::the open end::

Today I learned that there are somewhere between 100 billion and 1 trillion galaxies in this ever-expanding universe, an estimate made possible by the Hubble Ultra Deep Field.

I also learned that on September 28th, 1969 a meteor was observed in the heavens of Australia.  Impact happened in Murchison, Victoria.  Not just any meteor.

This one was significant due to its total collected mass [100 kg] and the fact that it was rich in organic compounds.

You see, this meteor, known to the world as the Murchison Meteor, is saturated with the building blocks of DNA and RNA.  This meteor contained the ingredients of life- amino acids, nucleotide bases, aromatic hydrocarbons, fullerenes, alcohols, amines, and amides.  And it came from space.

Not from Earth, but space, that vast region beyond our atmosphere.

Out there in the extra-terrestial, out there in space, there exists meteors with a similar organic makeup substantial enough to create life, and, in 2008, scientists proved that these meteors, including Murchison, didn’t come from Earth.

This fact becomes mind blowing when paired with the previously stated fact, namely, there is anywhere between 100 billion to 1 trillion galaxies, each with its own set of solar systems and planets.

Get it?

These fertile meteors float around like sperm in an ever-expanding arena of eggs.

All it takes is a planet with an atmosphere similar to ours and YESSS!  Life.

Doesn’t seem like much to me.

What will I learn tomorrow?

Related TOE posts:

• Barchan Dunes Pictured on Earth and Mars, Our Interplanetary Cousin
• I Have Learned :: Selected Verses
• First Tweet From Space :: Mike Massimino aka Astro_Mike
• Google Earth Visits El Prado
• Tang :: The Drink of Choice Among Gemini Astronauts