11-30-2022, 12:34 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: ABQ, New Mexico
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500 Million years is pretty much the limit for sea creatures - or is it? How about 2 BILLION years old.
As far as we know, life did not evolve in the shallow coastal seas. It started in the deep, black part of the oceans. Specifically in Hydrothermal vents like these Giant Tube Worms.
No sunlight so no photosynthesis. But - plenty of hydrocarbons which is required by all living things on Earth. For this reason, there is a push to go to Enceladus, one of the moons of Saturn. Because this moon has an ocean under it's ice and it isn't the only moon like this in our solar system. The thought is to look for Hydrothermal vents below the ice - where life would most likely be found. Unfortunately they haven't figured out how to get past the miles of the surface to reach in inner locked oceans. Maybe some day.
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