Does life improve habitability? (Introduction)

by BBella , Tuesday, May 03, 2016, 20:47 (3128 days ago) @ David Turell

A very interesting question, because he author points out necessary cycles on Earth that require life to take part:
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> http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/which-came-first-on-earth-habitability-or-lif... 
> "Some wonder if previously overlooked mechanisms—including life itself—could broaden the habitable zone well beyond its current definition. Colin Goldblatt, a planetary scientist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, even argues that life's ability to alter a planet's climate poses a new paradox: A planet's habitability could depend on whether life has already made itself at home there, a situation that would place habitability and life in a baffling chicken-or-egg scenario.-> Comment: A fascinating point. The books describing the Earth as special, point out all the necessary cycles and controls, but don't make this relationship which seems obvious, although I hadn't thought of it. It comes across like the interrelationship of factors that describe the Anthropic Principal, chicken/egg, we're here because we're here.-Very fascinating as well as mind expanding! Definitely a integral gold leaf dropped from the tree of life. Thank you, David and Colin!