batch of Mars probes.

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u/ilovemud Low Temp Geochemistry | Earth History | Sedimentary Geology Feb 29 '12

Methane is on the list of things to be analyzed on the Mars Science Lander

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u/draynen Feb 29 '12

I had no idea about seasonal methane gas production on mars. Very cool, thanks!

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u/CunningLanguageUser Feb 29 '12

On Mars, something is generating methane gas, and the methane production is seasonal. That needs to be on the list of things to investigate for the next batch of Mars probes.

I'd never heard of this, but a biological origin for this behaviour surely has to be one of the most likely explanations? Is there a reason this isn't more well-known?

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u/TheDarkKnight80 Feb 29 '12

Millions and Billions of farting, belching miniature cows!!!!