It is conceptually ridiculous to think that the maintenance for life is a requirement/modus operandi for the Earth. It isn't.
Mars is evidence enough for the road not taken.
The Great Oxygenation Event was devastating to existing life back then -- in fact, it would seem to certainly be the end of the world for a great many anaerobes.
The Earth, like any other celestial object, simply is.
In addition, the timescale for the deep ocean to respond to atmospheric forcing is on the order from decades to millennia -- we don't understand why the time scale is so loose, only that we can predict certain events due to knowledge of the thermocline and rough saline distribution.
Abiogenesis and panspermia (what I can think of off the top of my head) would most likely be responsible for life forming under a set of initial conditions -- whether life adapts "fast" enough is left purely to the success and failure of any set grouping of life forms. Past that, there is little to state about a planet and it's ability to "support life". Recent papers by Dr. Christopher McKay et al have indicated that the possibility for life existing on Mars during certain timeframes is quite real -- yet no one would argue seriously that Mars is hospitable to "life as we know it" (perhaps though for life as we don't know it
)
In short, life does have a noticeable effect on this planet. However, it doesn't maintain any form of homeostasis by intention.
The Great Oxygenation Event is a wonderful example of such.
Mars is evidence enough for the road not taken.
The Great Oxygenation Event was devastating to existing life back then -- in fact, it would seem to certainly be the end of the world for a great many anaerobes.
The Earth, like any other celestial object, simply is.
In addition, the timescale for the deep ocean to respond to atmospheric forcing is on the order from decades to millennia -- we don't understand why the time scale is so loose, only that we can predict certain events due to knowledge of the thermocline and rough saline distribution.
Abiogenesis and panspermia (what I can think of off the top of my head) would most likely be responsible for life forming under a set of initial conditions -- whether life adapts "fast" enough is left purely to the success and failure of any set grouping of life forms. Past that, there is little to state about a planet and it's ability to "support life". Recent papers by Dr. Christopher McKay et al have indicated that the possibility for life existing on Mars during certain timeframes is quite real -- yet no one would argue seriously that Mars is hospitable to "life as we know it" (perhaps though for life as we don't know it
)In short, life does have a noticeable effect on this planet. However, it doesn't maintain any form of homeostasis by intention.
The Great Oxygenation Event is a wonderful example of such.
