4 ms·

The abstract of the actual paper only claims: > Unless biologically available compounds can be sourced from Titan's interior, or be delivered from the surface

The abstract of the actual paper only claims: > Unless biologically available compounds can be sourced from Titan's interior, or be delivered from the surface by other mechanisms, our calculations suggest that even the most organic-rich ocean world in the Solar System may not be able to support a large biosphere. Which is much less sensationalist, to put it politely.

arp242 3y ago
Which is just a different way of saying "uninhabitable". The middle of the Sahara is uninhabitable. Unless you introduce sufficient water and plants that is.
- andrewflnr 3y ago
  It is not "just a different way". There's no reason to assume impact melting from the surface is the only source of carbon in Titan's ocean. The authors of the study seem clear on this. I don't know why you feel the need to stand up for phys.org on this, or why you think the Sahara is relevant.
- lucb1e 3y ago
  Except, if I understand them correctly: they don't know what the Sahara's core is made of and might supply for life, to keep the analogy Not that that makes it likely to be hospitable. I'm only surprised by the headline because I wouldn't have thought anyone had expected anything different, so a headline like "as uninhabitable as you might figure" would have made more sense, but nevertheless this doesn't rule it out to about the same extent as it wasn't deemed unlikely already in my perception (as a follower of space news)
- BirAdam 3y ago
  Well… the Sahara has life though. It isn’t abundant, but it’s certainly there.
  - andrewflnr 3y ago
    Indeed, there's quite a gulf between not having "a large biosphere" and having no biosphere at all.
- elihu 3y ago
  The Sahara is kind of a funny example because it actually holds enormous quantities of water over on the eastern side, left over from the last time that whole area was a jungle. Libya gets most of its water from that aquifer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubian_Sandstone_Aquifer_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubian_Sandstone_Aquifer_Syste... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOW6kLEckg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOW6kLEckg

arp242 3y ago

Which is just a different way of saying "uninhabitable". The middle of the Sahara is uninhabitable. Unless you introduce sufficient water and plants that is.

andrewflnr 3y ago
It is not "just a different way". There's no reason to assume impact melting from the surface is the only source of carbon in Titan's ocean. The authors of the study seem clear on this. I don't know why you feel the need to stand up for phys.org on this, or why you think the Sahara is relevant.
lucb1e 3y ago
Except, if I understand them correctly: they don't know what the Sahara's core is made of and might supply for life, to keep the analogy Not that that makes it likely to be hospitable. I'm only surprised by the headline because I wouldn't have thought anyone had expected anything different, so a headline like "as uninhabitable as you might figure" would have made more sense, but nevertheless this doesn't rule it out to about the same extent as it wasn't deemed unlikely already in my perception (as a follower of space news)
BirAdam 3y ago
Well… the Sahara has life though. It isn’t abundant, but it’s certainly there.
- andrewflnr 3y ago
  Indeed, there's quite a gulf between not having "a large biosphere" and having no biosphere at all.
elihu 3y ago
The Sahara is kind of a funny example because it actually holds enormous quantities of water over on the eastern side, left over from the last time that whole area was a jungle. Libya gets most of its water from that aquifer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubian_Sandstone_Aquifer_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubian_Sandstone_Aquifer_Syste... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOW6kLEckg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOW6kLEckg