Scientists Offer 'Overwhelming' Evidence Terran Life Began in Space

An anonymous reader writes "Using data from recent comet-probing space missions, British scientists are reporting today that the odds of life starting on Earth rather than inside a comet are one trillion trillion (10 to the power of 24) to one against. That is, we're not originally from around here. Radiation in comets could keep water in liquid form for millions of years, they say, which along with the clay and organic molecules found on-board would provide an ideal incubator. 'Professor Wickramasinghe said: "The findings of the comet missions, which surprised many, strengthen the argument for panspermia. We now have a mechanism for how it could have happened. All the necessary elements - clay, organic molecules and water - are there. The longer time scale and the greater mass of comets make it overwhelmingly more likely that life began in space than on earth."'" jamie points out that the author of this paper has many 'fringe' theories. Your mileage may vary.

Of course it started in space

[Anonymous Coward]

That's where God lives.

No kidding

[eln]

The great anthropologist Dr. Douglas Adams already showed that we did not originate here. In fact, we were passengers on the 'B' Ark that crash-landed here. Our ancestors come from an ancient civilization called Golgafrinchans. It is a shame that Dr. Adams's work is so widely ridiculed as a "humorous" bit of "fiction" in wider scientific circles.

Obligatory

[RealErmine]

I for one welcome... uh, myself.

And Protoss life began on...

[BobPaul]

In an ironic statement, they also claim Protoss life began on Earth...

Oh, come on...

[Overzeetop]

There was never a better time to tag a story nevertellmetheodds!

Re:And Protoss life began on...

[kryogen1x]

My life for Aiu- er... GAIA!

Re:No kidding

[MorderVonAllem]

Well, if we take him serious then we might have to take hubbard serious.

Huh?

[Otter]

The Cardiff team suggests that radioactive elements can keep water in liquid form in comet interiors for millions of years...

Is there any evidence that comets have such isotopes at such concentrations? This sounds like the sort of thing Lex Luthor would be involved in.

Re:Extrapolation of probability using two variable

[tillerman35]

I think length of time was factored in somehow, the gist of it being that comets have been around a lot longer than the Earth and therefore more likely to have had the incubating effect.

That stated, it'll take more than a few numbers in a formula to convince me. I'm not going to believe this until a cometary probe comes back contaminated with an alien microbe that destroys all life on the planet. And even then, I'll be a little bit skeptical.

Re:Extrapolation of probability using two variable

[FuzzyDaddy]

The odds are 1 in 10^24 if their assumptions are true... The odds of the assumptions being true is a different story.

When I was in grad school our group was trying to make a particular type of superconducting circuit. After many attempts we got one that worked, wrote it up, and presented it at a conference.

During the Q&A, someone asked my advisor what our yields were. "On a good day, 100%". The followup question was, "what's your yield on good days?"

Re:And Protoss life began on...

[Sciros]

I always thought it was "my wife for hire!" providing some insight into the Protoss social structure.

these atheist scientists

[circletimessquare]

want to tell us that life was created by random comet falls?

i demand equal time for the godly and righteous theory of intelligent comet placing!

comets did not just fall randomly to earth and create life!

god himself intelligently directed comets to come to the early lifeless earth 6,000 years ago!

Re:Extrapolation of probability using two variable

[Mr. Underbridge]

Soooooo, they used two numbers (mass of clay & # of comets) to generate a 1e24 to 1 odd against life having started here? Seems like they might have left one or two variables out of their equation. Hopefully this is just junk reporting rather than junk science.

I have a new meta-theory for these sorts of things: if your hypothesis sounds like the Chewbacca Defense, it's almost certainly bogus.

Panspermia

[Anonymous Coward]

Panspermia: When God masturbates.

Re:Of course it started in space

[Fozzyuw]

Of course it started in space[...]That's where God lives.

Yes, Earth, one of the many planetary eggs fertilized by the big G's... er, comet. It's like pollination on a galactic scale.

Cheers,
Fozzy

Edumakation

[Shadow Wrought]

If the Religious Right takes issue with Evolution, just wait they find out that little Bobby is going to be taught about Panspermia! In school! Next thing you know Health class will be teaching kids the proper way to masticate.

Re:So they are saying...

[superstick58]

No, our universe will not end. We are the embryonic stem cells of the earth embryo. However, we will soon be harvested by the universe entity to be used to find a cure for galactic cancer. Unless the multi-verse government can pass the cosmos-bill banning earth-embryonic stem cell research, we are all doomed.

Re:Of course it started in space

[Anonymous Coward]

Which came first?

I think they both came at the same time. Unless, of course, the earth was faking it...

Isn't the Earth in space?

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't the Earth in space?

Re:these atheist scientists

[Himring]

Kevin: Who was that man?
Fidgit: That was no man. That was the Supreme Being.
Kevin: You mean God?
Fidgit: Well, we don't know Him that well. We only work for Him.
Randall: Shut up!
--Time Bandits

Re:No kidding

[toganet]

Hey, it's his story -- he can do with it what he wants. Well, I guess not now that he is dead.

Re:hm..

[Anonymous Coward]

In a manner of speaking, didn't everything start in space?

My car won't start in space, you insensitive clod!

Re:Of course it started in missed sleep

[saskboy]

"Either is happens, or it doesn't"

And there was a 50/50 chance that I'd get the punchline right, and I got it wrong thanks to a spelling mistake.

Either it happens, or it doesn't.

Re:So they are saying...

[ginbot462]

I like your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsleter!

Tomorrows headline

[originalnih]

Spore delayed to add pre-cell comet level

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA WAS RIGHT

[Anonymous Coward]

As it is written in the scared scrolls, " Life Here, Began Out There"

Re:Panspermia

[Anonymous Coward]

> Panspermia: When God masturbates.

(all together now!)

"My eyes have seen the Glory of the Coming of the Lord..."

Or rather:

[Dasher42]

Panspermia: (n) the theory which states that sperm gets all over everything.

Re:Panspermia

[meringuoid]

Panspermia: When God masturbates. Ev-e-ry sperm is sa-cred! Ev-e-ry sperm is gre-e-e-at!

Re:Of course it started in space

[geobeck]

Schrodinger was Canadian?!

Of course! And it wasn't a cat; it was a moose.

(And while he was looking around for a big enough box, the moose bit his sister.)

Final Frontier

[Arthur Grumbine]

I guess it's more appropriate to speak of the Earth as the final frontier, now. Poor trekkies.

Re:Oh, come on...

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if there'll ever be another opportunity to tag a story 'spermfireball'..

Re:Panspermia

[kaizokuace]

all over your mom! mother earth that is.

Re:Or rather:

[Taevin]

As any pubescent male teenager will tell you, that's more aptly described as a Law of Nature.

Re:Of course it started in space

[xarak]

Mynd you, møøse bites kan be pretty nastï

Re:Panspermia

[Anonymous Coward]

Q. What's white and shoots across the sky?

A. The Coming of the Lord.