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Under the right circumstances, methane can play a key role in prebiotic chemistry - the chemical reactions considered necessary to form life as we know it.
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I'm glad they added this reality check:
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Tinetti is however quick to rule out any biological origin of the methane found on HD 189733b. "The planet's atmosphere is far too hot for even the hardiest life to survive - at least the kind of life we know from Earth. It's highly unlikely that cows could survive here!"
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As an aside, the book, "The Privileged Planet" by Gonzalez and Richards, (ISBN 978-0-89526-9) is a facinating read and discusses how unique and rare the Earth is for harboring life in the Universe.