Privileged Planet: plate tectonics explained (Introduction)

by dhw, Saturday, June 09, 2018, 11:05 (2149 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: A very long thorough article on how important it is to start and maintain life:

https://www.quantamagazine.org/plate-tectonics-may-be-essential-for-life-20180607/

QUOTE: "But there’s more to plate tectonics than earthquakes and eruptions. A wave of new research is increasingly hinting that Earth’s external motions may be vital to its other defining feature: life. That Earth has a moving, morphing outer crust may be the main reason why Earth is so vibrant, and why no other planet can match its abundance.
“'Understanding plate tectonics is a major key to understanding our own planet and its habitability. How do you make a habitable planet, and then sustain life on it for billions of years?” said Katharine Huntington, a geologist at the University of Washington. “Plate tectonics is what modulates our atmosphere at the longest timescales. You need that to be able to keep water here, to keep it warm, to keep life chugging along.”

DAVID’s comment: Huge article worth reading all. Earth looks especially designed for life.

Once again, I can only thank you for this very illuminating article and for editing it to manageable proportions.