The Possibility of Life Elsewhere in the Universe
Key factors such as water, energy, and nutrients sustain life on earth. For living things to exist in any other part of the universe, such vital elements must be available in profusion. Thus, this paper will discuss the chances of there being life outside earth and the factors that would support it.
Water is a major necessity for living. In liquid form, it plays a crucial role in many biological reactions. It facilitates the transportation of substances between living cells. Energy is also a requirement for life. It accelerates the metabolic responses that make it possible for living things to reproduce. Lastly, nutrients are very essential in the sustainment of human, animal, and plant life. Food cannot produce energy unless it is broken down by nutrients. Human beings, for instance, require vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and fats for their bodies to radiate energy. An environment that is deprived of such elements cannot support human and animal life.
Plants, on the other hand, obtain nutrients from the air through leaves, and from the ground through their roots. Just like animals and other living things, plants utilize nutrients for processes such as growth and reproduction. Additionally, they require certain nutrients for germination and immunity against diseases. Phosphorus is a good example of such elements as it is needed for the germination of plant seeds. Nitrogen creates amino acids which are responsible for the secretion of proteins. When the proteins are formed, they strengthen plant leaves and stems. Accordingly, plant life on a different part of the universe can only be sustained if these nutrients are present.
In conclusion, the possibility of life beyond earth lies wholly on the factors that sustain it. Basic requirements such as water, energy, and nutrients make an environment suitable for living things. Only with these rudiments can life exist anywhere else in the universe.