The Rare Earth hypothesis argues that the emergence of complex, multicellular life, as opposed to simple microbial life, requires an improbable conjunction of astronomical, geological and biological circumstances, and that such conditions are consequently very uncommon across the universe even if simple life itself is not. Proposed by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee in their 2000 book of the same name, it cites factors such as a stable star, a protective large moon, plate tectonics, and a suitably placed giant planet shielding the inner solar system from frequent impacts. The hypothesis stands in direct tension with the more optimistic assumptions often underlying the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and the Drake equation.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated Year Proposed ByPeter Ward and Donald E. Brownlee 1 Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia Foundation
Rare Earth hypothesis (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia, Rare Earth hypothesis, lead section, first sentence
In planetary astronomy and astrobiology, the Rare Earth hypothesis argues that the origin of life and the evolution of biological complexity, such as sexually reproducing, multicellular organisms on Earth, and subsequently human intelligence, required an improbable combination of astrophysical and geological events and circumstances.
Wikipedia, Rare Earth hypothesis, lead section, third sentence
The term "Rare Earth" originates from Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe (2000), a book by Peter Ward, a geologist and paleontologist, and Donald E. Brownlee, an astronomer and astrobiologist, both faculty members at the University of Washington.
In Group: Habitability and the Detection of Life, Lead sentence
In planetary astronomy and astrobiology, the Rare Earth hypothesis argues that the origin of life and the evolution of biological complexity, such as sexually reproducing, multicellular organisms on Earth, and subsequently human intelligence, required an improbable combination of astrophysical and geological events and circumstances.
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