> -----Original Message----- > From: Sam [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 11:00 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Oh dear God no..... > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia#Directed_panspermia
Panspermia is really interesting (there was a great article talking about it in Scientific American last month -specifically the idea that non-terrestrial life may coexist with Earth-founded life) but it's doesn't really change the questions. Saying life on Earth may have begun not-on-Earth doesn't actually change anything: you just discuss the origins of life on a different planet. Essentially any answer you come up with for these questions on a different planet can be applied to Earth so it just shifts the questions. In our case it's clear that if Panspermia was involved it would have happened several billion years ago. There's really no reason to suggest it seriously - there's every indication that early Earth would be the most hospitable environment for life in the Solar System and chances of natural Panspermia drop to near ridiculous levels if we're talking about interstellar germination. Directed Panspermia is even less reasonable to suggest without evidence. Still... not all science has to be utterly reasonable. Some of the best science comes from considering the extraordinary. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;160198600;22374440;w Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:250102 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
