What is the highest pressure any life form could theoretically survive in?

I'm working on a quest (Space game, but don't ask, it won't be good in anything but story and even that may be a stretch. XD), and I'm looking to use our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn specifically, as a point of farming for my main character (He-3, yknow), and I want them to come to the discovery of life on the planet after an unfortunate mishap.

I understand the huge pressures on Jupiter,

Jupiter has the largest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System, spanning over 5,000 km (3,000 mi) in altitude. Because Jupiter has no surface, the base of its atmosphere is usually considered to be the point at which atmospheric pressure is equal to 100 kPa (1.0 bar).

and am unsure of what sorts of materials can survive without too much assistance at such a high temperature and pressure (the two being related in most cases). I don't necessarily need a possible life form, but something that would maintain suspension of disbelief (for the average Joe) would be preferred. Please include in your answer what (if any) would need to be hand-waved before the creature could be possible.

Some ideas I had:

• A gas entity, where reactions between different gases at different temperatures creates a sort of "computing" system sort of analogous to a brain (See Chemical Computing). The issue with this is the dispersion of the gases that make this body. Incredibly complex electron bonding maybe?
• Pure energy beings, where different energy types utilize some sort of quantum computing? I'm no scientist, so am unsure of the specifics of quantum computing, but from an outsider perspective, it seems plausible to me. I feel this would require a large amount of handwavium, but I'm not really sure where.
• A completely liquid water based flying creature. I have no idea, but water isn't compressible.....so ya?

I know Could a Neptune like Gas Giant support life? answers about Neptune being a better gas giant for the job, having a solid core, and that some of the moons are habitable to an extent, but I specifically want to create a sort of "deep sea" sort of creature on Jupiter that is replicated on Saturn (although a different species), that we have no information on, and can become sort of a mythical Macguffin for the main character to create an eventual real sighting, but not discovery of.

So the question is thus: What is the highest theoretical pressure that a creature of any type could plausibly (with some help from an author) survive in and what would it be composed of?)

Life definition: The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death..

Edit for clarity: Please read the question asked. Regardless of that background information (which can be removed if anyone would see it making the question easier), the question is about the highest theoretical pressure, temperature and other factors nonwithstanding.

posted almost 8 years ago

Anoplexian - Reinstate Monica‭

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