618
17 Life in the Universe
Self-stabilizing life systems not only evolve themselves, but can cause longterm and advantageous changes in their own environment. Such life systems are
an example of ‘Complex Adaptive Systems’, which includes climatic dynamics,
economic systems, and computer networks.
In another hundred thousand years, we can hope that humankind has colonized
Mars and the suitable moons of the Jovian planets, and perhaps planets orbiting
nearby stars. It is also conceivable that we will have engineered our worlds,
including moving mother Earth to a larger orbit. For example, this might be done by
carefully directing Kuiper-belt bodies toward Earth-tugging orbits.
Problems
17.1 Hydrogen bond breaking releases from about 2 to 150 kJ/mole. How does this
energy per mole compare with k B T per molecule at body temperature? Why is this
comparison significant?
17.2 Suggest further strategies for controlling the global temperature.
17.3 Make a list of all those factors you can think of that might affect the percent
oxygen content of the Earth’s atmosphere in any particular epoch.
17.4 Describe how a given life system in a given ecology might become ‘too
optimized’ (‘too specialized’).
17 Life in the Universe
Self-stabilizing life systems not only evolve themselves, but can cause longterm and advantageous changes in their own environment. Such life systems are
an example of ‘Complex Adaptive Systems’, which includes climatic dynamics,
economic systems, and computer networks.
In another hundred thousand years, we can hope that humankind has colonized
Mars and the suitable moons of the Jovian planets, and perhaps planets orbiting
nearby stars. It is also conceivable that we will have engineered our worlds,
including moving mother Earth to a larger orbit. For example, this might be done by
carefully directing Kuiper-belt bodies toward Earth-tugging orbits.
Problems
17.1 Hydrogen bond breaking releases from about 2 to 150 kJ/mole. How does this
energy per mole compare with k B T per molecule at body temperature? Why is this
comparison significant?
17.2 Suggest further strategies for controlling the global temperature.
17.3 Make a list of all those factors you can think of that might affect the percent
oxygen content of the Earth’s atmosphere in any particular epoch.
17.4 Describe how a given life system in a given ecology might become ‘too
optimized’ (‘too specialized’).