Let's create an alien biosphere!

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That's a fair point. For example, we could have fluorine be rarer in that solar system without being too unrealistic.

It says it's the 24th most abundant in the universe, but I can't find much about it in the solar system, but I can't really think of any reason it would be much different there. Why is there a higher abundance of rare elements in the solar system though? Maybe it's because most normal matter is actually interstellar hydrogen?

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It says it's the 24th most abundant in the universe, but I can't find much about it in the solar system, but I can't really think of any reason it would be much different there. Why is there a higher abundance of rare elements in the solar system though? Maybe it's because most normal matter is actually interstellar hydrogen?

Fluorine typically forms in larger stars, and if I remember correctly, the Solar System formed from the remnants of a larger star. This won't necessarily be the case for our fictional star system. However, this could also decrease the amount of heavy metals available

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Fluorine typically forms in larger stars, and if I remember correctly, the Solar System formed from the remnants of a larger star. This won't necessarily be the case for our fictional star system. However, this could also decrease the amount of heavy metals available

Will there be fewer heavy metals because there wasn't a heavier star earlier? I also mentioned earlier having more abundant iron. What do you think of that? We could have an explanation for it like another smaller planet crashed into the super-Earth and some of the core of the smaller planet ended up in its crust? Or would it all sink?

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Will there be fewer heavy metals because there wasn't a heavier star earlier? I also mentioned earlier having more abundant iron. What do you think of that? We could have an explanation for it like another smaller planet crashed into the super-Earth and some of the core of the smaller planet ended up in its crust? Or would it all sink?

Much of it would likely sink. However, a more geologically active planet would likely upwell more iron and other metals back to the surface through geologic activity. However, it seems that compounds of fluorine and chlorine don't constitute a significant proportion of Earth's atmosphere, so their proportion of the atmosphere in a super-Earth will likely also be small.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Much of it would likely sink. However, a more geologically active planet would likely upwell more iron and other metals back to the surface through geologic activity. However, it seems that compounds of fluorine and chlorine don't constitute a significant proportion of Earth's atmosphere, so their proportion of the atmosphere in a super-Earth will likely also be small.

Though they're not only in the atmosphere. They would also be in the water and soil. The soil would be richer in those elements. How would high iron concentrations be useful?

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Though they're not only in the atmosphere. They would also be in the water and soil. The soil would be richer in those elements. How would high iron concentrations be useful?

Intelligent life would certainly find it useful. In addition, many coordination complexes involving metals, mainly transition metals, have biological uses.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Intelligent life would certainly find it useful. In addition, many coordination complexes involving metals, mainly transition metals, have biological uses.

Could small amounts be used structurally? Perhaps weak plants or arthropod analogues could use it? Or would there still be nearly not enough?

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Could small amounts be used structurally? Perhaps weak plants or arthropod analogues could use it? Or would there still be nearly not enough?

It could theoretically be used structurally, but it would likely be impractically heavy.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

It could theoretically be used structurally, but it would likely be impractically heavy.

Yeah. Chitin is lighter and more flexible already. So what material do you want more of?

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Yeah. Chitin is lighter and more flexible already. So what material do you want more of?

Let's just add more transition metals in general so that organisms can use them as a hemoglobin analogue or something.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Let's just add more transition metals in general so that organisms can use them as a hemoglobin analogue or something.

Is more copper good? Many invertebrates use hemocyanin, instead of hemoglobin, which uses it.

Off topic: Spellcheck thinks that hemocyanin is a correct word, while hemoglobin isn't.

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Is more copper good? Many invertebrates use hemocyanin, instead of hemoglobin, which uses it.

That would be useful, but it's not the only such metal.
Also, I think that we should solve the halogen problem first.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

That would be useful, but it's not the only such metal.
Also, I think that we should solve the halogen problem first.

I can't find any other metalloproteins. Can you show me some? There's also bromine and iodine, but I don't think that they would be abundant enough to do much.

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I can't find any other metalloproteins. Can you show me some? There's also bromine and iodine, but I don't think that they would be abundant enough to do much.

Chlorophyll uses magnesium, cytochromes use iron and copper, vitamin B12 includes cobalt, and there are several proteins that include molybdenum.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Chlorophyll uses magnesium, cytochromes use iron and copper, vitamin B12 includes cobalt, and there are several proteins that include molybdenum.

So would this allow for faster respiration or growth?

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So would this allow for faster respiration or growth?

It would likely allow for more efficient exploitation of sources of energy, which would allow faster growth.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

It would likely allow for more efficient exploitation of sources of energy, which would allow faster growth.

Makes sense. It could certainly help at least partially overcome the high gravity.

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Makes sense. It could certainly help at least partially overcome the high gravity.

Okay. Have we fixed the chlorine problem, or shall we do that now?

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Okay. Have we fixed the chlorine problem, or shall we do that now?

We haven't. Something to keep in mind: we should find a plausible explanation for the chlorine or whatever is in the atmosphere.

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We haven't. Something to keep in mind: we should find a plausible explanation for the chlorine or whatever is in the atmosphere.

Volcanoes of Earth release hydrogen chloride and trace amounts of other chlorine-containing gases. That's why we need to deal with this.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

Volcanoes of Earth release hydrogen chloride and trace amounts of other chlorine-containing gases. That's why we need to deal with this.

I guess they would also release it underwater too. Perhaps life around hydrothermal vents can release chlorine as a byproduct? But not a lot at first lest they get poisoned.

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I guess they would also release it underwater too. Perhaps life around hydrothermal vents can release chlorine as a byproduct? But not a lot at first lest they get poisoned.

I wouldn't worry about being poisoned by chlorine very much because organisms can adapt to tolerate it and even use it. My chief concern is blocking high-energy light.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

I wouldn't worry about being poisoned by chlorine very much because organisms can adapt to tolerate it and even use it.

I said 'at first' on purpose, it would still take some time for them to adapt. But that would probably be short compared to the period after.

My chief concern is blocking high-energy light.

Which chlorine already does.

The large amounts of halogens in the atmosphere will lead to enough halogen radicals to prevent the formation of an ozone layer. This means that ultraviolet light with a wavelength greater that two hundred nanometers would be free to reach the surface. This will likely be beneficial because oxidizing fluorine requires a considerable amount of energy, and the oxidizing environment will likely force organisms to use stabler compounds for their DNA anyway.

Artifexian said in his video that chlorine would also block short-wavelength light.

Though I actually can't find anything backing this up.

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Which chlorine already does.

It does so in elemental form, but volcanoes don't expel it in elemental form; they expel it as hydrogen chloride. We just need to make sure that elemental chlorine doesn't build up in the atmosphere.

[Schiaparelliorbust]

It does so in elemental form, but volcanoes don't expel it in elemental form; they expel it as hydrogen chloride. We just need to make sure that elemental chlorine doesn't build up in the atmosphere.

Why would elemental chlorine form anyway? The only explanation I can think of is biological. Can you think of any other source?