Just Finished Reading: Life Everywhere – The Maverick Science of Astrobiology by David Darling (FP: 2001) [182pp] 

This interesting slim volume was written in response to my previous book on the subject [Rare Earth – Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe by Peter D Ward and Donald Brownlee] reviewed back in March last year and was, essentially a refutation of its conclusions and many of its underlying assumptions of the so-called special or unique nature of planet Earth where life is concerned. Contrary to the ideas in ‘Rare Earth’ the author here contends that life is common throughout the galaxy and that increased complexity is almost certain based on what we know about life on Earth. Of course, since we’re working with a single example here, extrapolation is difficult but not impossible. Even 20 years ago when this book was published, we had a pretty fair understanding about when and how life emerged on this planet. One thing that really stuck out was that it was QUICK. As far as we can tell the moment life could begin it did. That alone suggests that the start of life is comparatively easy given a reasonable set of starting conditions. What’s more, now we know about the number and range of extremophiles living quite happily in environments thought to be hostile to life, those conditions seem to be a lot wider and less benign than we first thought.  

So, we can say with a fair degree of confidence that, where a wide range of conditions allow, life will emerge quickly. Once life has emerged it will grow, expand and evolve. Part of that evolutionary process is to adapt to the local conditions and also quite naturally slowly increase in complexity. Earth in this sense cannot be unique. Contentions that for life to exist or evolve a planet needs a large moon or any other obviously Earth specific attribute is nothing more than special pleading and yet another defensive redoubt to protect the supposedly special place of Earth or (by extension) humanity in the grand scheme of things. With what we know of the Universe this simply won’t stand. 

The author contends (and I agree with him) that the prospect for the longed-for existence of life on Mars is possible – if only just. Life may have emerged independently there (indeed it's possible that life on Earth may have been at least partially seeded from Mars) in its warm wet period and then either become extinct or moved underground. We’ve found some tantilising hints so far but nothing definite at least yet! Much more likely (and I agree again) is the possibility of life under the ice on several of Jupiter’s moons. Knowing what we know of the ‘black smokers’ on our own seabed I think it’s entirely likely that not only bacteria exist in those oceans, but I fully expect our probes to find complex fish. If we do find life – proven as far as possible to have evolved independently of Earth – on any other body in this Solar System, it would indeed indicate that life is everywhere. I do hope so! 

Overall, despite its age, this was an interesting read and a good introduction to the ideas behind Astrobiology and the search for life elsewhere. If the topic intrigues you I can definitely think of worse places to start reading about it. Recommended. More current reading on this topic to come.    

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