other planets to have proved unsuited for it. If this is true, the assumption
that somewhere in the Universe on a given planet as the result from a
continuous evolution life has emerged should not be rejected. In this train of
thought most probably has Arrhenius been speculating admiring the sky
studded with billions starts”.
In the opinion of Arrhenius the low temperatures in space do not
have a deleterious influence on the “living germs” at the time of their
protracted and long journeys. This thesis of his is based on the results
from experiments carried out in 1906 at Jenner’s Institute in London
which have shown that bacterial spores left for 20 hours at a temperature
of minus 252°C (i.e. in the conditions of liquid hydrogen) have not lost
their reproductive capacity. These data have helped him to state the
following: “Life can be passed endlessly from one Solar system to another
or from a planet to planet in the Solar system proper” (see Solovyov,
1990).
Svante Arrhenius’s idea confronted serious objections on the part of
many authors. One of its grave defects is the fact that the time factor is
grossly neglected accepting the 20-hour stay of bacterial spores at the low
temperatures quoted as a convincing proof for the preservation of their
reproductive capacity which is extremely little compared to the time needed
for their “long journeys” in space. Besides, the UV-ray action is also ignored
which is ubiquitous in space and lethal to any living entity.
With the development of the various branches of science and the
elaboration of research techniques the extraterrestrial origin of life becomes
ever less acceptable. As it will be shown further in the book there is no
reliable evidence indicating to the transfer of “life germs” to the Earth from
other celestial bodies. Regardless of that the hypothesis of the panspermia is
backed by a number of contemporary authors (Crick, 1968, 1981; Hoyle,
Wickramasinghe, 1979; Goldanskii, 1993, etc.). Its resistance is due largely
to the fact that it is neither proved nor totally refuted, and is constantly being
modified and renovated. Such for example are the modern speculations of
“direct panspermia” — the transfer of genetic material via hypothetical
settlers belonging to a supercivilisation (Crick, 1968), virus migration from
space (Hoyle, Wickramasinghe, 1979), etc.
It is, however, necessary to note that even if the panspermia theory is
proven it will not solve the problem of life origination, since it has somewhere
emerged for the first time and the question “how” remains unanswered. More
important in the case is how it has been formed and evolved and what the
limits and conditions under which it can be sustained are. The parameters of
the living entity are limited but they vary in a relatively broad range. Many
organisms (mainly plants and animals) live and develop normally at
temperatures of 20—40°C. Bacteria and unicellular algae are found not only
on the mountain peaks covered by unmelting snow but also in the waters of
thermal sources of temperatures over 80°C. Some of them can also exist