Life has recently been discovered on two planets, currently named
Nearer and Farther. Survey expeditions are being undertaken to
characterize life on each, with the objective of comparing the
charcteristics of life on the two planets both with each other and with
life on earth. The general effort is to better understand general
properties of living systems.
Expeditionary groups have been formed to undertake an initial survey of
"plant" life on Nearer and Farther. Plant life on earth is
characterized by substantial diversity; there are a large number of
different kinds of plants. The goal of the expeditionary groups is to
try and determine whether diversity of plant life is an idiosyncracy of
life on earth or a more general property of life wherever it is found.