Biochemical life can subsist on solvents other than water
Multiple astrobiological and chemical studies support the possibility of alternative biochemistry, demonstrating that various non-water solvents (such as concentrated sulfuric acid and ionic liquids) can stably dissolve essential biomolecules like amino acids and nucleic acid bases.
The retrieved literature thoroughly supports the claim that biochemical life could theoretically subsist on solvents other than water. Papers [2], [9], and [11] show that organic molecules and genetic building blocks remain stable in concentrated sulfuric acid or ionic liquids. Papers [3] and [7] provide broader frameworks and computational evidence showing that numerous non-water liquids are chemically compatible with biopolymer folding and complex prebiotic chemistry. No papers refute the core premise.
Seager MD, Seager S, Bains W, Petkowski JJ. Stability of 20 Biogenic Amino Acids in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid: Implications for the Habitability of Venus' Clouds.. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2023.0082
Demonstrates that biogenic amino acid backbones remain intact in concentrated sulfuric acid, broadening potential solvent compatibility.
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William Bains, Janusz J. Petkowski, Sara Seager. Alternative Solvents for Life: Framework for Evaluation, Current Status, and Future Research. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2024.0004
Reviews alternative solvents like concentrated sulfuric acid and liquid CO2, establishing theoretical frameworks for non-water based life.
Sánchez IE, Galpern EA, Ferreiro DU. Solvent constraints for biopolymer folding and evolution in extraterrestrial environments.. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2318905121
Shows through molecular modeling that numerous alternative solvents are compatible with biopolymer folding and evolution.
Huang J, Seager S, Seager MD, Petkowski JJ. Stability and Reactivity of Alternative Nucleobases in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31050845
Identifies alternative nucleobases that remain stable in concentrated sulfuric acid, supporting the possibility of genetic polymers in unusual solvents.
Agrawal R, Seager S, Iakubivskyi I, Buchanan WP, Glidden A, Seager MD, Bains W, Huang J, Petkowski JJ. Warm, water-depleted rocky exoplanets with surface ionic liquids: A proposed class for planetary habitability.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2425520122
Proposes that ionic liquids can act as persistent, stable solvents for biomolecules on warm, water-depleted planets.
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