In my last post, we started a long dive into the possible nature of existence in space, just anywhere but earth. To keep up, you might want to check out the first episode of this content Life as you may not know it.
One may perhaps not help but wonder, what extraterrestrial life would be like. Just like life on earth, life in space would possibly range from simple one-celled organisms, like the bacteria, to complex multicellular organisms that could be sentient and highly intelligent beings, living in simple colonies with or without organised social hierarchy. Could you imagine life with more organised systems and society and possible civilizations that would make our civilization, 10 years from now, seem like the "industrial age" again? - just saying. The strange thing is, we might never see them.
Reasons why we might not see them
We understand that frequency, wavelength and energy content, play huge roles in the nature of matter. If we have a quick picture of what a spectrum of matter would look like, it is very obvious that macromolecules would appear first on the band, with the lowest frequency, that would mean a long wavelength and lesser energy content, then the low frequency electromagnetic waves and so on. The frequency, being the rate of vibration of the matter, is as a result of the amount of energy contained at the atomic level of that matter.
The forms and amount of energy that living organisms are exposed to naturally on earth, is such that their matter can handle. But there is a threshold energy content or frequency beyond which that matter can not remain intact and as such would lose its integrity - death perhaps. Some of the other planet - the ones we know about - due to closeness to the sun, their atmospheric or core composition, radiate high-energy of higher frequencies and in amounts far greater than experienced on earth. Not to mention the compounds in their atmospheres that would require utility and recycling, just like ours on earth - Nature is intelligent, don't you think? Just like I mentioned in my previous post
Biologically, the systemic and anatomical development of a primal organism would greatly depend on its environment. The organism develops in such a way that it is best adapted to its environment...
If the natives of the earth planet are well developed to live on it, so would natives of these other planets, yes? I think I've discussed too long, the macro-posssibility of the existence of extraterrestrial life. Let's take a mild dive into the unseen; the microcosm.
Quantum Biology: the probable reason
Let's take it, a bit at a time, would we? Quantum mechanics would refer to aspects of physics concerned with the nature of matter at its most basic level, which would be the atomic and subatomic levels, mhmm? In fact according to an article:
Quantum mechanics...including quantum field theory, is a fundamental theory in physics which describes nature at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles. - Wikipedia
So you've probably heard a lot about Quantum mechanics, Quantum physics or the Quantum theory but then you're probably wondering to yourself; What is Quantum Biology?
Organisms' cascades of interactions with their external environment, which appear simple, or the seemingly complex cascade of reactions with their internal environment at the cellular level, all have a Quantum basis; owing to the constant changes in energy levels as these complex interactions are carried out - although it's not so clear how that happens.
I would simply say quantum biology is the quantum mechanics in biological subjects. That might not totally explain it to near perfection, so try this:
Quantum biology refers to applications of quantum mechanics and theoretical chemistry to biological objects and problems. Many biological processes involve the conversion of energy into forms that are usable for chemical transformations, and are quantum mechanical in nature. Such processes involve chemical reactions, light absorption, formation of excited electronic states, transfer of excitation energy, and the transfer of electrons and protons (hydrogen ions) in chemical processes, such as photosynthesis, olfaction and cellular respiration- Quantum biology
Though not sure how, but I feel this plays a role as well in the nature of genetic materials and how inheritable traits are transferred from a primal organism to its progeny.
From the understanding of quantum mechanics or in this case quantum biology, it won't be wrong to say that the nature, form and, source of the seed energy required for changes in energy level, conversion into other energy forms and transfer at the atomic and subatomic level of an organism, is a vital consideration in the total genetic, structural, physiological, and biochemical makeup of a primal organism, which is subsequently transferred as inheritable traits to its progeny. For earth this form of seed energy would be the solar energy from the sun, which we get mostly its UV rays and visible light. Planets closer to the sun might get more of its gamma rays and those farther - not getting so much UV rays or Visible light - might have a high-energy radiation composition. This would suggest a biological system that would be able to handle the higher energy levels and ultimately, energy transformation and transfer, to keep a stable ecosystem.
Since the subatomic nature of organism would be responsible for the nature of the organism. An organism with a system that can absorb and use high-energy radiations may have physical states far from what we conceive as a property of life, which might even include organisms exhibiting the wave - particle duality.
Wave-particle duality is the concept in quantum mechanics that every particle or quantum entity may be partly described in terms not only of particles, but also of waves. - Wave-particle duality
Considering the human eyes are not designed to perceive high-energy radiations we might not be able to perceive such organisms by sight.
And deriving from quantum mechanics of energy transfer and reaction rates, high energy absorption at the subatomic levels will cause increased changes in energy levels leading to excitation and vibrations at the atomic level. High frequencies at atomic levels for a system designed to withstand it, would mean short wavelengths, which would in turn suggest not just invisibility but also a possible change in phase (I do not mean liquid or gas).
A word from me
What if they've found us first? It's very easy to discredit the idea of possible extraterrestrial existence, and as such all these might not mean so much, but next time you are thinking about life, you might want to consider the fact that life "within" the earth might not be the direct model of life, "without". Just remember this, the next time that quantum detector glows and beeps!
Thank you so much for stopping by again, dear esteemed reader!
Until next time, cheers!
REFERENCES
Quantum mechanics from Wikipedia.org
Quantum biology from Wikipedia.org
Wave-particle duality from Wikipedia.org
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