Have you ever wondered why, despite Captain Kirk’s relentless voyages into the farthest reaches of the universe — driven by the iconic call to go where no one has gone before — he so often encounters life forms that feel oddly familiar? Beyond the obvious explanation that each episode springs from the imagination of screenwriters, whose creativity is inevitably shaped by their own human experiences, might there be a deeper, more fundamental reason behind the recurring outcomes of Kirk’s adventures?
The answer, quite possibly, is yes.
What follows is a straightforward, axiomatic account of how life might arise across disparate regions of the universe — and why, despite vast cosmic diversity, it may still be bound to a biological paradigm strikingly similar to the one we know on Earth, and the one Captain Kirk encounters time and again.
While you read through it, please remember that although I have some background in physics, and would not venture into the realm of absurd speculations, try not to split hairs at the “physics” statements below. If it is more palatable, take these words as science fiction (that my immediate family loves to read) that is grounded in some reality of physical laws as we know them now.
Since it is an axiomatic approach, let us start with a few axioms (with less being better).
Axiom 1: Atoms are the constructing blocks for everything in the universe.
Axiom 2: The Big Bang happened and created a uniform soup of matter (i.e., atoms) and energy.
Starting with a uniform distribution of matter, random fluctuations in its density would result in lumpiness in some parts of the nascent universe, and those lumps subsequently evolved into stars and galaxies we observe today.
All stars, at their core, are engaged in thermonuclear fusion which is “necessary” to counteract the inward gravitational pressure of surrounding gas of atoms, and in the process, release energy. If they do not then the gaseous cloud will compress inwards and implode to become black holes or some other super dense object.
This energy from thermonuclear fusion heats up the core of the stars. This heat conducts outwards towards the surface, warms up the outer layers and is radiated into the space as photons.
The spectral density of the energy that is radiated outward depends on the temperature of the outer layer of the star (which is determined by the size of the star and how actively thermonuclear fusion has to work to counter the inward pressure of the surrounding gas) and the elemental structure of the outer layers (which dominated by the first element in the periodic table — hydrogen).
The photons coming out of the stars traveling through the empty space are the source of energy that is available for consumption and is the energy that reaches the planets that circle around the stars.
Although planets are also made up of the same atoms as their host star, planets are not the producers of energy via thermonuclear fusion but are consumers of the energy that falls on their surface.
With the availability of the star’s energy, atoms interact and engage in an intricate dance. Some have the affinity to bond with others and form simple molecules, which over time, form into more and more complicated molecules.
Eons pass by and the structure of molecules keeps getting complicated. A few more eons later some of the molecules, by chance, figure out that with the help of each other they can self-replicate. By doing so, they start the epic battle of natural selection — evolving structures that are more efficient in consuming the energy that is available to anyone for utilization.
And then the rest is history, bringing us to the point where I am in the process of putting these words together that you might be reading.
The energy available to these life forms originates from the radiation emitted by the star in their vicinity. The spectral density and peak wavelength — defined as the wavelength at which the emitted energy is maximized — are determined by the star’s atomic composition and its size.
The hottest stars have the peak wavelength in the ultraviolet and blue parts of the spectrum while cooler stars emit more in the red and infrared. The peak wavelength of the Sun’s emitted radiation is in the visible part of the spectrum and falls in the yellow-green region, and corresponds to a yellowish color.
The progression from atoms to simple molecules to more complex, and eventually to emergence of self-replicating molecules from which all life evolved fundamentally depends on the fact that stars are the source of energy, the peak wavelength of which falls between ultraviolet and infrared. All activity that happens on the surface of the planet circling the star evolves according to the spectral characteristics of the accompanying star.
Beginning with the axiom that atoms are the fundamental constituents of everything in the universe, we recognize that — following the Big Bang — the inevitability of random fluctuations gives rise to galaxies, stars, and planets. Embedded within this cosmic unfolding is another inevitability: the emergence of life forms. And with it, a constraint — that these life forms, regardless of where they arise, are likely to follow a similar biological paradigm. This is because…
…because the spectral density of stellar radiation is governed by physical laws, life throughout the universe is constrained by the energy available from stars with broadly similar spectral profiles. This shared constraint shapes the biochemical possibilities for life, nudging it toward familiar paradigms as on the Earth— regardless of where it emerges.
No wonder, whether it is Klingons or some other friend or a foe, Captain Kirk keeps encountering similar biological forms as us.
Ciao.
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