Tropical Planet Possible?

[Coombs]

CO2 in terms of its effect on lifeforms or on the atmosphere? Sorry, I'm used to looking at this on a micro level, not macro

Should be both. Liquid CO2 means no photosynthesis. Also would mean a toxic atmosphere would exist given the compounds that would still be gas at that pressure.

[Inexorability]

I would think it would eventually boil.. oil has a high heat capacity, but definitely not unlimited, especially if you don't have a way for the heat to escape

Well, I didn't say the planet would be insulated; the planet would still shed heat like Earth does (and I don't think our oceans are coming to a boil).

Water is just able to hold heat better than the atmosphere, so it's better able to transport that heat via currents and release it at cooler latitudes where its needed more (for making a tropical planet, at least). The Gulf Stream and other currents do the same thing here on Earth, so the only difference my big ocean and currents make is spreading the tropical temperatures more evenly over the globe (so we don't have to burn the equator to get warm temperatures near the poles).

[Kasierith]

Should be both. Liquid CO2 means no photosynthesis. Also would mean a toxic atmosphere would exist given the compounds that would still be gas at that pressure.

Photosynthesis is a very specific process, though. The first forms of life didn't even use photosynthesis.... it was developed after the fact. So if you have situations where it would not work, I wouldn't be surprised if a new life form style, possibly not even carbon based, would develop.

[Rendia]

Pluto is entirely arctic, as are Titan, Triton, Io, etc. (even thoug they are moons and Pluto ain't considered a planet).

As for entirely tropical - it is highly unlikely, because its star's heat wouldn't disperse equally at all latitudes.
Entire planets can only be either frozen (like Pluto and the like) or overheated (like Venus, due to peculiar atmosphere). Any planets with milder climate than "frozen" or "overheated" would have different climates on different latitudes.

If the planet were small enough, so that it didn't have the range and size to have polar caps, perhaps it could be entirely "Tropical".

[Tanoran]

Yes. The universe is big enough that pretty much everything that can and will happen is probably happening somewhere right now. If time is also never ending, it's also a 100% certainty that anything that can happen within the laws of physics will occur an infinite amount of times.

Basically this. There is a planet made entirely of diamond, I'm sure there's an Endor out there somewhere.

reuters(dot)com/article/2011/08/25/us-planet-diamond-idUSTRE77O69A20110825

[Rendia]

Photosynthesis is a very specific process, though. The first forms of life didn't even use photosynthesis.... it was developed after the fact. So if you have situations where it would not work, I wouldn't be surprised if a new life form style, possibly not even carbon based, would develop.

The thing that gets me is, it seems that most scientists are obsessed with the fact that life on other planets (exoplanets) must be carbon based. It could be entirely possible to have life be silicon based, for example, instead of carbon. The possibilities are completely limitless, so IDK why there is so much put forth that other life MUST be carbon based.

[Kasierith]

The thing that gets me is, it seems that most scientists are obsessed with the fact that life on other planets (exoplanets) must be carbon based. It could be entirely possible to have life be silicon based, for example, instead of carbon. The possibilities are completely limitless, so IDK why there is so much put forth that other life MUST be carbon based.

Because carbon chains so, so, so very well. It can form long, complicated strands like very few other elements can. It is also very simple and abundant. So while other things can be the basis for life... I doubt they can get as large as things like, the dinosaurs, or be capable of such complicated physiological processes as humans. But its so theoretical I doubt anyone would be able to encapsulate transferring biological functions as we know it into a silicon based system

[Bladeface]

depends how you define this. if all of the land mass was on the same side of the planet and the planet spun in a way that the landmass was always facing the sun then yes.

[Rendia]

Because carbon chains so, so, so very well. It can form long, complicated strands like very few other elements can. It is also very simple and abundant. So while other things can be the basis for life... I doubt they can get as large as things like, the dinosaurs, or be capable of such complicated physiological processes as humans. But its so theoretical I doubt anyone would be able to encapsulate transferring biological functions as we know it into a silicon based system

I said life, not complex life

[Kasierith]

I said life, not complex life

I know but its a general belief that if we searched hard enough, we could even find a few traces of life on Mars in the form of extremophiles. We've even made life from unlife in labs. People are mostly interested in looking at things that aren't at the bare basics; its more interesting to look at a large, complex piece of art than the tray with the paint on it; its still paint, but in its most basic and simple form

[Rendia]

I know but its a general belief that if we searched hard enough, we could even find a few traces of life on Mars in the form of extremophiles. We've even made life from unlife in labs. People are mostly interested in looking at things that aren't at the bare basics; its more interesting to look at a large, complex piece of art than the tray with the paint on it; its still paint, but in its most basic and simple form

Of course. However it could be entirely possible that something like silicon could be used in place of carbon, and some other gas other than Oxygen could be in place, like Hydrogen or Argon. I still think we are too hell-bent on Carbon/Oxygen/H2O as the only model for life.

[Kasierith]

Of course. However it could be entirely possible that something like silicon could be used in place of carbon, and some other gas other than Oxygen could be in place, like Hydrogen or Argon. I still think we are too hell-bent on Carbon/Oxygen/H2O as the only model for life.

I know what you're saying... but having looked at both organic chemistry and biochemistry, I find it hard to imagine that silicon can reach the same potential as carbon can. And H2O is seen as the basis for life for a number of reasons... its polar characteristics, high heat and conductance capacity, energy of vaporization.... but there are minds far greater than mine that can grasp concepts far beyond me, so... I suppose its possible

[Rendia]

I know what you're saying... but having looked at both organic chemistry and biochemistry, I find it hard to imagine that silicon can reach the same potential as carbon can. And H2O is seen as the basis for life for a number of reasons... its polar characteristics, high heat and conductance capacity, energy of vaporization.... but there are minds far greater than mine that can grasp concepts far beyond me, so... I suppose its possible

Oh, sure, there are plenty of people out there with higher-brows than mine that think this shit up day in and day out for a living. I'm just saying these kinds of things have crossed my mind from time to time. I haven't done any chemistry in about 12 or 13 years, and that was only at the high school level.

[Cptmyname]

I'm no.... cosmologist(?), but I'm pretty sure a single biome planet that could support life would be extremely unlikely.

[RulesTheDead]

As example Venus is now a hellish hothouse; it is even hotter then Mercury wich is much closer to the sun. This because the greenhouse gasses Venus' vulcanoes spew out are heating it up to temperatures above 460 degree C, where Mercury hasn't got any atmosphere for any heat to be trapped in.

Venus has a runaway greenhouse effect, yes. So it's MUCH hotter than Mercury. (Last I read, Venus' surface temp is over 900 degrees K! And, since the greenhouse effect is runaway, its always getting hotter!)

Not ONLY is Venus SOOOOOOOOO much hotter than Mercury, but did you know that the dark side of Mercury (even being so close to to the sun), can get below freezing??? People don''t realize this about Mercury...with NO atmosphere, the heat that DOES land on it's surface escapes REALLLLYYY fast! So, even though it's the closest planet to the sun, it doesn't hold heat that well. Even on it's hottest days, Mercury is no hotter than your standard oven.


This also tells us.....there are more factors involved than a planet being a certian distance from the sun to be habitable. (to be in the habitable zone). Some theoretical exoplanet can be WELLLL out of the habitable zone, yet have the atmospheric conditions (greenhouse effect) to be warm enough to support life as we know it.


In fact, Earth ITSELF is ACTUALLY *out* of what we call the habitable zone!! We just have greenhouse gasses that make the planet warm enough to support life!!


I dont *just* think other planets support life...I think a RIDICULOUS amount of planets do.

[Tomana]

i'm dumb when it comes to this so bear with me...

What temperature runs in the planet within the Glacial Age?

6 to 9 °C (average planetary) lower than during our time (taking 1950 as reference). Enough to have huge ice sheets over north and south polar zones and a sea level drop of more than 100 meters. It also causes desertification because of all the water locked up in the ice sheets.

Also - Where can we find absolute zero temperatures in our universe?

Nowhere, it is an ideal state that cannot be reached in practice. Although through magnetic cooling, we can obtain temperatures of only a few milli-kelvins above.

[Rotted]

So there has to be an entire artic planet as well?

Course, just plants that aren't close enough to a sun would be iceballs essentially, so you could call these artic

[saberon]

According to Cracked, there is an Ice planet that is perpetually burning. Soooo.... anything is possible.

[Kalyyn]

According to Cracked, there is an Ice planet that is perpetually burning. Soooo.... anything is possible.

I saw that too. Technically it makes perfect sense when you consider that the planet is several hundred degrees, but the atmospheric pressure is such that the water/nitrogen (whatever they've got) is permanently compressed into ice. Still, seems like the universe is trolling us.

[Primernova]

Not possible, sadly.

To be tropical, you need wind, to have wind you need cold.

Cold sucks.