"Ian Beardsley"  wrote
>
> Earth and mars are the two terrestrial planets upon which we can set
> foot and are next to one another. Carbon is the basis of life, and
> Oxygen gas its neccesity (for animal life).
>
I won't comment on the astronomy and periodic table.

However this biological snippet isn't really correct. Carbon is the basis of
life and it is difficult to see how any form of life could arise without it.
However oxygen is merely a reagent. Early earth had a reducing atmosphere,
until vast quantities of oxygen were released by the first
photosynethesising bacteria.

As it happens all animals (kingdom Animae) have evolved in an oxidising
atmosphere, and need oxygen to survive. However there are many anaerobic
bacteria that live only in anoxic conditions, and a few that use agents such
as sulphur to live on. The fact that on Earth all multi-celled animals are
oxygen-breathers is just an accident, and we wouldn't necessarily expect to
find the same thing on other planets.
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 9/18/04 4:52:34 PM