Panspermia



             Lastly, panspermia is a theory that has intrigued many scientists over time (“Panspermia”, 2007; Reaney, 2001). The theory of panspermia suggests that the building blocks of life came, in fact, from outer space (“Panspermia”, 2007; Reaney, 2001). These fundamental “seeds of life” would have been scattered over the galaxy (“Panspermia”, 2007). When the conditions (compromising of the climate, the necessities for life) would have supported the growth, these building blocks of life would have developed (“Panspermia”, 2007). Therefore, if the seeds of life were scattered all over the galaxy, it would support the theory that life might exist elsewhere than Earth (“Panspermia”, 2007).



              According to Reaney and the Wikipedia article “Panspermia”, there are several reasons to support this theory. Recently, scientists discovered extraterrestrial bacteria in the Earth’s upper atmosphere (Reaney, 2001). These bacteria were similar to the bacteria found on Earth (Reaney, 2001). Certainly, there could have been logical explanations for these strange bacteria (they could possibly have hitched a ride on a rocket or satellite into space), but still, these bacteria could have been veritably from another planet (Reaney, 2001). Bacterium is unable to grow on Earth (the conditions aren’t right for its growth), so this may be a sign that it evolved in outer space (Reaney, 2001). Dr. Chandra Wickramasinghe is a steady supporter of this theory (BBC News, 2006). He also supports the idea that life exists elsewhere than Earth (BBC News, 2006). He and other scientists have theorized that not only did life evolve in outer space, that there are new life-forms that continue to enter Earth, responsible for epidemic outbreaks, new diseases, and the genetic novelty necessary for macroevolution (many changes over a long period of time) (“Panspermia”, 2007). Unfortunately, due to the lack of evidence, currently, there is no way to confirm these theories (“Panspermia”, 2007). The alternative theory to panspermia is the more commonly believed theory that if extra-terrestrial life exists, it would have evolved independently, in a different place, from our own evolution (“Extra-terrestrial life”, 2007).