Would Earth be capable of supporting life...

[LiberalFighter]

if only the sun and moon existed with earth in the universe?

Which planets or stars would need to exist for Earth to exist?

[phantom power]

1. I'll consider two ways of looking at that

1) if you imagined the sun, earth and moon somehow brought into existence all by themselves, then to the best of my knowledge life on earth would exist just fine. Life is powered by the sun. The gravitational influence of any other bodies is very very small. If anything, absence of any other objects might keep the orbit of earth slightly more stable over long periods of time.

2) In reality, all elements heavier than hydrogen or helium were created in the deaths of other stars. So, earth couldn't exist with out those. For that matter, the sun is 3rd generation star. None of this stuff comes into being in a vacuum. Pun intended.

[mike_c]

5. +1

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. I recommend the book "Rare Earth" by Peter Ward. nt

[LiberalFighter]

3. The interview was interesting.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. His premise in the book is that life here is a result of a lot of happy coincidences.

Water, the gravitation of the moon, the right kind of star, the right distance away, on the edge of the galaxy.

No complex life without any of these factors.

[HopeHoops]

4. The sea certainly would. I'm not sure about the land.

[Fumesucker]

6. No, because all elements heavier than lithium came out of stars..

No carbon and no oxygen for starters which basically means no life..

ETA: I guess I ought to read the thread first before pulling the trigger..