The search for extraterrestrial life presents challenges, leading astronomers to shift their focus towards understanding how life would survive in the vastness of space. Panspermia, a theory that proposes the transfer of living organisms between planets and stars through celestial bodies like meteorites, offers a plausible explanation.
Scientists posit that if life becomes unsustainable on one exoplanet, species capable of panspermia will seek new habitable environments by hitching a ride on passing meteoroids. As these life-bearing meteoroids land on recipient planets, they could introduce and establish life, potentially transforming the planet’s atmosphere and resemblance to the alien life form’s home planet.
The concept of panspermia suggests that life may not necessarily originate on a single ‘home’ planet but could have emerged on multiple exoplanets with suitable conditions for survival. This theory aligns with the understanding that our universe has experienced a tumultuous past, with celestial bodies frequently colliding and exchanging materials throughout history.
The theory proposes that even if an attempt at life on one exoplanet fails, the journey continues, seeking those elusive ‘Goldilocks’ conditions for survival. This notion challenges the conventional belief that life originates on a single planet and instead presents the fascinating possibility of life’s scattered beginnings across the cosmos.
