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Milky Way Star Births May Have Influenced Life
eldavojohn writes "Space.com has an interesting article that speculates that the period when our galaxy was giving birth to stars resulted in huge fluctuations and impact on earth. From the article, 'Some 2.4 billion years ago when the Milky Way started upping its star production, cosmic rays — high-speed atomic particles — started pouring onto our planet, causing instability within the living. Populations of bacteria and algae repeatedly soared and crashed in the oceans.' Causes one to wonder what the probability for life arising on a planet is given that our own seemed to be in a very unique situation on many different counts."
Most people will agree that humans are still special even if we find an advanced civilization outside our solar system. However, the majority of Christians (and other religions) believe we were placed here by a supreme being in his likeness and the whole universe is ours and ours alone. The idea of another race of beings on another planet would basically shatter the definition of life created by the church.
I think that most Christians (and other religions) could accept the concept of life beyond Earth without having their faith completely shattered. Hell, the Catholic Church is more or less accepting of evolution as a concept (though "guided" by God as they say). The Fundies might have a problem with it, but then, what don't they have a problem with?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.