Why in the News?
MIT-led research suggests life may not need liquid water; ionic liquids (salts that stay liquid below 100°C) could support life on rocky super-Earths with volcanic activity and little water.
About Ionic Liquids (ILs):
- Overview: Salts in liquid form below 100°C, composed entirely of ions.
- Properties: Non-volatile, non-flammable, thermally stable, and tunable as hydrophobic or hydrophilic.
- Structure: Unlike water (neutral molecules), ILs consist of ions and ion pairs.
- Electrochemical Use: Excellent electrolytes with broad electrochemical windows.
- Applications: Used in synthesis, catalysis, electrochemistry, extraction, biotechnology, and as green alternatives to volatile solvents.
Breakthrough Findings of MIT Study:
- Life Without Water: Experiments showed life could potentially survive using ILs as solvents instead of water.
- Natural Formation: Sulfuric acid mixed with nitrogen compounds can naturally form ILs.
- Exoplanet Link: Such ILs may exist on rocky super-Earths with volcanic activity and thin atmospheres.
- Venus Research Origin: Discovery emerged from studying Venus, where sulfuric acid clouds interact with organic molecules to form ILs.
- Biological Relevance: ILs can provide stable environments for biomolecules, supporting metabolism.
Significance of the Study:
- Habitability Expansion: Broadens habitability definition beyond water-based models.
- Biosignatures: Suggests new chemical markers for exoplanet life detection.
- Venus Missions: Strengthens rationale for Venus’s exploration targeting IL-based chemistry.
- Wider Habitable Zones: Implies more planets could host life than previously thought.
| [UPSC 2015] The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of:
(a) the limits of habitable zone above the surface of the Earth (b) regions inside the Earth where shale gas is available (c) search for the Earth-like planets in outer space* (d) search for meteorites containing precious metals |
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