Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur cover image

Ammonia-Based Lifeforms

Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur

00:00

Ammonia as an Alternative to Water

Most icy bodies we refer to are made of a mix of water ice, but also methane and ammonia. Oxygen is typically the most abundant element on any planet or planetoid. It's not cold enough or massive enough to hold onto hydrogen and helium against forces that strip lighter elements off the planets. Ammonia has a vastly superior solvent to frozen water, so on colder worlds it's a button enough to take over that role.

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