WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe.
The news conference will be held at the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 300 E St. SW, in Washington. It will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website at http://www.nasa.gov.
What did those beautiful geniuses find? Fossilized microbes on Mars? Cigarette butts on Titan? A rickety amusement park full of amphibious, slack jawed yokels on Europa?
I'm thinking more along the lines of this...
.... than this ----------->
Although the latter could probably also mean a little bit of this:
And hopefully a whole hell of a lot of this:But, I guess we'll see tomorrow.
Would the discovery of life on other planets change us as a species? Not physically, mind you (although the possibilities are there), but as a functioning society, with entrenched belief systems, born out of science and religion?
As a hesitant Panspermian (which also doubles as my hypothetical Armenian last name), I think it's just a matter of time before we discover similar signs of primordial life, that may have landed on planets that were inhospitable or entirely unsuited to support the rise of simple organisms. Thank all that's holy and sane that the Earth provided just the right balance of elemental materials, atmosphere and water to launch such an array of extraordinary flora and fauna.
It would be such a waste if this planet just spun about lonely, all pretty and blue, without anything crawling across its warm, supple skin to appreciate its curves and sass.
Who or what is ejaculating all over space? That's what I wanna know. Actually, the implications that that life exist on any level out of our hemisphere would be fascinating. I am curious, what will the religious and god-fearing hordes say, how will they react or what made-up excuse will come to fruition that something that exists out of our realm that does not resemble man, or in "gods image" if you will. Will it all be discredited until something appears to have sentient qualities? Conversations on this topic are hard to have with believers, even though there is this grand acceptance of a supernatural over-lord or god.
ReplyDeleteI used to be very open to the idea of E. T.'s, but now that I've come to learn that Narwhals aren't magical like unicorns, where do you turn?
Trust that close-minded Born Againers and the Young Earth softheads will spin, twist and shimmy around the truth for as long as they can, as they've been doing since the time of Copernicus. They just can't admit to new discoveries, and instead turn up their nose, cross their arms, and close their eyes. Odd, as non of it, in my mind, disproves or proves anything about any religion, if one views all religions as localized interpretations of an unseen God.
ReplyDeleteI believe in God, but I'm not arrogant enough to define him in human terms (flowing robes, impressive Santa beard), or proclaim that the particular holy book that my cracker-ass society holds the most dear (What luck! White folk get the real deal!) is the one true Word of God. That's just lunacy.
And whomever told you that Narwhals aren't magical like unicorns needs a quick kick to the shins for their uncouth blasphemy. Both of those mono-horned cuties are as magical as my divining rod, and the sweaty hands of the Pentecostal preacher lurking in the bushes.
You're not going to find the recipe for chicken soup in the bible, just like you won't find anything whatsoever about alien life existing or not being able to exist. It isn't there because it isn't necessary. And there's nothing that says JHVH didn't create anything else in his own image, or that being made in his image makes humans more special than any other special sapient creature in the cosmos.
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