|
|
Environment
In Quest of Space
Colonization
by
Subra Narayan
"Life
on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a
disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically
engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of”
– Stephen Hawking
 This chilling statement
was made by the eminent astrophysicist at a recent gathering earlier
this year[i].
Following that, NASA recently announced a major plan to colonize the
moon in the hope that mankind would be ready to live on the moon by
2020.[ii]
Why the rush to the moon more than three decades after the first
landing? Actually, NASA wants to expand its scope beyond moon and
eventually target Mars. And now we find that water may have actually
flowed on Mars-not many millions of years ago but in fact just a few
years back! Scientists said that pictures taken by NASA's Mars Global
Surveyor show changes in craters that provide the strongest evidence yet
that water coursed through them as recently as several years ago, and is
perhaps doing so even now.[iii]
This is truly a significant finding for a combination of water and heat
suggests life! The red planet has always fired up the creativity of
science fiction writers, but Arthur Clarke stands out as being prescient
about the moon landing and Mars exploration.
And talking about
water, a rather unusual phenomenon occurred in the state of Kerala,
India, where red rain fell for several hours in several parts of the
state in 2001. Naturally this led to the local population pronouncing
dire predictions regarding the end of the world. Then Dr Godfrey
Louis, Professor of Physics at the University of Kottayam stepped in and
took a closer look at the red rain and found that it was actually
composed of tiny cells, 3-10 micron diameter, as exemplified s under
an electron microscope. These cells were found to be rich in
 carbon and
oxygen based on energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA). Oddly enough
these red cells were found to multiply upon standing and after extensive
research, Dr. Louis came to an unusual conclusion and published his
findings in Astrophysics and Space Science, saying that the cause
of these red cells was of extraterrestrial origin.[iv]
Before you dismiss this finding as another tall statement, the
hypothesis has found significant backing by none other than Chandra
Wickramsinghe,
Professor of Applied Mathematics at the Cardiff University & Director of
the Cardiff Center for Astrobiology, who along with Fred Hoyle furthered
the idea of Panspermia. Loosely stated, this theory suggests that the
origin of mankind maybe traced to microbes that plummeted down to earth
during a meteor shower or a passing comet. So then are men really from
Mars? In fact Nobel Laureate Francis Crick who discovered the DNA
strongly believed in the hypothesis of ‘Directed Panspermia’. Is it
time to finally return to Mars and regain rightfully what is ours?
Elementary, dear Watson, or is it!
December 24, 2006
References
|
|
