Temperature is a key and limiting factor for life. Organic life, as it’s defined, can develop in a range from -18ºC up to 50ºC. Very far from the average temperature in Mars -55ºC or Rea, one of the satellites of Saturn, where the temperature oscillates from -220ºC to 174ºC. At first sights, it seems that no form of life could arise under these particular conditions.

But, the existence of extremophiles, microbes that can stand such low temperatures as -200ºc or so high as 110ºc is leading us to the hypothesis of extraterrestrial life.

Throughout the activity you will

Session 1 (1h). Driven by the Science teacher in the school lab

• do an experiment with yeast to discover the relationship between temperature and metabolism

Session 2 (1h 30min). Driven by the Science teacher in class

• discuss about the results and conclusions of your experiment

• discuss about the possibility of finding life in other planets of our Solar system according to the temperature on its surface and decide which are the best candidates for that. www.astro.indiana.edu/ala/PlanetTemp/index.html