Panspermia

Panspermia is the hypothesis that the seeds of life are prevalent throughout the universe, and furthermore that life on Earth began by such seeds landing on Earth and propagating themselves. The idea has its origins in the writings of Anaxagoras, but was first proposed in its modern form by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1879. Panspermia can be said to be either interstellar (between star systems) or interplanetary (between planets in the same solar system). There is as yet no compelling evidence to support or contradict it, although the consensus view holds that panspermia?especially in its interstellar form?is unlikely given the challenges of survival and transport in space.

Science Fiction

The theory of panspermia has been explored in a number of works of science fiction, notably Jack Finney's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (twice made into a film) and the Dragonriders of Pern books of Anne McCaffrey. In John Wyndham's book, The Day of the Triffids (also made into a film), the first person narrator, writing in historical mode, takes care to reject the theory of panspermia in favour of the conclusion that the eponymous carnivorous plants are a product of Soviet biotechnology. The book and film of The Andromeda Strain examines the consequences of a pathogenic extraterrestrial organism arriving on Earth.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Jack Finney - Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey - John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids - Soviet - Biotechnology - The Andromeda Strain

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Some works of science fiction advance a derivative of the theory as a rationalization for the improbable tendency of fictional extra-terrestrials to be strongly humanoid in form as well as living on earth-compatible worlds (see Class M planet). In Star Trek, the humanoid aliens, as well as humans themselves, are results of the cells spread through the universe by the Progenitors

Related Topics:
Class M planet - Star Trek - Humanoid - Progenitors

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Fiction writer Dan Brown also includes panspermia in the novel Deception Point.

Related Topics:
Dan Brown - Deception Point

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The novel The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle mentions that panspermia is a commonly accepted theory in that universe.

Related Topics:
The Gripping Hand - Larry Niven - Jerry Pournelle

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