Ancient Life as Old as the Universe

> offering more evidence for the theory that life on Earth was seeded from outer space. This hypothesis seems to be getting more and more traction. There is an excellent recent video on topic from Kurzgesagt [0]. Interesting that neither the video nor the article uses the name panspermia[1] to refer to the hypothesis. I wonder why that is. Wikipedia also states that "[the fringe theory] is also criticized because it cannot be tested experimentally". Can't it? If we ever find an organism based on DNA compatible with organisms on Earth, wouldn't that validate it? [0] ▶ this video [1] [link]

in “NASA asteroid sample contains life-critical water and carbon” · View on HN

One of the main ideas explained in this video is that the very early universe (i.e. the universe “right after the Big Bang” in cosmic timescales) might have been habitable for a short period of time. During this time window, the right temperature to support life wouldn’t have been restricted to the proximity of stars, but would have instead taken place absolutely everywhere in space due to the intrinsic temperature of the universe itself. [link] ▶ this video

in “Antarctic fungi survive Martian conditions on the International Space Station” · View on HN

Not before the Big Bang, but this is interesting -- what if life developed when the entire universe was in the habitable zone? ▶ this video

in “Comets that 'bounce' from planet to planet could spread life across the universe” · View on HN

Kurzgesagt just posted a video that speculates that life was possible every where when the entire universe was at the temperature range of liquid water as it cooled after the big bang. ▶ this video

in “NASA finds water and organics in asteroid sample–possible clues to life's origin” · View on HN