a dumb theoretical situation

i am karjala takaisin · December 09, 2014, 02:27:25 PM

i don't know how evolution works

so lets say someone is on a young, earth-like planet with a breathable atmosphere and liquid water and moderate temperatures, but no life

and this person gets a cut, and a few drops of blood fall into a pool of water

what i'm wondering is would new life arise from the blood, and more specifically, would lifeforms almost identical to humans eventually evolve since the planet is pretty much exactly like earth and the blood contained human dna

BrenMan 94 · December 09, 2014, 02:40:23 PM

Ushan · December 09, 2014, 02:43:59 PM

I don't think human blood cells can survive outside the human body under normal conditions. You'd more likely get life on the planet started by whatever bacteria or other microorganisms he has piggybacking on him that happen to jump off on the planet.

The Lord Slide Rule · December 09, 2014, 03:09:07 PM

Bren and Ushan are probably correct. I'm not much use in biology but i don't think blood cells can survive for long outside the complex system they've been specialized to be integral too, unless preserved

i am karjala takaisin · December 09, 2014, 04:43:22 PM

Quote from: SexyPiranha on December 09, 2014, 03:09:07 PM

Bren and Ushan are probably correct. I'm not much use in biology but i don't think blood cells can survive for long outside the complex system they've been specialized to be integral too, unless preserved

well even if the cells died, wouldn't the organic compounds that are necessary to life still stick around

Ushan · December 09, 2014, 04:51:01 PM

Quote from: m8 u just got emBURNED on December 09, 2014, 04:43:22 PM

Quote from: SexyPiranha on December 09, 2014, 03:09:07 PM
Bren and Ushan are probably correct. I'm not much use in biology but i don't think blood cells can survive for long outside the complex system they've been specialized to be integral too, unless preserved
well even if the cells died, wouldn't the organic compounds that are necessary to life still stick around

The compounds necessary for life would likely be around any ways,even if you hadn't spilled blood on the planet.

Word Wizard · December 09, 2014, 07:37:06 PM

This is more about abiogenesis than evolution. I'd say no, life wouldn't come from it. It's a little more complex than that. Just think how life has never sprouted from grave yards or old warzones where mass casualities happened.

BaconShelf · December 10, 2014, 04:48:35 PM

The bacteria would be there and could grow by itself. However, the bacteria we have on our bodies is of course evolved from even more primitive bacteria millions of years ago. It would be unlikely.

Mr. Psychologist · December 10, 2014, 05:03:55 PM

Hmm, I wouldn't write off the possibility of the DNA introduced to the pool being in some way connected to the genesis of life on that planet.

A similar theory about Comets/asteroids and dna/bacteria being brought to other planets (Panspermia IIRC) exists >.>

However, the chances of life evolving to mimic humans would be slim to none. Since the unique pressures of life on that other planet would likely give rise to a fundamentally different ecosystem, even if it was in the goldilocks zone.
So there might be some similarities, but when evolution takes over from biogenesis/abiogenesis things run a more unpredictable path <.<

That is, unless life tends to follow a template through some undiscovered universal laws >_>
But we'd have to find another terran style world with a fully developed ecosystem and life to be able to start drawing conclusions like that >.>

The Lord Slide Rule · December 10, 2014, 05:17:45 PM

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:03:55 PM

Hmm, I wouldn't write off the possibility of the DNA introduced to the pool being in some way connected to the genesis of life on that planet.

A similar theory about Comets/asteroids and dna/bacteria being brought to other planets (Panspermia IIRC) exists >.>

However, the chances of life evolving to mimic humans would be slim to none. Since the unique pressures of life on that other planet would likely give rise to a fundamentally different ecosystem, even if it was in the goldilocks zone.
So there might be some similarities, but when evolution takes over from biogenesis/abiogenesis things run a more unpredictable path <.<

That is, unless life tends to follow a template through some undiscovered universal laws >_>
But we'd have to find another terran style world with a fully developed ecosystem and life to be able to start drawing conclusions like that >.>

I wouldn't be very surprised if life was constrained in certain ways if due to nothing other than physics. One could imagine physical bottlenecks instead of genetic ones we're familiar with. Perhaps convergent evolution on a larger scale.

Mr. Psychologist · December 10, 2014, 05:23:59 PM

Quote from: SexyPiranha on December 10, 2014, 05:17:45 PM

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:03:55 PM
Hmm, I wouldn't write off the possibility of the DNA introduced to the pool being in some way connected to the genesis of life on that planet.

A similar theory about Comets/asteroids and dna/bacteria being brought to other planets (Panspermia IIRC) exists >.>

However, the chances of life evolving to mimic humans would be slim to none. Since the unique pressures of life on that other planet would likely give rise to a fundamentally different ecosystem, even if it was in the goldilocks zone.
So there might be some similarities, but when evolution takes over from biogenesis/abiogenesis things run a more unpredictable path <.<

That is, unless life tends to follow a template through some undiscovered universal laws >_>
But we'd have to find another terran style world with a fully developed ecosystem and life to be able to start drawing conclusions like that >.>
I wouldn't be very surprised if life was constrained in certain ways if due to nothing other than physics. One could imagine physical bottlenecks instead of genetic ones we're familiar with. Perhaps convergent evolution on a larger scale.

How boring would it be though, if the universe was just stuffed full of bloody humanoids ._______.

The Lord Slide Rule · December 10, 2014, 05:33:47 PM

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:23:59 PM

Quote from: SexyPiranha on December 10, 2014, 05:17:45 PM
Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:03:55 PM
Hmm, I wouldn't write off the possibility of the DNA introduced to the pool being in some way connected to the genesis of life on that planet.

A similar theory about Comets/asteroids and dna/bacteria being brought to other planets (Panspermia IIRC) exists >.>

However, the chances of life evolving to mimic humans would be slim to none. Since the unique pressures of life on that other planet would likely give rise to a fundamentally different ecosystem, even if it was in the goldilocks zone.
So there might be some similarities, but when evolution takes over from biogenesis/abiogenesis things run a more unpredictable path <.<

That is, unless life tends to follow a template through some undiscovered universal laws >_>
But we'd have to find another terran style world with a fully developed ecosystem and life to be able to start drawing conclusions like that >.>
I wouldn't be very surprised if life was constrained in certain ways if due to nothing other than physics. One could imagine physical bottlenecks instead of genetic ones we're familiar with. Perhaps convergent evolution on a larger scale.
How boring would it be though, if the universe was just stuffed full of bloody humanoids ._______.

I don't think it would be quite that constrained but a species of intelligent tool users would need to have developed certain similarities to humans. Grasping limbs, whether that be arms with hands or tentacles, the ability to estimate ballistic trajectories which we probably developed when our ancestors lived in trees, etc.

I'm no biologist of course but it makes sense to me.

I have my own reservations about other intelligent life, at least any where near us.

Ushan · December 10, 2014, 05:36:09 PM

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:23:59 PM

Quote from: SexyPiranha on December 10, 2014, 05:17:45 PM
Quote from: Mr Psychologist on December 10, 2014, 05:03:55 PM
Hmm, I wouldn't write off the possibility of the DNA introduced to the pool being in some way connected to the genesis of life on that planet.

A similar theory about Comets/asteroids and dna/bacteria being brought to other planets (Panspermia IIRC) exists >.>

However, the chances of life evolving to mimic humans would be slim to none. Since the unique pressures of life on that other planet would likely give rise to a fundamentally different ecosystem, even if it was in the goldilocks zone.
So there might be some similarities, but when evolution takes over from biogenesis/abiogenesis things run a more unpredictable path <.<

That is, unless life tends to follow a template through some undiscovered universal laws >_>
But we'd have to find another terran style world with a fully developed ecosystem and life to be able to start drawing conclusions like that >.>
I wouldn't be very surprised if life was constrained in certain ways if due to nothing other than physics. One could imagine physical bottlenecks instead of genetic ones we're familiar with. Perhaps convergent evolution on a larger scale.
How boring would it be though, if the universe was just stuffed full of bloody humanoids ._______.

Eh, I bet we could find some way to pass the time.