wellwisher
Well-Known Member
Ammonia is a good degreaser and therefore will not induce the same level of phase separation with organics, as does water. Ammonia will form stable emulsions with organics and will have no need to evolve further via the second law. Water separates out much more efficiently.
Another problem with ammonia, is ammonia is an energy rich molecule, meaning it can be burned or metabolized to form water and NOx. Any potential life, evolving with ammonia, would eventually use its ammonia solvent as an energy rich food source and spontaneously combust. Water has better chemical stability, against self metabolism. Water is an energy floor and does not change.
Life in other solvents is science mythology. Nobody has yet to make life in water, even though we know so many of the details of water based life. Life in other solvents is total mythology since we know little of what is expected and what is needed for any solvent since there are not examples to study. DNA in ammonia is not functional, so we would need to develop a new type of genetic material, which is never included in this mythology. It assumes casino science can win that jackpot.
Another problem with ammonia, is ammonia is an energy rich molecule, meaning it can be burned or metabolized to form water and NOx. Any potential life, evolving with ammonia, would eventually use its ammonia solvent as an energy rich food source and spontaneously combust. Water has better chemical stability, against self metabolism. Water is an energy floor and does not change.
Life in other solvents is science mythology. Nobody has yet to make life in water, even though we know so many of the details of water based life. Life in other solvents is total mythology since we know little of what is expected and what is needed for any solvent since there are not examples to study. DNA in ammonia is not functional, so we would need to develop a new type of genetic material, which is never included in this mythology. It assumes casino science can win that jackpot.