Life as we don’t know it…
If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black…it is enough if you prove one single crow to be white. ~William James
At this point in time on this planet Earth millions of people are wondering if we are alone in the Universe. They think about this when they go out at night and look upward at the glistening jewels of the Milky Way, our galaxy. They ponder it occasionally as they lay in bed waiting for sleep to find them. They eat up science fiction movies about alien invasions and whisper how their brother, aunt, neighbor or co-worker saw an unidentified flying object last summer.
As of January 17, 2013 there are 859 confirmed planets and 1235 candidate planets orbiting other Suns in our galaxy. Of these, 60 or so are Earth-like rocky planets. NASA scientists working with the Kepler telescope recently said there may be 50 billion planets in our Milky Way alone. Some of these scientists are searching for a Goldilocks planet, a planet just the right size and temperature to harbor life as we know it. But what about life as we don’t know it?
The new Hubble Extreme Deep Field is the deepest view into the Universe we have. From what has been observed we know that there are at least 176 billion galaxies in the Universe, and maybe even close to a trillion galaxies in the observable Universe when the Hubble study concludes. What about the unobservable Universe? Our galaxy is not considered to be a huge galaxy only small to medium, so if there are 50 billion planets in our galaxy and more than 200 billion galaxies (maybe a trillion) how many planets does that likely provide. Fifty Billion times two hundred billion, my mind boggles at this point. Is it possible that life as we know it exists out there in some (many) of these places? But what about life as we don’t know it?
What about extremophiles on Earth? These are examples of life on our planet of which most of us could not conceive. There are 10 foot long tubeworms at the bottom of the sea living in absolute darkness on thermal vents shooting out highly pressurized water in the temperature range of 240° Fahrenheit. Before seacraft were developed that could plummet into the ocean’s pressurized and crushing depths, most if not all oceanographers would have told you that conditions at these deep thermal vents could not support life when in fact they are teeming with life. And so what about life as we don’t know it elsewhere in our solar system, our galaxy, our Universe, the Multiverse?
There is a theory called panspermia which contends that life did not originate on Earth but was transmitted from elsewhere in space. In this theory, life is dispersed throughout the Universe by meteors and space rocks containing microbes and/or amino acids and colliding with planets bringing the building blocks of evolution for life as we know it. Scientists have evidence of a heavy bombardment of earth by meteors about four billion years ago. There was probably a another planet in the solar system located between Mars and Jupiter in the orbit of the current asteroid belt. The destruction of this planet could have been the cause of the heavy bombardment.
German scientists sent bacterial spores mixed with red sandstone into space on a Russian rocket and those spores were returned back to earth and proved to be still viable. Bacterial spores can remain viable for as much as 250 million years under adverse conditions on Earth. On Earth, in the Arctic regions, the reasonably common permafrost is known to harbor bacterial spores and eukaryotic cells which are viable over thousands of years. When comets pass the sun they bring with them icy particles from beyond the major planets. An analysis of the heat radiation from dust particles from Halley’s Comet matched that of bacteria and nothing else, so the evidence for panspermia is mounting. By extrapolation so is evidence for life as we know it outside our solar system. But what about life as we don’t know it?
Well some of the answer to the question lies with one’s definition of life. Many define life as respiration. Respiration is ” the process by which organisms exchange gases, especially oxygen and carbon dioxide, with the environment. In air-breathing vertebrates, respiration takes place in the lungs. In fish and many invertebrates, respiration takes place through the gills. Respiration in green plants occurs during photosynthesis.” But others including myself define life as consciousness, particularly self awareness.
There is a prevalent theory that the Earth, our Mother, is a living being. It is called the Gaia Hypothesis and I subscribe to it. But what if the heavenly bodies are conscious beings? Now we are getting closer to what could be part of life as we don’t know it. Vaguely related to this, because of their ubiquity in the Universe, are dark matter and dark energy which astrophysicists believe compose the majority of the Universe. Could the dark matter exist on a different dimensional plane or at a different frequency unmeasurable by our instrumentation? Is dark energy the life force of the Universe? I cannot answer these questions, but I do like to think about them. For if life is consciousness and consciousness is non-local then life is everywhere in the Multiverse and beyond.
Why do I write about this you may ask? There are at least two reasons. The first is to change the minds and hearts that harbor antiquated paradigms about the Earth being the center of the Universe and the only place capable of nurturing life. The second reason is because when I think about this I feel so ecstatic I want to sing along with Dominico Medugno (below). If you think about this seriously ten minutes a week, I’ll bet it will change your view of your life for the better and your place in the Universe forever.
Basil Bristow, who has channeled several beings with great wisdom has emailed me the following message from Pretorius, who is speaking through him currently, regarding my blog post above:
January 20, 2012
Today I heard from a reader: Millions of people on Earth are wondering if we are alone in the Universe. They think about this when they go out at night and look upward at the glistening jewels of the Milky Way; where, as of January 17, 2013, scientists report there are 859 confirmed planets and 1235 candidate planets orbiting in our galaxy. I wondered if Pretorius would care to comment; here is his reply:-Basil
The scientific community on Earth; while they are to be admired for their advances during the past 100 Earth years, in reality are still learning their A.B.C.s which is akin to children in 1st Grade. However, advancement is advancement and I again congratulate them. But, I must also add that what is done with their newly acquired knowledge, and how well it is administrated, remains to be seen. Indeed, it is as if the Earth stands on the brink of self-destruction (as has happened on Earth in the past) or if common sense becomes the watchword.
Now, regarding the postulations regarding Earth-sized planets that could maintain life in both your own Milky Way galaxy and in the Universal cosmos in general.
First, as I have said many times, mankind must get away from considering “life” as life that requires air, water and food … as is needed by the population on Earth. If that word “life” is to remain your criteria for defining “life” throughout the Universe then your consciousness will remain extremely limited.
“Life” as construed by the Universe is that which contains the essence of The Supreme 1 and, of course, that includes everything. Whether that essence needs air, water and food to survive is immaterial – what is material is that the essence has the “breath” of life given to it by The Supreme 1 – and, I assure you that everything in the Universe has received that “breath” of life.
To answer the question as to whether or not the human creature that lives on Earth has “Brothers and Sisters” living elsewhere in the Universe then the answer is yes, it does. There are countless areas in the Universe where such “life” exists. It would seem scientifically logical that, providing Earthly human-life does not annihilate itself, then “Earthlings” may one day meet colonies of those brothers and sisters. However, if I may quote an Earthly phrase – “Don’t hold your breath,” for that day is, without a doubt, far, far into the future.
However, I must add a qualification to that statement because many of the human-like societies elsewhere in the Universe are more advanced spiritually, scientifically and in general knowledge. But still, many other human-life societies are not as advanced as you on Earth.
I do not make a practice of predicting the future but it would seem to be logical that at least one or two of those more advanced societies would visit Earth before Earthlings visits them. Indeed, such visitations have occurred many times in the past and Earth’s humanity has benefited spiritually, physically and intellectually from those visits.
It is spiritual growth that will define Earth’s humanity – not scientific growth (although that is most certainly important!) for it will be the spiritualness of Earth’s humanity as a whole that will define its longevity.
Thus, if I may, I urge you all to go within and bring forth the love and peace that has lain imprisoned in the human breast for so long. Let it free and bring new “life” to your Earth – not just life that requires air, water and food, but life which blossoms on its spirituality.
Until next time,
Pretorius
Update 04/14/13 Shadow Biosphere
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
I once visited an old faithful geyser and fish swim about the outer edge of the pool. We are the outer edgers.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
Yes, Dave, an interesting and thoughtful analogy.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
What we know about the Universe would fill a thimble. The rest, barely fits into the rest of the Universe.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
🙂 Too true.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
We should think about this…a lot!
I recently read about how much difficulty engineers had inventing a machine to measure consciousness in patients under anesthesia, so they would know if they needed to give more drugs. That says to me, our ‘science’ is pretty primitive when it comes to figuring out what it means to be conscious.
As to how to tell what is alive, I recall my microbiology teacher’s definition of ‘life’ was a being that needs to reproduce in order for its kind to continue.
For instance, rocks don’t need to reproduce in order to make more rocks.
Maybe that is sort of a primitive view, too.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks for your comment. A great book about consciousness within the NDE is Pim van Lommel’s Consciousness Beyond Life.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
I agree with David above! Well written, Fahrusha!
January 24, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks so much, Lauren.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
The Universe is Endless . . . Timeless . . .
The physical, as we know it has constraints; we know not of it’s Infinity, but of it’s confinds, (Mortality).
The Physical Universe is Limited to what Linear Time Affords it. Nothing More & Nothing Less, (Begining & End).
The True Universe Has No Limits, and is Eternal . . . It knows not of beginnings and knows not of no end.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
You are correct, Kristen, and also wise.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
Since the universe is rapidly expanding and everything is getting farther and farther apart, and because even at present distances, traveling beyond our own solar system can only be fantasized about with imagined technology, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever know what’s out there on those other planets — any more than we’ll be able to travel back in time and see our parents go on their first date.
Just because we have technology now that people in Napoleon’s time couldn’t imagine, doesn’t mean that unimaginable technology will continue to evolve to solve every problem we can imagine today. Some things will continue to be impossible. Maybe our children’s children will live long enough to celebrate the discovery of something like your bizarre tubeworms down in a volcanic vent on a moon of Jupiter.
Were that to happen tomorrow, it would be highly Interesting, yes, but I doubt I’d be ecstatic about it. I’d much rather read in the paper that the North Pole was refreezing and polar bears were frolicking on endless fields of ice.
The possibility of life in some distant corner of the galaxy doesn’t balance out the gloom that attends speculation about the ultimate fate of our universe — a state of cold, lifeless entropy or else, whoopee! — accelerating cosmic contraction on the way to another Big Bang.
It’s much more fashionable nowadays to speculate about other dimensions and alternate universes, although I find the contemplation of an infinite number of near-copies of our own universe, with everything the same, say, except for the position of the pen on your desk in one, the lint on my sweater in another, etc. etc. ad nauseum, to be cosmically humiliating.
Really, between that and the joyous possibility of tubeworms on Titan, you have to believe that we are all the creation of a God with the sensibility of a conceptual artist.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
Your comments made me laugh out loud even if I don’t totally agree. I do certainly agree that I’d love to see happy polar bears in a very frozen Arctic Circle. I love the Earth.
Perhaps you will feel less gloom if you contemplate non-local consciousness. Which begs the question: what are your views on non-local consciousness?
BTW “the joyous possibility of tubeworms on Titan” is possibly the best and funniest phrase I have heard in a dog’s age (or is that a dogwalker’s age?).
Thanks for your comment.
January 19, 2013 at 4:0 1
Joyful…Let’s sing and celebrate the possibilities…
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks, Sharon. I’m glad it has given you joy!
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
wonderful….So happy to share VOLARE with you……grazie for your blog….
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks for reading it Claudia. And thanks for writing a comment. I always loved the song and rediscovered the original version on You-Tube at the same time I was writing the article. It seemed apropos.
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Not something I think about so thanks for expanding my consciousness and for volare.
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks, Ellen. Oddly, I think about a lot. Go figure.
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
very very nice – Volare Fahrusha
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks, Jackie. I’d like to fly in space. 🙂
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Hi Fahrusha
Your blog is well written and well researched. I would like to see more,
I agree that the Universe is so big that is mind boggling to say the least.
One has got to be ridiculous to think we are the only ones in this beyond
belief immensely super duper huge universe.
I like Volare, it makes me feel the Universe is joyful, too.
January 20, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks for your comment, Gerry. The Universe is incomprehensibly huge and I hope, joyful.
January 23, 2013 at 4:0 1
Wonderful article. Who made this wonderful universe ? Big Bang maybe but I think there is a higher order. I am a firm believer in ghost so this proves to me that there may be life after death. I am hoping we get different experiences on different planets. Something to think about………..
January 24, 2013 at 4:0 1
Thanks for your comment Ken. I think the answer to many of our questions is that consciousness is the only “real” thing that exists.
January 24, 2013 at 4:0 1
I’LL DRINK TO THAT……..
January 24, 2013 at 4:0 1
Pour me one too! 🙂
February 9, 2013 at 4:0 1
[…] issue about comets I’d like to touch upon here is a confluence of science and folklore. In a previous post I mentioned the theory of panspermia. It was there noted that a heat analysis of the dust from […]
March 5, 2013 at 4:0 1
Why am I not surprised that NASA repudiates these findings. The evidence is adding up. http://www.ibtimes.com/nasa-sticky-situation-over-meteorite-alien-life-report-274477
May 9, 2013 at 4:0 1
kepler 22b
[…]Life as we don’t know it | Fahrusha's Weblog[…]
November 16, 2013 at 4:0 1
[…] would follow a similar pattern. This hypothesis is bolstered by yet another hypothesis called panspermia. According to this theory, life is seeded throughout the galaxy by objects (often and most […]