University of Washington builds lifeless Earth model matching 19 planetary traits
Researchers simulated Earth's development without living organisms. The authors say it can help astronomers test whether an exoplanet's atmosphere needs life to explain it.
Researchers at the University of Washington have created a computer model of an Earth on which life never existed, NEWS.am reports. The study was published in The Planetary Science Journal. The simulation covers five billion years, from the planet's formation about 4.5 billion years ago to a projected state 500 million years from now news.am
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How the lifeless Earth model works
The model accounts for the exchange of chemicals between the core, mantle, crust, surface and atmosphere, but excludes the influence of living organisms. It lets researchers trace how the atmosphere and other shells of the planet would change under geological processes alone. In testing, the simulation correctly reproduced 19 characteristics of the planet, including heat flow through the mantle. The authors say it can now be adapted to study other rocky planets beyond the Solar System.
Why it matters for the search for life
Finding water and a suitable atmosphere does not yet mean that anyone lives on a planet. To draw a better-grounded conclusion, scientists need to know which chemicals can accumulate in an atmosphere through geological processes alone.
On Earth, living organisms continuously release oxygen and methane. These gases react with each other, so their simultaneous presence may indicate continuous replenishment. To interpret such signals reliably, astronomers need to compare observations with models of planets without life.
According to the authors, the model will help check whether the atmospheric composition of a distant world can be explained without organisms. If observations cannot be reconciled with the model, such a planet may be of particular interest for further study. The authors also expect it to help in designing future telescopes intended to search for signs of life on exoplanets.
