Voyager Online: Sci Facts

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So you're into sci fi? But what about sci fact? Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction...

Each month our very own Voyager Science Queen* will bring you interesting, quirky and downright bizarre tid bits from the world of science. And its all completely, totally, 100% true!

December Sci-Facts

The Meaning of Life…

So, what is the answer to that age-old question?
Yes, I know the pat answer to this is 42; God bless the memory of Douglas Adams for giving us this perfect insight, as it’s a very deep, ‘Zen’ response, but I want to look at the question from a different angle. And no, I’m not going to quote any Monty Python skits, either…well, maybe, just one or two.
Instead, ask yourself this: What circumstances brought about the conditions for Earth to develop intelligent life?

Third Rock from the Sun

Our planet has unique properties. It is the densest planet in our Solar System. It has such a large moon that, really, the Earth and the Moon are twin planets. Water and oxygen are found here in unusually large quantities.
Dense: If the Earth weren’t so dense, it wouldn’t retain its atmosphere. Mars is not just a smaller planet than Earth, it is also much lighter; its atmosphere has boiled off into space. Venus is nearly equal in size, and so retains a dense, and intensely poisonous atmosphere.
The Moon: The Moon is not truly unique, the Pluto/Charon binary system is similar, but our satellite is composed of rock and not ice. It was vital for the proper development of our planet. The moon has help slow our rotation, and creates the tides. As well, it has helped draw off the lighter elements in our atmosphere, which is partially why we don’t have the same lethal mix as Venus.
Water and Oxygen: Do I have to point out the obvious? Without water, there would be no life on Earth. Our bodies are more than 70% water, which is why it is important to drink two litres of water a day.
It was the development of oceanic life that started the chain reaction that ended up with so much oxygen in our atmosphere. At the moment, the oxygen levels are maintained by physics and biology. If there were a higher level of oxygen, anything combustible would go up in a moment and the world would suffer from constant flash fires. When the levels drop, usually due to an increase in carbon dioxide, the vegetation flourishes (both in the sea and on the land), and oxygen levels creep up. Unfortunately, this process isn’t failsafe, and mankind can interfere with the proper functioning of this process.

The true measure of a man

Lets skip all the evolutionary guff, and get straight down to it: what makes us different? We are the tool-using ape? The naked ape? The fish-eating ape?
The characteristics that set humankind apart are more basic than that.
Age: Human beings live the longest of all the primates, and we have the longest childhood in relation to our lifespan. This means that the extra time we spend in growing-up increases our level of social and intellectual education. As well, grandparents, and other elders, are available for the care of infants; this leaves the healthy, adult population free to develop farming and culture. The other primates have to spend most of their adult life in the care of their infants, and in just surviving. Most chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans haven’t the time to go off and invent the wheel, or digital watches.
Social Memory: Language is important, but a spoken tradition can fail. Maybe there is a plague, and all the wise elders die off before they can pass on their knowledge. Or there are small mistakes that accumulate as each generation passes on the sacred knowledge. This can’t happen when the knowledge is written down. The written word is vitally important to the development of mankind’s culture. Even the so-called ‘primitive’ cultures usually have some form of written or artistic communication, such as cave paintings or totems.
Ideas: As amazing as it might seem, there is no such thing as ‘Truth’. The same goes for ‘Beauty’, ‘Faith’ or ‘Justice’. These are concepts invented within the human mind. No animal would die for a concept, but people do. People have invented a reality all of their own, as a part of the human culture. This is unique to humankind.

***

Now, this is a very, very simplified version, involving only a fraction of the ‘why’ the Earth has developed intelligent life. You have to understand this: you are here to ask the questions, so the Earth HAD to be able to support the evolution of intelligent life. So, I’m working backward from the known facts. This is often how scientific method works, by asking itself “Why is this so?”
And so, let me finish with my Christmas message for all of you:
The real meaning of life is to live your life to the full, and not hide away from life. Ask questions. Seek hidden facts. And I’ll be here in the New Year to add my own twist to the tale. Be safe and stay happy

*The Voyager Science Queen is also known as Lynne Green

So, who is this woman who attempts to entertain us with Science?

Well, I really am a scientist. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Queensland, in Zoology. And, at the moment, I am working in a Pathology laboratory.

I have always been intensely curious about every aspect of our universe, from the teeny tiny workings of the gene right up to the mind-bending forces that are twisting and knotting inside a blackhole. So, now I am sharing a brain stuffed full of trivia…and hopefully entertaining people at the same time.

As well, I write Fantasy stories and novels. One day, I hope to have a book published, but don't hold your breath. Reading is my other major love, and my favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Isaac Asimov, though I could list hundreds of others. If I had one wish, I ask for more time to write!

Read previous Sci-Facts:

As the worm turns
Forensics
A Grab Bag of Facts
Bits and Bobs
Australian Achievements
Getting Your Attention
May Sci-Facts
After the Big Bang
The Big Bang
Ashes to ashes; Dust to dust
Twists in the tale
Robots in the Swim and other things
The Tachyon and other things

Looking for more scientific oddities? Have you checked out Dr Steven Juan's website? He is, quite literally, the wizard of odds!