Seed Planet

Earth has life because it is the seed planet of the universe. When earth goes life will then spread outward into the universe.

What do you think? How could the earth plant life elsewhere exactly?

reply to post by WarJohn


I don't believe that Earth is a 'seed planet', I do believe that life on earth was planted by a seed from elsewhere. I think life exists all over the universe and the slightest amount of contamination on a new world can evolve and spread. Before the Earth dies, we will have touched and infected many other planets I'm sure.

Where is Earth going. What do you think. Why are you asking. What is the basis of your post.

Des

reply to post by WarJohn


Earth may not be the "seed planet" but one one countless planets that have been "seeded" per se (although not necessarily intentionally seeded).

Think of it this way: Every element heavier than lithium was created inside a star. The heavier elements inside your own body were once in the middle of a long-dead star. When those stars go super-nova, they spread those elements throughout the galaxy as interstellar dust. These elements react with each other in this interstellar dust, and create organic compounds (NOT life, but the building blocks that can become life).

These interstellar clouds provide the material for what will eventually become a new solar systems. In these solar systems, these organic compounds are found in comets, dust, and meteorites, plus were in the stuff the planets formed from. Studies we have done with interstellar dust (such as the dust captured by NASA's "Stardust" mission (Link to Stardust Mission) have shown these building blocks of life are present.

The Earth (you, me, and everything on it) exists because of other long-dead stars -- stars which could have had their own inhabited planets circling around them.

Carl Sagan was being quite literal when he famously said "We are made of star-stuff".

So it is probably more accurate to say that exploding stars are what spreads the "Seeds of life" throughout the universe. Our own Sun won't go supernova (it isn't the right kind of star), but in a few billion years our Sun will throw off some of its outer layers. Those outer layers will drift through space and may someday contribute material (although not life itself) to a new solar system that may one day give rise to another intelligent civilization.