Buzz
Helix-shaped plasma crystals, possibly a type of "unusual life," could potentially exist in Saturn's rings. Image courtesy of NASA.The universe is filled with vast clouds of cosmic dust. Previous studies have shown that when plasma is present, this dust can form structures called plasma crystals. A global team of scientists published a paper in the Aug. 14, 2007, issue of the New Journal of Physics, suggesting that these crystals may be far more complex than we initially thought. Their simulations with cosmic dust revealed plasma crystals displaying fundamental life-like traits such as DNA-like formations, self-regulation, reproduction, and evolution.
Before exploring how this works, let's understand plasma. Plasma is the fourth state of matter. It forms when gas is superheated, causing electrons to be stripped from atoms and become free-flowing. This ionized gas, which carries a positive charge, is what makes up plasma. Stars are primarily composed of plasma, which also makes up around 99% of the universe's matter. However, on Earth, plasma is rare compared to solids, liquids, and gases. Plasma is found not only in stars and our sun but also transported by solar winds and magnetic fields, often interacting with dust clouds like those studied by the researchers.
In simulations, plasma crystals occasionally take on the double-helix structure similar to DNA. Image courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.When plasma comes into contact with a dust cloud, dust particles accumulate an electric charge by absorbing electrons from the surrounding plasma. This electron-rich core then attracts positively charged ions, resulting in the formation of plasma crystals. In experiments conducted by scientists aboard the International Space Station and in a zero-gravity environment at a German research facility, the plasma crystals occasionally took on corkscrew shapes or even adopted the double-helix form seen in DNA. These helix-shaped crystals hold an electric charge and demonstrate a self-organizing property, according to the researchers.
Once the crystals assume a helix shape, they can replicate by splitting into two identical helixes, each displaying 'memory marks' on their structures [source: New Journal of Physics]. The diameters of the helixes vary along the formation, and these variations are replicated in other crystals, passing on what could be considered a form of genetic code.
The crystals seem to evolve over time, growing sturdier as weaker formations break down and disappear.
The researchers are keen to determine whether dust clouds in natural environments, like those in Saturn's rings, can also form helixes and display similar behaviors. However, plasma crystals are fragile and challenging to study, requiring a steady flow of plasma to survive, or else they 'die.'
If such crystal structures exist in simulated environments, the researchers suspect that crystal organisms might also be present in the rings of Uranus and Saturn, which consist of tiny ice grains.
These structures resemble DNA-like formations, reproduce, transmit their genetic code, absorb plasma, evolve, and eventually die. But can these entities truly be considered living organisms? We'll explore that question on the next page.
Are plasma crystals considered living beings?
In July 2007, a collective of American scientists, in partnership with the National Research Council, released a report suggesting that researchers look for what they termed weird life on other planets, in space, and even here on Earth. This so-called weird life might be drastically different from the life forms we are familiar with. It could be organisms that don’t rely on water or lack DNA altogether. Some individuals even theorize that such life may have existed on Earth in ancient times and may still be present today. The exact nature of weird life remains uncertain, but its possible existence is prompting scientists to reconsider what alien life might be like and where it could be discovered.
Determining whether plasma crystals fit the definition of weird life remains complex. Many questions about these potential organisms circle back to the ongoing debate over what constitutes life. For instance, life on Earth is typically considered carbon-based and dependent on water. Life forms also engage in fundamental activities such as reproduction, evolution, and metabolism. However, even with these criteria, classification is not always straightforward. David Grier, a physics professor at New York University, remarked to New Scientist that "there is no mathematically rigorous definition of life," making it challenging to label these crystals as "alive" [source: New Scientist Space].
Gregor Morfill, one of the participants in the experiment, mentioned that while the crystals exhibit many characteristics of life, they are still primarily "just a special form of plasma crystal" [source: New Scientist Space]. Another researcher, V.N. Tsytovich, remarked that the clusters possess "all the necessary properties to qualify them as candidates for inorganic living matter" [source:Science Daily]. The team also stated that although they aren't ready to confirm that these structures represent a new form of life, their study contributes to the ongoing conversation about how scientists define life [source: USA Today].
If plasma crystals exist in their simulated state, their life cycle and development occur at a rate at least a hundred thousand times slower than that of Earth's biological organisms. This brings up the question: with their delicate nature and slow progression, could they ever achieve intelligence or sentience?
If these crystals are classified as life, it could imply that such organisms are the most widespread form of life in the universe, considering the abundance of plasma and vast interstellar dust clouds. There is also a theory suggesting that these inorganic life forms might have contributed to the evolution of organic life on Earth.
Silicon-based life forms are another potential variant of extraterrestrial life. These imagined beings are often portrayed in science fiction films, television series, and literature. Like carbon, silicon can form numerous complex compounds, but one of its significant drawbacks is its inherent instability. Additionally, silicon is much rarer than carbon in the known universe.
