PT4 - Cosmozoic theory AKA “panspermia” theory PDF

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Cosmozoic theory AKA “panspermia” theory...

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Title/ topic: Cosmozoic theory AKA “panspermia” theory Proponent: Richter (1865), Helmholtz (1884), and Arrhenius (1908) Leading Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

What is being proposed in the theory? How does it differ from other theories? What are the evidences of this theory? Why is the theory being rejected? Evidences against the theory. How is it being assessed in the present/ modern day?

Content/ details:  This theory suggests that life did not originate on planet Earth and that life already existed in the form of resistant spores transported on the planet from somewhere else in the universe and then, due to supportive conditions on Earth, the spores grew and evolved into different organisms as we see on Earth, . Helmholtz (1884) said that “microorganisms from space descended on earth along with meteorites and comets and then evolved into higher organisms in water.” This is where ideas of extraterrestrials started. This theory is also called as ‘Panspermia’ or ‘Spore’ Theory.  One argument that supports the panspermia theory is the emergence of life soon after the heavy bombardment period of earth, between 4 and 3.8 billion years ago. During this period, the traces of life on earth were found 3.8 billion years ago, and if life originated on earth it would not survive the heavy bombardment billion years ago.  Another argument that supports this theory is the organic matter composed of carbon considering that all living things on Earth are carbon-based. The presence of carbonbased matter in meteorites supports the possibility that life on our planet could have come from outer space. But, even though life on earth is composed of organic matter, organic matter itself is not considered life.  The presence of water elsewhere in the universe reinforces this idea. Mars is believed to have bodies of water years ago, but still, traces of water do not suggest 100% proof for life on Mars.

 “Recently a piece of Martian rock has been recovered from Antarctica. NASA has discovered fossils of bacteria-like organisms on this rock, suggesting that life could have come on earth from outer space. Francis Crick and Laslie Orgel argued that all organisms have molybdenum in their bodies. Plants require it in nitrogen metabolism as the enzymes

nitrogenase and nitrogen reductase are catalysed by molybdenum. But molybdenum is a rare element on earth, amounting to only 0.2% of all elements. Cosmozoic theory has recently been extended to include the concept that some planet with primitive life must have collided with earth and seeded it with life. Proponents of this theory are Richter (1865), Helmholtz (1884) and Arrhenius (1908). Explorers like Eric von Daniken and Zecharia Sitchin go a step forward in proposing that the universe has several planets having intelligent life that is capable of space travel and that they have landed on earth in the past and seeded it with life. They provide evidences of extraterrestrial visitations of earth in the past from the writings on clay tablets recovered from Mesopotamia, which carry accounts of extraterrestrial visitations and details of solar system, galaxies etc.”  According to an article “scientists at the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne designed experiments using the Russian FOTON satellite. They mixed bacterial spores with particles of clay, red sandstone, Martian meteorite or simulated Martian soil to make small lumps a centimeter across. The lumps were then exposed via the satellite to outer space. After two weeks of exposure, researchers found that nearly all of the bacterial spores mixed with red sandstone were able to survive. Another study showed that bacterial spores could survive the extreme conditions of outer space for six years if they were protected from extraterrestrial solar UV radiation. This would be possible if the spores traveled within comets or meteorites. Bacterial spores can remain viable for up to 250 million years. Thus, bacterial spores could potentially account for life on earth”  An important thing to note about the panspermia hypothesis is that it gives no explanation for how life that arrived on Earth came to be. Even if we are able to show that life on Earth was a result of panspermia, the question of where and how life originated will be a lot harder to answer.  Absence of a mechanism for transfer of these spores in space and questions over their survival in space travel, no details about spores, absence of life on any other planet except Earth and many other factors, this theory slowly and steadily lost ground and was discarded soon. All these too failed in explaining the reason of origin of life. References: Embibe (n.d). Cosmozoic theory. Retrieved from https://www.embibe.com/study/cosmozoictheory-concept#Ask Joshi, S. S. (2008). Origin of life: The Panspermia theory. Retrieved from https://helix.northwestern.edu/article/origin-life-panspermia-theory

Mar Athanasius College (n.d). Origin of life on Earth. Retrieved from http://www.macollege.in/app/webroot/uploads/department_materials/doc_202.pdf Panspermia-Theory.com (2018). Panspermia and the Origin of life on Earth. Retrieved from https://www.panspermia-theory.com/

Puja, M. (n.d). Origin of life: 5 ancient theories of Origin of life. Retrieved from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/biology/origin-of-life-5-ancient-theories-of-origin-oflife/13248 The scientific Albedo (2017). Origin of life: Some theories. Retrieved from https://scialbedo.wordpress.com/tag/cosmozoic/...