The Transition from Earth-centred Biology to Cosmic Life#

Abstract

A paradigm shift with potentially profound implications has been taking place over the past 3 decades. The convergence of research in diverse disciplines points to life being a cosmic phenomenon. A near-infinite information content of life appears to have evolved on a cosmological scale over vast distances, and enormous spans of time. It appears highly unlikely that life could have emerged from chemicals in "some warm little pond" on the Earth; in contrast we maintain that every species of life on the Earth, including Homo sapiens, is in essence the result of an assembly of cosmologically derived viral genes. The ingress of such genes that continues to the present day led to their accommodation within the genomes of evolving lineages, sifted according to the "natural processes of selection", a mechanism first enunciated by Patrick Matthews and later used by Darwin. The evidence for this point of view has now grown to the point where we believe, it will soon need to be accepted by the majority of the scientific community. This is particularly critical, since we suggest that new diseases capable of threatening Man's existence could arrive to Earth from space. Moreover, we need to understand that we must live in harmony with the Earth and its ever-changing biosphere if we are to coexist with it.

Dangers of Adhering to an Obsolete Paradigm: Could Zika Virus Lead to a Reversal of Human Evolution?

“…With current estimates of over 100 billion habitable planets in our galaxy alone [6] such an extension, admitting the concepts of panspermia, would seem entirely reasonable. Over the past decade there has been growing evidence (still being refuted) for microorganisms currently entering the stratosphere of the Earth [1,2]. Ignoring this possibility of a continuing input of microbial and viral genes to the Earth from the external universe might be fraught with imminent danger.…”

“…One of us (EJS) recently evaluated the evidence for Panspermia independently assembled by co-author NCW and his associates, principally with Fred Hoyle, over the past 40 years [1,2]. In EJS's considered opinion the weight of evidence for the H-W Panspermia theory is on such a scale and so overwhelming in its specific details that it would easily convince a jury of objective scientists if not ordinary citizens.…”

“…New life-forms must be generated by the cosmic viral-induced speciation events strongly implied by all the data assembled by Hoyle, Wickramasinghe and their colleagues these past 40 years [1,2].…”

“…There remain many unanswered questions pertaining to sudden phenotype changes -bursts of speciation, as evidenced in the Metazoan explosion 540 million years ago, and also periodic episodes of mass extinction [1][2][3]. Fred Hoyle and one of the present authors (NCW) argued from 1980 onwards that new genetic information derived from viruses plays a major role in the onward sweep of evolution.…”