We are the aliens
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One theory that is gaining some traction among those who strive to understand just how life on earth originated posits that we can thank meteors for our essential building blocks. Yes, in this Rod Serling-esque revelation, we are the descendants of an alien chemistry.
By studying meteorites and other evidence from this bombardment [billions of years ago], a team of reserachers at Imperial College in England has calculated that the meteorites could have carried in as much as 10 billion tons of water vapor and carbon dioxide to the young Earth every year for millions of years.
So, the elemental lay of the land of a very young earth may not have been sufficient for life to have sprouted forth. We needed meteors—lots of them—to deposit the requisite materials to make life possible. For creationists, the fact that this theory suggests an earth that is billions (rather than 6,000) years old is enough for many to stop reading. That the planet may have existed for a time in a state not suitable to give rise to life is a further insult.
The moon, it seems, was also born of a collision between earth and a very big asteroid. Such are the silver linings of cosmological fender benders.
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We are the world, we are the children.
David,
Another interesting theory. I remember my favorite was probably when I was high school age. Earth was a prison planet. I took comfort in that as it seemed to explain all the bad things that religion or, probably more accurately, their followers couldn’t explain. The idea that we were descendents of an evil ancestry seemed more believable than merely having freewill.
I guess my point is that I keep an open mind. As I’ve gotten older, I realize how little I really know. It’s seems the opposite of how one’s experience should be, but at 20, I thought I knew everything. Life isn’t what I thought it was, which right now can seem depressing, but it’s sort of an illusion. I think I just need time to adjust to what life really is and enjoy the journey as much as possible as it becomes clearer. Maybe this is just my midlife crisis?
I’m less interested in the origins of Earth than what the hell we are supposed to be doing here. I don’t think I am off-track in how I’ve decided to live mine; I just believe I should be doing more with it. Maybe having taken it easy for so long (even though it wasn’t my idea) has been a good thing as far as gaining perspective. I’m certainly more inquisitive than I can ever remember having been. Another aspect of realizing life wasn’t what I thought it was means that anything else is possible. Freedom from certainty. To think this started with a post about a new theory about the birth of Earth and the Moon…incredible.
Sandy
Brian,
Let’s all join hands, shall we?
Sandy,
I quite enjoy your free association. Makes sense to me, anyway.