Crick (1973) advanced the idea that life was
originally seeded on Earth from space – the idea of Panspermia. The British
astronomer Fred Hoyle and Srilankan Chandra Wickramsinghe have further raised
the possibility of Panspermia (1981).
The whole idea of Panspermia is the outcome of
inability to satisfactorily explain origin of life on Earth despite
accumulation of vast amount of data since Alexander Oparin (1924) first
published his paper on this subject. He speculated that early Earth had
reducing atmosphere. He considered it essential for Origin of life on Earth.
Even demonstration of origin of amino acids
under physico-chemical influences by Miller – Urey (1953) has not resolved the
question of spontaneous origin of life on Earth. In fact much work has been
done after Miller – Urey to bridge the gap between inanimate and animate but
still spontaneous transformation of inanimate into animate remains a matter of
faith and belief. Till date, it is not possible to even conjecture spontaneous
origin of a single polypeptide chain, what to talk about spontaneous origin of
the simplest biological cell.
The gap between inanimate and animate remains
as wide as ever.
Demonstration of amino acids, purine and pyrimidine
bases in meteorites bombarded on earth, specifically Murchison meteorite; and
presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in space does not tell us anything
about origin of life, whether on Earth or elsewhere. These findings only
indicate feasibility of spontaneous origin of these chemicals under
physico-chemical influences and nothing more.
All the work done so far demonstrates only one
or more aspect of ‘life like activity’ but does not explain origin of life
itself. Known properties of RNA are far
from constituting life. Even recent analytical study by Bokov and Steinberg
(2009) indicating feasibility of step-by-step evolution of ribosome at
structural level beginning from a small core leaves much to be desired to
constitute life.
Theory of extraterrestrial origin of terrestrial
life, i.e. Theory of Panspermia may provide some relief from the question of
explaining origin of life on Earth but it lands us into the question of
explaining origin of life in extra-terrestrial space. So, we aren’t in any
better position with our original question.
Theory of extraterrestrial origin of life leads
to further questions. If life was seeded from space, than how could it be found
5 Km below the surface of Earth in the form of extremophiles bacteria or 9000
meters below sea level on the ocean floor of Galapagos rift in the form of
Poganophora. Barophillic Marine microbes have been found at more than 10 Km
depth in Marianas Trench. Therefore, distribution of life on Earth is
inconsistent with extraterrestrial origin of life.
Theory of Panspermia also raises the question
of adaptation or survival of alien life under the conditions seen on Earth. All
the available evidence indicates that alien life if any, must have originated
under quite different environmental conditions than seen on Earth. So, how
could alien life survive on Earth and evolve to the present state? Gradual
adaptation over an immense period of time in line with Darwinism is more easily
said than can be done.
Hence, Theory of Panspermia or Extraterrestrial
Origin of life is nothing but scientific fiction created with the sole purpose,
to divert attention from the question of origin of life.
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