methane leads to inhabited worlds

[varek]

British scientists think analyzing methane from exoplanets might indicate the presence of life there.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/offbeat/here-s-a-new-method-to-sniff-out-aliens-542934?curl=1402999352

 

[sojourner]

cow farts.

 

[scotpens]

You can produce more methane from pig shit.

 

[HIjol]

You kin LIGHT 'em!!!...you can!!!!... Hahahahahahahaha!

 

[rhubarbodendron]

It sounds good at a first glance. But while in our own ecosystem methane is exclusively produced by organisms that needn't necessarily be the case on other planets.
I'm always very sceptical when it comes to applying terran rules to other worlds. It's just like anthropomorphizing other mammals: it may fit or it might not. At any rate it's something a scientist shouldn't do as it's pure speculation.

 

[varek]

It sounds good at a first glance. But while in our own ecosystem methane is exclusively produced by organisms that needn't necessarily be the case on other planets.
I'm always very sceptical when it comes to applying terran rules to other worlds. It's just like anthropomorphizing other mammals: it may fit or it might not. At any rate it's something a scientist shouldn't do as it's pure speculation.

I agree that it would not provide definitive proof of life on that exoplanet. But, it is a good, possible first step toward scanning distant planets for lifesigns.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I agree. But this way we'd limit ourselves to searching for carbon-based lifeforms. If there were other sorts of life we'd overlook them. On the other hand: with the huge number of planets we have to somehow limit our search.