X-Message-Number: 5555 Date: Tue, 9 Jan 1996 05:27:31 -0800 (PST) From: Doug Skrecky <> Subject: more on ET THE MIRACULOUS ORIGIN OF TERRESTRIAL LIFE (from Longevity Report 43 February 1994) By Doug Skrecky All theories about the origin of life on earth possess a common defect. They don't work. To put it another way there exists no viable theory which can account for the origin of life on earth. Nonetheless we are here, waiting impatiently for an explanation. As the telescopes scan the heavens in vain for signs that we are not alone a thought occurs which at least clarifies if not fully explains our puzzling existance. All theories of life's genesis assume that life is the inevitable result of biochemical reactions occurring early in the earth's history. If all other possibilities are eliminated then what remains, no matter how unlikely or farfetched must be the truth. Perhaps life is not the inevitable result of biochemistry. Perhaps far from being inevitable it is tremendously unlikely, being rather a unique fluke of luck or an act of divine intervention, however one defines the word divine. For example in order for DNA and RNA to replicate they must possess what is called molecular homochirality. If significant amounts of mirror images of the D-ribose and deoxyribose molecules exist they block replication. Thus the existance of life on earth requires molecular homochirality. There is no plausible mechanism for creating this homochirality on the earth so extraterrestrial sources are favoured. The only mechanism being currently considered is circularly polarized synchrotron radiation from ONE HEMISPHERE of a neutron star remnant interacting with interstellar dust grains to create the required homochirality. *1 Does this sound very likely? There are other problems with the maintainance of life for geologically extended time periods. For instance if the early earth had experienced a single ice age episode, this would have been irreversible due to the formation of thermally reflective carbon dioxide clouds. Even with the sun's increased radiative output in the present era earth would still remain a lifeless ice planet. *2 For the climate of the earth to remain stable enough to continue supporting life the orientation of its rotational axis or obliquity must be stable. Without the moon it would be unstable, thus the existance of the moon is responsible for the present existance of life on earth. *3 The earth's moon is so large that the earth/moon system is sometimes refered to as a double planet by astronomers. Such "double" planets are believed to be very rare. The galaxy may contain a multitude of earth-like planets, all except one remaining as yet sterile, waiting patiently for our descendants to fulfill their destiny. Are we unique? *1 "Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Sources of Molecular Homochirality" 407-420 Vol.21 1992 Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere *2 "Susceptibility of the Early Earth to Irreversible Glaciation Caused by Carbon Dioxide Clouds" 226-228 September 17,1992 Nature *3 "The Chaotic Obliquity of the Planets" 608-612 February 18,1993 Nature Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=5555