Terrestrial spectroscopy had indicated dense microbial life in the upper Jovian atmosphere but Theor is the first to discover that those microbes support larger species. Thus, his planet is surrounded by life:
the high atmosphere is dense enough to support objects of large specific gravity;
minerals are suspended in the clouds;
the atmosphere, energized more than the planetary surface, supports hydrogen-ammonia photosynthesis;
Jovian life probably originated and remains more abundant up there;
in fact, surface life is probably critically dependent on what drifts down.
The reader learns with the characters.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
THREE WORLDS TO CONQUER was first pub. in 1964 and Anderson of course based what he said about Jupiter on what was then known or thought likely to be true (with some extrapolations from that). But I'm sure current knowledge and thinking about Jupiter has changed in major ways. I wonder how Anderson might have written THREE WORLDS if he was still alive today?
Sean
Sean,
He would be able to write the atmospheric life without the land or sea life.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, altho I would have missed the Jovian land and sea life forms we see in the original text of THREE WORLDS TO CONQUER.
Sean
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