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hliyan an hour ago

Helium is a noble gas. It forms no bonds and is unable to produce even a simple molecule, let along the complex ones needed for life.

singpolyma3 43 minutes ago | parent [-]

Assuming non terrestrial life needs complex molecules. Which we can't know for sure.

sailingparrot 20 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

Life needs energy to be moving around, without energy exchanges, by very definition, nothing interesting happens.

An inert element, for that reason is just not suitable for life. It's not a reasoning based on anthropocentricity it's just basic chemistry and mathematics. If things can't assemble together, and combine, and form more complex structures, you can't get life. If you could get life out of simple basic atoms, we would see life everywhere, and we would be creating it everyday in labs. We don't.

Doesnt mean life can't exist there by using other elements, but detecting helium is not increasing the likelihood of finding life there at the very least.

andrewflnr 30 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

No, we really can know for sure.

Don't be so open-minded about extra-terrestrial life that your brain falls out.