Cambridge Journals Online

Research Article

The astrobiological case for our cosmic ancestry

Chandra Wickramasinghea1 c1 a1 Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology, Cardiff University, 2 North Road, Cardiff CF10 3DY, UK

Article author query wickramasinghe c

Abstract

With steadily mounting evidence that points to a cosmic origin of terrestrial life, a cultural barrier prevails against admitting that such a connection exists. Astronomy continues to reveal the presence of organic molecules and organic dust on a huge cosmic scale, amounting to a third of interstellar carbon tied up in this form. Just as the overwhelming bulk of organics on Earth stored over geological timescales are derived from the degradation of living cells, so it seems likely that interstellar organics in large measure also derive from biology. As we enter a new decade – the year 2010 – a clear pronouncement of our likely alien ancestry and of the existence of extraterrestrial life on a cosmic scale would seem to be overdue.

(Received November 20 2009)

(Accepted December 10 2009)

(Online publication January 29 2010)

Key Words:interstellar biochemicals; interstellar dust; origin of life; panspermia

Correspondence:

^c1 e-mail: ncwick@googlemail.com