Terraforming Mars

[dcmike]

There is a need for all theories - because if they are germinated in an environment of mere possibility they they are not discounted until proven wrong. Many scientists have been inspired to create what they saw as children in science fiction - many openly state this.

If there is no need for one theory there may be "no need" for another and another. This effect is well proven by a study of religious history.

Many times things are proven wrong by today's wisdom and later exonerated by a more sophisticated study.

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by dcmike

I am not a biophysicist by any means but life appears to be universal if carried around in the water content of comets. It is believed by some experts that life here was seeded in this manner as part of the tons of dust and debris that fall to Earth each year.

This first part of your post revels your total lack of knowledge on the subject, No real scientist believes comets carry life, viral or other wise. this in not a theory, it's not even a decent hypothesis, it's just Saturday night stoned BS. The rest of your post is also totally at odds with observable facts. You ignore CraigD's real science then you give a snake oil salesman as a reference and then end with an obscenity. You are a class act no doubt.

[freeztar]

There's quite a few scientists that believe in exogenesis via comets, actually.

Here's a link from ScienceDaily on a journal article:
Did Life Begin In Space? New Evidence From Comets

The Cardiff team suggests that radioactive elements can keep water in liquid form in comet interiors for millions of years, making them potentially ideal "incubators" for early life. They also point out that the billions of comets in our solar system and across the galaxy contain far more clay than the early Earth did. The researchers calculate the odds of life starting on Earth rather than inside a comet at one trillion trillion (10 to the power of 24) to one against.

Professor Wickramasinghe said: "The findings of the comet missions, which surprised many, strengthen the argument for panspermia. We now have a mechanism for how it could have happened. All the necessary elements - clay, organic molecules and water - are there. The longer time scale and the greater mass of comets make it overwhelmingly more likely that life began in space than on earth."

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by freeztar

There's quite a few scientists that believe in exogenesis via comets, actually.

Here's a link from ScienceDaily on a journal article:
Did Life Begin In Space? New Evidence From Comets

Freeztar, there is a difference between primitive life growing in a large comet and comets spreading viruses around the solar system causing epidemics. Any primitive life forms in comet would be very limited to how far they could progress in the limited environment of a slowly freezing comet. In fact the comet theory is not exactly the end all of the origin of life.

Abiogenesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Moontanman

Freeztar, there is a difference between primitive life growing in a large comet and comets spreading viruses around the solar system causing epidemics. Any primitive life forms in comet would be very limited to how far they could progress in the limited environment of a slowly freezing comet. In fact the comet theory is not exactly the end all of the origin of life.

Abiogenesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't get me wrong MTM, I prefer abiogenesis, but I also prefer to leave the possibilities open for now, seeing as neither has been proven satisfactorily, imho.

As for your criticisms of the comet theory, the life inside a comet might not be on a fast track of evolution, but things might change when it is suddenly "dethawed" during entry/collision.

My biggest problem with the comet exogenisis theory is that one has to consider comets the perfect bio-incubators, just waiting to smash into a suitable growing environment.

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by freeztar

consider comets the perfect bio-incubators, just waiting to smash into a suitable growing environment.

And burns to a cinder... Sounds like a NASA scientist needs money to do reseach. He could just claim there be gold in them there comets, or WMDs.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

And burns to a cinder... Sounds like a NASA scientist needs money to do reseach. He could just claim there be gold in them there comets, or WMDs.

I don't think so TB. Viriuses could easily survive an impact to something like the moon (hardly any atmosphere).

Understanding the far-flung comets that whiz through our solar system is good knowledge to have, imho.

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by freeztar

I don't think so TB. Viriuses could easily survive an impact to something like the moon (hardly any atmosphere).

Understanding the far-flung comets that whiz through our solar system is good knowledge to have, imho.

I agree,... but there does seem to be groups.... NASA, that think they need sell their projects by false advertising. If you were making 120 grand a year to do research you would tailor your theories to a public that believe in aliens and not organic chemistry. You understand ? I’m fine with research, but I do not need it packaged as a search for alien life.

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by freeztar

I don't think so TB. Viriuses could easily survive an impact to something like the moon (hardly any atmosphere).

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

I agree,... but there does seem to be groups.... NASA, that think they need sell their projects by false advertising. If you were making 120 grand a year to do research you would tailor your theories to a public that believe in aliens and not organic chemistry. You understand ? I’m fine with research, but I do not need it packaged as a search for alien life.

Well, I don't know of the specific research/projects you mention, but I'm all for exploring the cosmos!