| Does space exploration shed any light on the theory | | | | life has been discovered on Mars, or any other |
| of evolution? Not exactly. It "sheds" more darkness | | | | planet, for that matter.FAVORITISM IN NATURENow |
| than light.The phrase most often used by | | | | take what is known, what is "believed," and what is |
| evolutionists is probably "billions and billions of years:" | | | | "alleged," about earth and compare it to what is |
| "life evolved over billions and billions of years," "the | | | | known about Mars. What do you get? Verification of |
| solar system developed over billions and billions of | | | | theories? No. You get inexplicable contradictions! We |
| years," "the universe has been expanding for billions | | | | live on a planet where life proliferates in virtually |
| and billions of years." It almost seems as if these | | | | every nook and cranny. You'd be hard pressed to |
| accounts of the evolution of our universe are | | | | find a place on earth where there is no life |
| intended to keep people from questioning unverifiable | | | | whatsoever. And the environment doesn't seem to |
| statements. That is, how do you go about disproving | | | | matter either. Life on earth thrives under the most |
| what allegedly happened so long ago? It's quite | | | | adverse conditions.Yet, when we look at a planet |
| difficult to construct a planet in a laboratory and let it | | | | right next to us in space, what do we find? We find |
| lie around for billions and billions of years to prove | | | | a barren world with no trace of life ever having |
| that life will not create itself. Unless, of course, you | | | | existed. How's that possible?Are we to believe that |
| have a long lease.If your lease expires within the | | | | this god called evolution, who has given earth such a |
| next four and a half billion years, the following may | | | | sophisticated organ as the human brain as far back |
| be of interest to you:* In 1977 two scientists, in | | | | as two million years ago, has to this date not |
| search of hot water spewing from the ocean floors, | | | | managed to put forth on Mars so much as a dumb |
| crammed into a small research submarine named | | | | ass? Are we to believe that the same evolution |
| ALVIN and descended to the bottom of the ocean | | | | which has given earth living creatures the size of |
| near the Galapagos Islands. Finding the first | | | | dinosaurs 200 million years ago has in a staggering |
| hydrothermal vent, an opening where water heated | | | | four and a half billion years not given Mars even |
| by earth's molten interior is released into the ocean, | | | | simple one-celled organisms? Are we to believe that |
| was not nearly as fascinating as what they | | | | this glorious evolution which has to this date given |
| discovered by accident -- the vent was surrounded | | | | earth an astronomical total of literally millions upon |
| by animals never seen before. Closest to the vent, in | | | | millions of plant and animal species has in the same |
| the midst of water which sometimes exceeds 450 | | | | period not given Mars even one species of plant or |
| degrees Fahrenheit, were tube worms, some of | | | | animal?Sure the Martian environment is hostile. But |
| which were up to eight feet long.For any living | | | | then, here on earth, two miles down at the bottom |
| creature to thrive this deep in the ocean and in such | | | | of the ocean near vents which spew hot water |
| scalding water was mind boggling enough. But there | | | | mixed with hydrogen sulphide in total darkness is not |
| was more. Most animals need sunlight to survive; this | | | | exactly my idea of a summer vacation spot, either -- |
| part of the ocean gets no sunlight whatsoever.Then, | | | | it's about as hostile as an environment can get! But |
| as if to laugh in the face of what's considered | | | | life thrives there in complete defiance of what are |
| "normal" for biological life forms, these tube worms | | | | normally considered ecological adversities.Antarctica is |
| had no eyes, mouth, or intestinal tract. There may | | | | also a hostile environment. So is 25 feet underground. |
| not be much to see in the dark, but how did these | | | | So is the desert. Furthermore, in that alleged period |
| creatures eat or digest food?It took scientists years | | | | of three and a half billion years ago, the entire earth, |
| to figure out how tube worms receive their | | | | according to scientists, was hostile. Life on earth |
| nourishment. Without getting too involved with the | | | | allegedly began in an environment which would be |
| details, these tube worms have a symbiotic | | | | hostile to many of today's life forms. And many of |
| relationship with bacteria which grow in profuse | | | | today's life forms live in conditions which would have |
| quantities near the underwater vent. The bacteria | | | | been intolerable to the organisms which allegedly |
| find their way into the tube worms, literally between | | | | brought life into existence billions of years ago. But |
| their cells. The tube worms receive nutrition from the | | | | life on earth thrives in spite of it all.Life on earth goes |
| bacteria, and the bacteria in turn receive some vital | | | | even a step further. Some organisms do not simply |
| functions from the tube worm.If you think this | | | | thrive in adverse conditions, they actually become |
| sounds too bizarre, I don't blame you. Such creatures | | | | immune to conditions which are designed to kill them. |
| really do exist. And you haven't heard the most | | | | Many bacteria become resistant to antibiotics as a |
| astonishing aspect of these creatures.An additional | | | | result of being overexposed to the very drugs which |
| factor in the area around the vent makes it an even | | | | have killed them in the past. In some cases, bacteria |
| more hostile environment than described above (if | | | | even transfer this resistance to other bacteria which |
| you can imagine that). The bacteria on which the | | | | have not had such exposure to the drugs.There is a |
| tube worms depend, thrive on a chemical called | | | | species of South American bee which has become |
| hydrogen sulphide, which is found in the water | | | | immune to DDT. The bees can carry doses hundreds |
| coming from the hot vent. To most higher animals, | | | | of times the amount needed to kill other bees |
| hydrogen sulphide is as poisonous as cyanide!We've | | | | without suffering ill effects. Some mosquitoes are |
| just described a world which before its discovery | | | | also immune to DDT.So, you see, life on earth is as |
| was hard to imagine and certainly impossible to | | | | potent as it is diversified. It pushes forward, |
| predict. The hostile environment in which the tube | | | | overcoming many seemingly insurmountable |
| worms and their life-sustaining bacteria exist is truly | | | | obstacles, and sometimes in spite of these obstacles. |
| "out of this world." It makes one wonder if biological | | | | Looking at the diversity of conditions under which life |
| life forms are limited or restricted in any way | | | | on earth thrives, looking at the life forms which have |
| whatsoever to any kind of environment.* Since 1977, | | | | learned to fight environmental hazards and man-made |
| several more vents have been discovered on the | | | | poisons, it's hard to imagine life on earth ever being |
| ocean floors. Besides tube worms, other exotic | | | | completely wiped out by any kind of disaster, natural |
| animals have been found thriving in the immediate | | | | or manmade. But somehow, life on Mars has either |
| vicinity of the vents -- pink fish, snails, shrimp, | | | | been completely wiped out -- and the telltale traces |
| sulphur-yellow mussels, and foot-long clams. Similar | | | | mysteriously hidden -- or something prevented life |
| animal populations have since been discovered in | | | | from coming into existence. How do you account for |
| waters only a few degrees cooler than freezing. | | | | the complete absence of any trace of life on Mars? |
| Scientists have since found quite a few totally new | | | | Does evolution have favorites? It is totally |
| forms of life and species.In addition to the adverse | | | | inconceivable that something as powerful and as |
| conditions under which these creatures live, life | | | | diversified as life has not left its mark on Mars. |
| apparently can also survive in a wide range of | | | | Where is all the evidence of an evolutionary process? |
| temperatures.* Cacti are known to survive the most | | | | If not currently living creatures, at least bones and |
| difficult and unusual climates. Their ability to sustain | | | | fossils.Some find it difficult to explain. But is it really |
| themselves in areas of little rainfall, hot dry winds, | | | | difficult to explain? Maybe some people are just |
| low humidity, strong sunlight, and extreme | | | | looking for the wrong explanations. Maybe they're |
| fluctuations in temperature is nothing short of | | | | looking for preconceived explanations and discounting |
| phenomenal. It's almost as if the physical structures | | | | the facts. The fact is there is no sign of life or |
| of these plants, which help conserve the little water | | | | evolution on Mars.NEW LIFE FORMSLet's take this |
| they receive and shed some of the excess sunlight, | | | | one step further. Who made the life forms on earth |
| were designed by someone. Some cacti can survive | | | | the standard for life? That is, why does life have to |
| internal temperatures of near 145 degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | have anything to do with oxygen, carbon dioxide, or |
| Most plants haven't got a chance where some cacti | | | | even carbon compounds? As accidentally as life |
| prosper.* Lichens, a combination of fungus and algae, | | | | allegedly formed of what was available on earth, life |
| have been found thriving in an area of Antarctica | | | | could have formed of what ever happened to be |
| where temperatures sometimes get colder than 70 | | | | available elsewhere in space. After all, we're still |
| degrees below zero Fahrenheit. As far as hostile | | | | having problems grasping the limits to which biological |
| environments go, this seems to be the extreme | | | | life can go -- as is acutely demonstrated by tube |
| opposite of deep, dark, hot waters.* There are | | | | worms and other unusual biological life forms -- we're |
| insects in the Antarctic which produce natural | | | | certainly not close to understanding consciousness |
| "antifreeze" to keep from freezing at lower | | | | and intellect on a scientific level. We may know that |
| temperatures. Another insect in the Antarctic | | | | consciousness and intellect "attach" themselves to |
| produces anti-antifreeze. When temperatures get so | | | | certain biological systems, but we haven't the |
| low that other insects freeze to death, this natural | | | | foggiest clue as to how or why; no scientist has yet |
| compound allows this insect to freeze gradually. | | | | shown any physical relationship between a biological |
| When temperatures get warmer, the insect thaws | | | | system and the psyche. So why isn't there life on |
| and lives on.* Bacteria have been found growing an | | | | the moon? That's right, the moon's own version of |
| amazing 25 feet underground. For life to survive such | | | | "biological" life. Perhaps intelligent creatures made up |
| depths is incredible, to say the least.* There are | | | | of lunar soil which receive their nourishment through |
| animals and insects which carry venom strong enough | | | | cosmic rays?And what about Venus? Sure it's 900 |
| to cause disease and death in other living organisms, | | | | degrees there. But by astronomical standards, when |
| yet these carrying organisms are unaffected by the | | | | you talk about stars which burn at temperatures |
| venom. Mosquitoes spread yellow fever, malaria, | | | | around ten million degrees, Venus could be the |
| dengue, and encephalitis to animals thousands of | | | | "Siberia" of the Milky Way. Why are there no |
| times their size. But no mosquitoes have been known | | | | creatures there which live in a 900 degree |
| to die of these diseases. Snakes, too, discharge | | | | environment and drink sulfuric acid for nourishmentIf |
| venom which kill other animals, yet they themselves | | | | some of this sounds a little facetious, it is not meant |
| are unaffected by the poisons they carry.* Earth | | | | to be. Remember, we're not talking about a Supreme |
| now has millions of species of plants and animals. The | | | | Intelligence with a plan, design, and purpose, which |
| sheer number of species is overwhelming. The | | | | would imply that life was put precisely where it was |
| precise number of living organisms is nothing short of | | | | meant to be and nowhere else for reasons we may |
| mind boggling. And the diversity of these creatures -- | | | | or may not fully understand. We're talking about a |
| from such monstrosities as whales right down to | | | | mindless force of nature which purportedly creates |
| microscopic life forms such as the amoeba -- is | | | | life at random out of inanimate matter. What made |
| probably beyond the imagination of even Steven | | | | life on earth so "feasible" and life elsewhere so |
| Spielberg.IT IS BELIEVED . . .In the course of earth's | | | | "impossible?"A PROBLEM IN LOGICTo say that it is |
| history, about a half billion animal species have been in | | | | "difficult to explain" why life is in such abundance here |
| existence. That's a half billion before you even bring | | | | on earth yet nonexistent elsewhere in the universe is |
| plant life into the picture.IT IS ALLEGED . . .The sun, | | | | just another case of sticking one's head in the |
| earth, and the other planets in our solar system, | | | | ground. Explaining why a cigarette lighter will not |
| according to scientists, were formed about four and | | | | work underwater is only difficult for someone who |
| a half billion years ago. It is further alleged that the | | | | for some insane reason remains convinced it will work |
| most primitive forms of life already appeared on | | | | in spite of all contradictory evidence. Why it will not |
| earth about three billion years ago. Huge creatures | | | | work is not difficult to explain. The difficulty lies in |
| such as dinosaurs roamed our planet as far back as | | | | explaining why one continues to believe it will work. |
| 200 million years ago. They ruled for an enormously | | | | Similarly, why there is no extraterrestrial life is not |
| long period of over 100 million years. Finally, humans | | | | difficult to explain. Our space explorations have found |
| appeared about two to three million years ago. That | | | | the irrefutable answer: the process we call evolution |
| is, something as complex as the human brain has | | | | simply does not work. The difficulty lies in |
| allegedly been around for at least a staggering two | | | | understanding those who prefer to ignore the |
| million years. An optical instrument as sophisticated as | | | | facts.According to NASA, microorganisms were |
| the eye (of the non-human variety) has been around | | | | inadvertently taken to the moon by an unmanned |
| even longer.VERIFICATIONNow, how does one | | | | spacecraft. When the equipment of this spacecraft |
| verify how all these living organisms came into | | | | was brought back to earth more than two and a half |
| existence? That is, if you can't build your own planet | | | | years later by our astronauts, it was discovered that |
| and cultivate it for billions of years, what's the next | | | | an earth microbe had survived the lunar environment, |
| best thing? Finding a planet in outer space which has | | | | which is harsher than the Martian environment. |
| been around for as long as earth? No, that's not the | | | | Obviously, for life to have thrived on extraterrestrial |
| next best thing. That's even better.Why?Because the | | | | bodies there was no need for nature to even resort |
| science of planetary evolution, if you can call it that, | | | | to biologically "strange" creatures. In spite of the |
| is far from an exact science, to say the least. After | | | | hostile environments of these spheres, life forms |
| many years, scientists still question the generally | | | | with which we are familiar could have survived. Yet, |
| accepted view of the composition of earth's | | | | these worlds show absolutely no signs of ever having |
| atmosphere in that alleged period of three and a half | | | | been inhabited by any forms of life -- normal or |
| billion years ago. For a long time scientists believed | | | | strange. So, where does all this leave evolution? Not |
| that earth's primordial atmosphere contained little or | | | | on very solid ground.A HOSTILE EARTHStrangely, |
| no oxygen. Then, some studies suggested that | | | | even earth today, which is considered a hospitable |
| earth's atmosphere may have contained one million | | | | environment to present life forms, only gives that |
| times more oxygen than previously believed, and the | | | | appearance superficially. It took a twentieth-century |
| ultraviolet rays of the sun may have pounded earth | | | | epidemic -- AIDS -- to make us aware of the true |
| at levels thousands of times higher than | | | | hostile nature of the very environment modern man |
| today.Whether the new interpretations make any | | | | thrives in. AIDS is caused by a virus which attacks |
| more sense than the old assumptions is irrelevant. | | | | the immune system and leaves the body susceptible |
| What is relevant here is that laboratory simulations | | | | to a host of deadly diseases which are caused by |
| and scientific deductions of primordial conditions on | | | | other viruses and microbes. AIDS accentuates the |
| earth are obviously based on much guess work and | | | | grim reality that earth today is so contaminated with |
| unverifiable assumptions. So why resort to such | | | | deadly viruses and bacteria that were it not for a |
| vagrant concoctions when a real "living" planet tells | | | | complex and ingenious immune system, the average |
| the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the | | | | human being, and probably a host of other living |
| truth?LIFE ON MARSTwo Viking spacecraft landed on | | | | organisms, could not survive beyond infancy. Is outer |
| Mars as early as the summer of 1976. Viking 1 landed | | | | space really more hostile than this? Hard to imagine. |
| in the Chryse Planitia region and Viking 2 landed in the | | | | So why hasn't life in outer space evolved and |
| Utopia Planitia region. One goal of these missions was | | | | developed an immune system to ensure its survival? |
| to find life or evidence of life on Mars. The | | | | Hostile environments apparently do not deter life. |
| spacecraft spent months analyzing the Martian soil | | | | Obviously, this process we call evolution is purely the |
| and atmosphere, with no luck. More recent | | | | product of imagination -- it belongs in a Steven |
| spacecraft on Mars produced the same results -- no | | | | Spielberg movie, not in a science textbook.Josh |
| life on Mars. Not a trace of past or present life was | | | | Greenberger: A computer consultant for over two |
| found. No dinosaurs. No microorganisms. No carcasses. | | | | decades, the author has developed software for |
| No bones. No fossils. Absolutely nothing. It's become | | | | such organizations as NASA's Goddard Institute of |
| obvious to scientists that for evidence of life to be | | | | Space Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell |
| found on Mars, they'd have to send KFC up there to | | | | Laboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since 1984, |
| pluck their chickens.Of the planets we've explored to | | | | the author's literary works have appeared in such |
| date, Mars seems to resemble earth more closely | | | | periodicals as The New York Post, The Daily News, |
| than any other planet does. If life were to have | | | | The Village Voice, The Jewish Press, and others. His |
| existed anywhere else in our solar system, Mars | | | | articles have ranged from humor to scientific to |
| would probably have been the place. But no trace of | | | | topical events. Visit his site: shopndrop. |