Display Settings:

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination
We are sorry, but NCBI web applications do not support your browser and may not function properly. More information
    Astrobiology. 2002 Fall;2(3):293-304.

    Does the rapid appearance of life on Earth suggest that life is common in the universe?

    Source

    School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Australian Centre for Astrobiology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. charley@bat.phys.unsw.edu.au

    Abstract

    It is sometimes assumed that the rapidity of biogenesis on Earth suggests that life is common in the Universe. Here we critically examine the assumptions inherent in this if-life-evolved-rapidly-life-must-be-common argument. We use the observational constraints on the rapidity of biogenesis on Earth to infer the probability of biogenesis on terrestrial planets with the same unknown probability of biogenesis as the Earth. We find that on such planets, older than approximately 1 Gyr, the probability of biogenesis is > 13% at the 95% confidence level. This quantifies an important term in the Drake Equation but does not necessarily mean that life is common in the Universe.

    Comment in

    PMID:
    12530239
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

      Supplemental Content

      Icon for Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

      Save items

      Recent activity

      Your browsing activity is empty.

      Activity recording is turned off.

      Turn recording back on

      See more...
      Write to the Help Desk