Assuming the encounter hypothesis is correct and planets can only form from the gravitational interactions between passing stars, what implications does this have for the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe?
A) there would be no possibility of life at all because close stellar encounters never occur
B) life would be exceedingly rare because close stellar encounters are exceedingly rare
C) we have no way to determine the probability of close stellar encounters so we have no way of knowing
D) life would be very common because stellar close encounters are constantly occurring

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If planets can only form from the gravitational interactions between passing stars, then the formation of planetary systems would be rare because close stellar encounters are rare. This, in turn, would make the emergence of life rare. However, it should be noted that this is just one hypothesis and there are other ways in which planets and life could arise that do not depend on close stellar encounters.

Assuming the Encounter Hypothesis Is Correct and Planets Can Only