Dr S S Mantha
Our Universe is a host to galaxies, stars, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, nebulae, blackholes, dark matter, dark energy and a million other things. While the multiverse theory suggests there are many more universes that exist with different physical laws, constants, or even different dimensions, the bubble universe theory proposes the idea of bubble universes within a larger multiverse, and the parallel universe theory, an interpretation of quantum mechanics, suggests that every quantum event spawns multiple universes, each containing a different outcome. That in short is multiple universes.
However, is our Earth the only place where life exists? How did life initially originate on Earth? Is it possible that the vastness of the universe and the diversity of environments within our own solar system and beyond, also have life? At least in a different form? Can life adapt and thrive in harsh conditions, like it does on Earth, elsewhere in the universe?
Hinduism has several philosophical and mythological perspectives on the creation of life and the universe. Rigveda discusses creation through ‘Purusha,’ the cosmic being and ‘Hiranyagarbha,’ the cosmic egg. One particular hymn ‘Nasadiya Sukta’ reveals the origin of the universe, when there was neither existence nor non-existence, only darkness. It reflects on the ancient philosophical contemplation on the origin of the universe, expressing the mystery of creation and the limits of human understanding when pondering the ultimate questions of existence.
It describes the ‘Trimurti,’ consisting of ‘Brahma’ the creator, ‘Vishnu’ the preserver, and ‘Shiva’ the destroyer as representing the various aspects of the cosmic process. The cyclic nature of creation, preservation, and destruction, known as ‘Srishti,’ creation, ‘Sthiti,’ maintenance, and ‘Laya,’ dissolution is fundamental to Hindu cosmology. The concept of ‘samsara’ and ‘karma’ are inbuilt into this, governed by the law of cause and effect.
Panspermia is a hypothesis that suggests that life exists throughout the universe and can be distributed from one location to another, potentially seeding life on various celestial bodies, including planets, moons, and asteroids. Scientists have found that the meteorites that have fallen to Earth contain organic compounds and even microfossils. Why cannot Panspermia be the universal truth? This could be speculative, but then speculation leads to inquisition, innovation in thought and then research. Research leads to truths. Haven’t great inventions started off with speculation? Electricity, space travel, computer, internet, submarines, and wireless communication, all started with theoretical assumptions. In fact, artificial intelligence, and intelligent machines, without which we cannot live today, date back to ancient times and are rooted in myths and stories.
Theories in Hinduism and Panspermia could be speculative. However, seen closely, there is a huge value proposition. They both propose that life is not unique to Earth but is a universal phenomenon and that it can exist in simple life forms, such as microorganisms or complex forms such as the extremophiles. Doesn’t life exist in extreme environments on Earth, such as deep-sea vents, acidic lakes, and frigid regions? If it can exist here, why can’t it in other spaces? Panspermia hypothesis also suggests that life can be transferred from one celestial body to another through cosmic impacts such as between meteoroids, comets, which could then carry dormant life forms, or through natural processes like radiation pressure, where microscopic particles could travel between planets. Can this phenomenon lead to seeding of life? These transported life forms, or the chemical precursors necessary for life, could arrive on suitable environments like planets or moons, potentially seeding or influencing the development of life there.
Panspermia is a fascinating concept that addresses the question of the origins of life and the potential for life beyond Earth. Organic compounds, the building blocks of life, have been found in various celestial bodies like comets, asteroids, and even interstellar space. This suggests that the necessary ingredients for life exist beyond Earth, though the presence of organic molecules does not guarantee the existence of life. The research, of course, must continue which might need astrobiology, studying extremophiles, meteorites, and the conditions on other planets and moons to understand the possibility of life elsewhere in the cosmos.
Doesn’t both Hinduism and Panspermia explain the life's origins then? Couldn’t life have started elsewhere and spread throughout the universe, rather than originating solely on Earth? Certainly, extreme temperatures, radiation, and vacuum, are harsh and could be destructive to organic molecules and life forms. But then doesn’t life thrive, albeit in different forms?