Comments on: Moonlighting as a Conjurer of Chemicals

By: Chris Stacey

Chris Stacey — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:46:44 +0000

Sorry Rob – should have stated that as ‘directed panspermia’ (i.e. it was a direct result of extraterrestrial influence). Not sure I like the word ‘panspermia’ now, is sounds a little dirty, possibly requiring an umbrella…

By: alan

alan — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:06:29 +0000

“Sir Isaac Newton was a towering genius”
Isaac. What exactly is dark matter and dark force? And will you have to create a “special” theory, to fit them into your personal understanding of reality?

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:14:38 +0000

Panspermia is not so unlikely – what about fungal spores on a meteorite? Or frozen bacteria travelling on a comet? Who knows… not impossible.
I don’t know about the intelligent aliens seeding planets though. At least, I hope not – we could be dinner!

By: roz

roz — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:36:55 +0000

one of my favorite people. he was innerested in absolutely everything!

By: Chris Stacey

Chris Stacey — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:07:49 +0000

It’s interesting to consider that one of the most influencial scientific minds also entertained mystical beliefs, but it’s not entirely uncommon in scientific circles. Francis Crick (one of the fathers of the discovery of DNA) believed in the concept of panspermia – that DNA was engineered and seeded throughout the universe by intelligent aliens. Conversely, Einstein initially refused to believe that the universe was expanding as a result of the Big Bang – something we now take for granted and he later called the “biggest blunder” of his career. Beliefs are funny things and we should be open-minded, but as Carl Sagan once said: “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:52:18 +0000

Did he build a working particle accelerator? Or a fission device?
Who knows what he would have achieved if he had today’s technology.
Maybe we will find a steampunk – style fusion generator, with cams and pistons pumping, which clunks and whirs and spits out tiny nuggets of frozen helium (and is operated by leprechauns).
“God damn you machine, I wish to create gold, not these blisteringly frigid ice crystals that sublimate sputtering and steaming on my floor!”
*kicks machine, gets back to work*

By: Choice Gardening

Choice Gardening — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:18:42 +0000

It would be very interesting to see what is found in his private works, the man was clearly a genius. maybe he discovered how to turn base metals into Gold