Very fascinating. Batteries in the depths of the oceans are incredible. I love how you extrapolate it to life on other planets or icy moons. Theory seems entirely plausible, though I know nothing of the real science behind it… But, I like your thinking!
As constructive criticism: as much as I love reading your writing (I do!), it's very refreshing to see a post that doesn't re-explain every concept you've ever posted about before getting down to business. This post was perfect in that regard. More of that please!
I look forward to the next one. Have a great time camping.
Ross, this is incredibly helpful feedback! Yes, I have a terrible habit of explaining the entire theory from scratch every time. I think it's partly because, in the early days, the growth trajectory here was quite steep, and I was intensely aware that most of my readers hadn't read any of the earliest posts, where I laid out the basics of the theory. So I would explain it all over again at the start of a post, so they could follow what followed... And then next month ANOTHER few hundred people would subscribe, having missed that explanation, and so I'd feel obliged to do the same thing again in the next post... But that's become silly at this stage.
So, you are right. I shall take your advice, and just get stuck into the new stuff.
I appreciate the philosophical conjecture in the latter half of this post attempting to weave an evolutionary narrative for life. My recent studies have pointed me to similar possibilities with the exploration of cellular life forming with the support of deep sea hydrothermal vents as explained in the video listed below.
However, something always felt missing from that theory, which was the lack of explanation for the electrical energy we see in cellular life. These non-biological batteries could fill the electrical hole in the hydrothermal theory and the hydrothermal vents could solve the lack of oxygen issue needed to create the metallic oxide batteries.
These two theories combined offer a new vantage point that is potentially stronger than either of them are on their own.
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this perspective.
Hope you're enjoying your offline holiday with Solana and Arlo!
Am I projecting a problem into the last para of your optimist’s hat part "... Which is great, but… those liquid water oceans are under a mile or two of solid ice, incredibly far from the sun. Zero sunlight down there. No photosynthesis..."
The "which is great BUT... " seems to me to suggest a problem but I thought your theory was OK with no photosynthesis, with a different support (gravitational/chemical) for life energy?
It would be somehow beautiful if gravitational energy was a proximate support for life, meaning life gets created not only because of resitance to our inevitable destruction (the suns and sunlight which are generated by whatever energy escapes the black-hole collapse process) but also by the very force causing the destruction. Is this a fair interpretation of the theory? Hope I'm not too far off the mark ... it seems incredibly beautiful to me.
Hi Noirin, I’m delighted you see the poetry in what I’m describing.
I suggest the problem, only to then (fingers crossed) solve it. The “but” is there to articulate the understandable objections of those who assume energy from the sun is necessary for life. I don’t think it is; I do believe that the gravitational energy of large gas giants acting on icy moons can provide the energy that keeps oceans liquid, and that helps life into being. A world of life can’t be a closed system, in terms of energy. There has to be a constant supply, and gravity can provide that to a small moon orbiting a large planet in an eccentric orbit.
The remaining problems to solve are largely chemical, and my guess is evolution (at the level of universes) has probably solved them. Certainly, this discovery at the bottom of our own oceans hints strongly at a possible highly evolved and life-friendly chemistry on icy moons that could potentially produce oxygen (and oxygen-using life) without sunlight.
And yes, isn’t it a beautiful vision! Such a simple, powerful system! Gravity destroying and creating in an eternal yin/yang…
Very fascinating. Batteries in the depths of the oceans are incredible. I love how you extrapolate it to life on other planets or icy moons. Theory seems entirely plausible, though I know nothing of the real science behind it… But, I like your thinking!
Thank you, Jacob. I am delighted you find this as interesting as I do.
Hey Julian.
As constructive criticism: as much as I love reading your writing (I do!), it's very refreshing to see a post that doesn't re-explain every concept you've ever posted about before getting down to business. This post was perfect in that regard. More of that please!
I look forward to the next one. Have a great time camping.
Ross, this is incredibly helpful feedback! Yes, I have a terrible habit of explaining the entire theory from scratch every time. I think it's partly because, in the early days, the growth trajectory here was quite steep, and I was intensely aware that most of my readers hadn't read any of the earliest posts, where I laid out the basics of the theory. So I would explain it all over again at the start of a post, so they could follow what followed... And then next month ANOTHER few hundred people would subscribe, having missed that explanation, and so I'd feel obliged to do the same thing again in the next post... But that's become silly at this stage.
So, you are right. I shall take your advice, and just get stuck into the new stuff.
(And yes, we did have a great time camping!)
I appreciate the philosophical conjecture in the latter half of this post attempting to weave an evolutionary narrative for life. My recent studies have pointed me to similar possibilities with the exploration of cellular life forming with the support of deep sea hydrothermal vents as explained in the video listed below.
However, something always felt missing from that theory, which was the lack of explanation for the electrical energy we see in cellular life. These non-biological batteries could fill the electrical hole in the hydrothermal theory and the hydrothermal vents could solve the lack of oxygen issue needed to create the metallic oxide batteries.
These two theories combined offer a new vantage point that is potentially stronger than either of them are on their own.
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this perspective.
The birth of cells at Hydrothermal Vents: https://youtu.be/GtvKK3RR7as?si=n7Ph-1JVvstv3VaO
Hi Julian,
Hope you're enjoying your offline holiday with Solana and Arlo!
Am I projecting a problem into the last para of your optimist’s hat part "... Which is great, but… those liquid water oceans are under a mile or two of solid ice, incredibly far from the sun. Zero sunlight down there. No photosynthesis..."
The "which is great BUT... " seems to me to suggest a problem but I thought your theory was OK with no photosynthesis, with a different support (gravitational/chemical) for life energy?
It would be somehow beautiful if gravitational energy was a proximate support for life, meaning life gets created not only because of resitance to our inevitable destruction (the suns and sunlight which are generated by whatever energy escapes the black-hole collapse process) but also by the very force causing the destruction. Is this a fair interpretation of the theory? Hope I'm not too far off the mark ... it seems incredibly beautiful to me.
Hi Noirin, I’m delighted you see the poetry in what I’m describing.
I suggest the problem, only to then (fingers crossed) solve it. The “but” is there to articulate the understandable objections of those who assume energy from the sun is necessary for life. I don’t think it is; I do believe that the gravitational energy of large gas giants acting on icy moons can provide the energy that keeps oceans liquid, and that helps life into being. A world of life can’t be a closed system, in terms of energy. There has to be a constant supply, and gravity can provide that to a small moon orbiting a large planet in an eccentric orbit.
The remaining problems to solve are largely chemical, and my guess is evolution (at the level of universes) has probably solved them. Certainly, this discovery at the bottom of our own oceans hints strongly at a possible highly evolved and life-friendly chemistry on icy moons that could potentially produce oxygen (and oxygen-using life) without sunlight.
And yes, isn’t it a beautiful vision! Such a simple, powerful system! Gravity destroying and creating in an eternal yin/yang…