August 8, 2000, AP - London:
"Astronomers said Monday that they have found nine new planets circling starts outside our solar system - evidence that the Earth and its neighbors
may not be as special as we like to think."
We KNOW that tiny organisms can and do exist in extreme conditions
On our Earth we see animals living in over 600 degrees and at below freezing conditions.
We see lower animal forms in extreme both high and low pH conditions.
The most significant change (in the eyes of people on the planet Earth) since OUR solar system's formation,
is the development of life on THIS planet. Earth is the only planet known to support life AS WE KNOW IT.
Our planet is at just the right distance from the Sun for life AS WE KNOW IT;
the temperature is warm enough for liquid water, and we have a thick, protective atmosphere.
Our scientists tell us that the first one-celled organisms (AS WE KNOW IT) appeared on this Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago,
and perhaps as early as 4 billion years ago.
Larger, more complex life forms (scientist BELIEVE) did not appear on OUR planet until about 600 million years ago.
Life exists on other planets.
Life probably has evolved elsewhere in the solar system. We would bet on it. We believe it and we have "faith" that there is
life on other planets. No, we won't try to start a holy war over that concept nor will we say that you won't be going to
"heaven" if you don't agree or believe as we do. We do not believe (but we don't know) that life on other planets is "like" us.
Scientists have found evidence that microscopic life might have also inhabited Mars about 3.6 billion years ago.
They are certain that water once flowed across the Martian surface, and might even still exist in underground reservoirs,
raising a hope that Mars might yet STILL be inhabited by simple organisms.
For us this raises a major concern. When we eventually land, take samples, etc. we might be introducing strain of animals and
life that might kill all of us on this Earth when they are taken back to our planet.
Liquid water also appears to exist on one of Jupiter's moons, on Europa, beneath a mantle of ice.
Complex organic molecules are abound on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, although temperatures there are so
cold that water appears to be frozen solid. And organic molecules exist in icy comets, leading some to
suggest that comets brought the "seeds" for life to Earth and other planets and moons, too.
For us our universe is similar to our oceans with coconuts, tree stumps and the like, drifting from island to island, from continent to continent,
introducing plants and animals everywhere. We eblieve that there littlerly are trillions of planets with life on them.
Maybe not with life with humans and dinosaurs (we don't know that much yet) but with life never the less.
We'd love your ideas and suggestions. Please email us
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