Where did we come from?

--Kaiser--

Wibbs wrote: »

Well we don't know. Yet. Higher life forms need fairly specific conditions over very very long periods of time to form. It seems going by the earth anyway that bacterial life needs a couple of 100 million years to kick off. Then again Earth is very unusual. For the solar system anyway. Its the only one with plate tectonics. It has a very specific chemistry because of the impact that formed the moon. It had a thick dense atmosphere very early on, but one that thinned out in the "right" way, didnt blow off into space like mars, or get hotter and denser like venus. It has liquid water on its surface. It has an active core that provides an sheild against radiation. We also have a moon. The largest moon in comparison to the home planet in the solar system. It gave us huge tidal forces in the distant past which some surmise helped certain life processes along. It's a very long list.

It is a long list indeed of the factors to do with Earth and our Universe which were necessary for life (as we know it) to take hold.

Few examples;

Our moon acts a shield absorbing possible dangerous asteroids from impacting Earth

Distance from the Earth to the Sun is close enough that water is (predominatly) liquid but not too close that it all vapourises.

Prescence of a magnetic field which diverts deadly solar rays and other radiation.

Density of matter in the universe is just about correct to prevent the Universe from collapsing.

Even more complex, an increase in Strong Nuclear Force would have meant that all Hydrogen in the Universe would have converted to Helium, meaning water could not form.

This is known as the Anthropic Principle. Now this could be interpreted to mean that there must some sort of higher power which shepherded us into existence, given that there are so many factors which need to be present for us to exist. Another interpretation is that the Universe is the way it is because otherwise we wouldn't be here.

sponsoredwalk

Okay, as far as I know it.

Theory 1:
There was water on Mars, This is shown because there is evaporated salt on the ground & the salt is supposed to have formed on mars in the prescence
of water. Basically asteroids struck Mars & knocked some of the surface rocks into space & these collided with earth.
There are plenty of Martian rocks that have been found on earth to give credence to this hypothesis. Martian bacteria on the rocks that originated in the once-present Martian seas could have been taken along for the ride... Furthermore, extremophile bacteria would be more than capable of surviving on those rocks in space for X number of years.

Theory 2:
The same situation with Venus only there is a lot less evidence for this one. Venus could have had hospitable life before what is called the "runaway greenhouse effect" that has taken over Venus' surface.

Theory 3:
The Szostak abiogenesis video that has just been posted.
That is my personal favourite as it seems so plausible but I haven't really read any counter-criticism of it , which I'm sure exists.

Theory 4:
The Miller-Urey experiment extrapolated to the max!

Theory 5:
God did it in 6 days...

All I can think of for now :pac:

Genghiz Cohen

maninasia wrote: »

This is a good theory, it's plausible..but it may not be correct.

But it works and is simpler than a supernatural being.
It's where I'd put my money.

Krusader

gbee wrote: »

we could easily be on our third planet by now, but still kept in the dark

I often thought that myself, if we want our species to survive, we really need to learn how to planet hop

Wibbs

Crosáidí wrote: »

I often thought that myself, if we want our species to survive, we really need to learn how to planet hop

In a bloody huge way. If we dont we massively restrict our future as a species. Island species are very vulnerable to extinction. Just one colony on mars would increase our chances manyfold. It may not be earthlings who orbit another star in the future it could be martians, but they would be humans.

Krusader

If we set up a colony on the moon, I vote for naming them
Lunatics

starlit

plein de force wrote: »

evolution, that's how

or maybe some supernatural being of which there is no evidence of made up by man put us here

yeah i think i'll go with evolution

I agree with you there! evolution....apes evolved into man! I honestly do not believe the whole adam and eve thing existed but if it did the way religious believers could be actually bending the truth in my opinion! could it be that man was made from woman rather than the other way around as they say the woman was made flesh from man? makes more sense that a man was made from a woman? could religious orders be covering this up?? now if there is some kind of DNA evidence of adam and eve chances are they could have been either apes, neanderthals, or quiet possibly the first of human kind after they evolved from apes?

I believe in science alot more than religion no matter how much the church thinks otherwise or regardless what the bible says. there could have been a lot of bending the truth in it, half of it could be true, some of it tailored to suit religious believers! there are many other things i find hard to comprehend (will only go off topic if i start talking about the supposedly virgin mary, that jesus never had a woman??? - [think da vinci code ahhh!] but i don't deny that the holy mary, jesus and god exisited/exists.)

Wolfe Tone

snuggles285 wrote: »

I agree with you there! evolution....apes evolved into man! I honestly do not believe the whole adam and eve thing existed but if it did the way religious believers could be actually bending the truth in my opinion! could it be that man was made from woman rather than the other way around as they say the woman was made flesh from man? makes more sense that a man was made from a woman? could religious orders be covering this up?? now if there is some kind of DNA evidence of adam and eve chances are they could have been either apes, neanderthals, or quiet possibly the first of human kind after they evolved from apes?

I believe in science alot more than religion no matter how much the church thinks otherwise or regardless what the bible says. there could have been a lot of bending the truth in it, half of it could be true, some of it tailored to suit religious believers! there are many other things i find hard to comprehend (will only go off topic if i start talking about the supposedly virgin mary, that jesus never had a woman??? - [think da vinci code ahhh!] but i don't deny that the holy mary, jesus and god exisited/exists.)

So were did the apes come from?

starlit

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

So were did the apes come from?

species multiplied into apes etc

--Kaiser--

<pedantry>

We didn't evolve from apes, we do, however, share a common ancestor

</pedantry>

starlit

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

<pedantry>

We didn't evolve from apes, we do, however, share a common ancestor

</pedantry>

whats that then?:o

Pace2008

snuggles285 wrote: »

I agree with you there! evolution....apes evolved into man!

Humans did not evolve from apes. Both humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor.

EDIT: 3 minutes late

starlit

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

<pedantry>

We didn't evolve from apes, we do, however, share a common ancestor

</pedantry>

Pace2008 wrote: »

Humans did not evolve from apes. Both humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor.

EDIT: 3 minutes late

what common ancestor is that?

--Kaiser--

snuggles285 wrote: »

what common ancestor is that?

Not found yet, normally referred to as the 'missing link'

MagicMarker

snuggles285 wrote: »

what common ancestor is that?

Ape like people.

Sonz

What if we're all dolls being operated by something/someone or a monkey?

MagicMarker

I highly recommend watching Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life. Narrated by David Attenborough. Well worth a look.

Motley Crue

I imagine it's something scientific, a cross between evolution and pure chance to be honest

starlit

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Not found yet, normally referred to as the 'missing link'

ya remember learning about that from a documentary. (mysterious!) could be half human half ape!

MagicMarker wrote: »

Ape like people.

ah I get ya!

Wolfe Tone

snuggles285 wrote: »

species multiplied into apes etc

Where did they come from then? Were did the very very first thing come from?

Pace2008

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Where did they come from then? Were did the very very first thing come from?

There have been numerous theories posted in this very thread regarding abiogenesis

The answer is we don't know - yet.

Wolfe Tone

Pace2008 wrote: »

There have been numerous theories posted in this very thread regarding abiogenesis

The answer is we don't know - yet.

But were did the rocks, chemicals in question come from?

Pace2008

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

But were did the rocks, chemicals in question come from?

Are you talking about the formation of the earth, the solar system, or the origin of the universe itself?

Wolfe Tone

Pace2008 wrote: »

Are you talking about the formation of the earth, the solar system, or the origin of the universe itself?

Were did the very very very first thing ever come from? First chemical, rock, etc etc

sponsoredwalk

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

But were did the rocks, chemicals in question come from?

They came from the Big Bang, you really want to read Steven Hawking's A Brief History of Time

Wolfe Tone

Were did the stuff that expolded, expanded etc come from?

Pace2008

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Were did the stuff that expolded, expanded etc come from?

Answer this and you'll undoubtedly win a Nobel Prize.

Heads-up: writing "God did it" on an envelope probably won't qualify you for said prize.

Do read the book sponsweredwalk suggested, though. It outlines very difficult concepts in a manner laymen like you and I can digest

My name is URL

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Were did the stuff that expolded, expanded etc come from?

Maybe another universe which collapsed into itself before exploding

Wolfe Tone

My name is URL wrote: »

Maybe another universe which collapsed into itself before exploding

Were did that come from?

My name is URL

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Were did that come from?

You could drag it on all day and the answer won't change.. we don't know :P

You should watch the documentary series 'Cosmos' by Carl Sagan too

Pace2008

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Were did that come from?

I think you're confusing AH with The Official Forum for Earth's Scientific Elite.

These are questions the most learned of physicists are still asking.

Wolfe Tone

My name is URL wrote: »

You could drag it on all day and the answer won't change.. we don't know :P

You should watch the documentary series 'Cosmos' by Carl Sagan too

So what is wrong with the theory that a higher being created it?

I think you're confusing AH with The Official Forum for Earth's Scientific Elite.

I think we have a new forum request!!!

Abrasax

Pace2008 wrote: »

I think you're confusing AH with The Official Forum for Earth's Scientific Elite.

An easy mistake to make.

Pace2008

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

So what is wrong with the theory that a higher being created it?

There is absolutely no evidence to back it up.

My name is URL

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

So what is wrong with the theory that a higher being created it?



I think we have a new forum request!!!

I don't think there is anything wrong with that theory, but it certainly didn't happen in the way that any religion proclaims that it did. God creating the earth in 7 days etc

Wolfe Tone

but it certainly didn't happen in the way that any religion proclaims that it did

Yeah I agree with that.

WIZE

My name is URL wrote: »

I don't think there is anything wrong with that theory, but it certainly didn't happen in the way that any religion proclaims that it did. God creating the earth in 7 days etc

Six days . I think he went for a Pint and a curry on the Seventh day

Donkey Oaty

The world was created by the Devil in a moment when God wasn't looking.

KeithAFC

If Life was created by an asteroid, then why isn't there KNOWN life on mars? Surely the same would of happened on mars.

My name is URL

My name is URL wrote: »

I don't think there is anything wrong with that theory, but it certainly didn't happen in the way that any religion proclaims that it did. God creating the earth in 7 days etc

It's not a theory, let's not give it that much credibility.

I_AmThe_Walrus

God is a concept by which we measure our pain. It is a man-made supernatural entity created in the human subconscious that allows mankind to sleep better at night.

Life on whatever brought us here may be billions of years away. We evolved to the environment and have therefore, relied on oxygen. Natural Selection has dictated what we have become where the strongest survive and the weaker genes die off. We are evolving all the time with each and every living thing around us.

Where we originate is Earth because it has dictated the mammals we have evolved into. If we had landed anywhere else, it is very much improbable we would have looked the same, acted the same and behaved the same as a species.

If you want to get really specific and ask from where the organisms came from that we have evolved from, well that's a debate that will stand the test of time. Only Intelligent Design could answer that question, if such a Power exists, which it does not.

/thread.

WIZE

KeithAFC wrote: »

If Life was created by an asteroid, then why isn't there KNOWN life on mars? Surely the same would of happened on mars.

but it could have .

Mars i believe is a burnt out planet

I think when the earths core stops and our planet dies well give it a couple of 100 million years and maybe there will be no trace of life on the surface of our planet

WIZE

I_AmThe_Walrus wrote: »

God is a concept by which we measure our pain. It is a man-made supernatural entity created in the human subconscious that allows mankind to sleep better at night.

Life on whatever brought us here may be billions of years away. We evolved to the environment and have therefore, relied on oxygen. Natural Selection has dictated what we have become where the strongest survive and the weaker genes die off. We are evolving all the time with each and every living thing around us.

Where we originate is Earth because it has dictated the mammals we have evolved into. If we had landed anywhere else, it is very much improbable we would have looked the same, acted the same and behaved the same as a species.

If you want to get really specific and ask from where the organisms came from that we have evolved from, well that's a debate that will stand the test of time. Only Intelligent Design could answer that question, if such a Power exists, which it does not.

/thread.

You keep speaking of Evolution

KeithAFC

WIZE wrote: »

but it could have .

Mars i believe is a burnt out planet

I think when the earths core stops and our planet dies well give it a couple of 100 million years and maybe there will be no trace of us on the surface of our planet

Yeah, could have. Exactly. Why have we not got to mars yet? I mean, surely getting to mars and focusing on getting to mars should be the most important thing in human history.

And since no one knows the facts of how life started, would it be silly to suggest that Aliens created life on earth?

KeithAFC

KeithAFC wrote: »

Yeah, could have. Exactly. Why have we not got to mars yet? I mean, surely getting to mars and focusing on getting to mars should be the most important thing in human history.

And since no one knows the facts of how life started, would it be silly to suggest that Aliens created life on earth?

That would only answer life on earth, not how life in general started

My name is URL

bluewolf wrote: »

It's not a theory, let's not give it that much credibility.

It is a theory, are you sure you don't mean it isn't a theorem? Theories are abstract and conceptual, they can be supported or challenged by observation but can never be considered right or wrong.

God theory holds about as much weight as any other theory when it comes to the creation of the universe, as neither can be shown to be false based on the analytical examination of their assertions

Wolfe Tone

So when it comes down to it we simply do not know.

WIZE

It wouldn't be silly as 1 living cell in the center of a frozen asteroid would be an Alien to us

SO yes I believe aliens put us here in the form of Frozen cells or so

KeithAFC

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

So when it comes down to it we simply do not know.

Pretty much.

Can be as educated as you want but no one knows exactly. And thats the problem.

starlit

sponsoredwalk wrote: »

They came from the Big Bang, you really want to read Steven Hawking's A Brief History of Time

ah daah big bang! remember hearing of that! well let me see mmm...my theory is that an asteroid or a meteroite fell from mars within the universe and vola the big bang! over time it developed into earth creating water, earth etc eventually bacteria developed and multiplied and over time species developed and developed into land and sea and air creatures etc which one of which evolved into apes and eventually evolved into humans in a nutshell! :cool:

do explain how the equator/lava erupts from there...meteroite?:(no? from mars...mars often can have things erupting from it or am I wrong? explain how the earths crust happens to be inside the earth planet?:pac:
probably various temperatures from within the universe could have cause the rapid changes of the developing earth in the universe!:P