Survival: The Ultimate Mission. Robert M.D. Skaf

by billions of years if atom formation or particlation is accelerated where it would turn our star into a giant one which will eventually blow up into pieces. However, should the sun fail to acquire more mass through this process, we would end up with a tiny star or a dwarf star, if not a red giant. As one can observe, the life of a star is very complex and therefore impossible to predict. Simply put, there are too many factors involved in the process. We are talking billions of years of volatile and extreme nuclear reactions. For instance, millions of years can go by without any changes, whereas an expansion or a contraction can go on for over billion years. All indications are that most stars experience both phenomena until they die off or blow up. Perhaps, in the future, scientists would be able to monitor all solar activities and properties with greater accuracy. This is when they will discover that there are certain activities that may cause the sun to expand, where others may result in diminishing its density. The changes in the climate our planet experienced during its history confirm my theory. It is for this reason that it would be impossible to know when our sun is going to die off. Any guess could be billions of years off the mark. Mind you, this is nothing in cosmological terms. Things become completely different with black holes. In addition to reaching a temperature to form atoms, unlike any star, it becomes a furnace with an endless supply of dark matter which can be drawn from all universes, in theory at least. I suspect, the atom formation does not stop, it only becomes much slower. As the black hole grows large enough to pull everything together and thus forming a cosmic stellar dust which gravity would prevent any particle or sub-particle or even heat to escape, only the outer layer of the cloud would be hot enough to atomize sub particles. Once the sub-atomic matters in and around the center, basically most of the stellar cloud, finally atomize, they become stable, and consequently, their temperature starts to cool down causing this huge cloud - which could be the size of a universe - to break up into smaller ones. Stars begin to take shape as these clusters further cool off. This scenario is much similar to what happens on earth with colliding clouds. In this case the end products are rain, thunder and lightning. If one finds this example to be short in conviction, or has difficulty in understanding gravity, one needs only observe how static electricity is created out of the most passive organic matters such as cotton and wool. Just the fact that stars are born is the proof that at some point, the process of particlation or plasmation takes place in the universe.

      Not only does the universe stay in motion. Not only does it keep re-creating itself, but the dynamics, phenomena, forces and aspects resulting from this interaction, themselves become part of the equation, of the total picture if you will. In more ways than one, the compelling force becomes part of the universe as well. Even long after the dust settles (literally and figuratively) and chaos gives birth to stars and planets; everything in the universe has to stay active. As stated earlier, in essence the universe itself becomes a created continuous creation and may be calling it as such would be a more accurate description of what it is. There is no existence without some sort of continuous creation or transformation, be it physical, biological, spiritual or intellectual. In a bizarre way, in the case of massive object, the mass becomes controlled by a force of its own creation. The atom becomes controlled by weak and strong forces. We as humans go through the same experience on daily basis. Anyone in business easily becomes controlled by whatever enterprise he or she may create. I happen to be in a position to offer a first-hand experience about this phenomenon: as a grocer who runs his own grocery store, the business which is my own creation controls my life. The time I decide to get up, go to bed, eat, exercise, and socialize is completely controlled by what happens at the store. Here, like in every enterprise, the operation takes a life of its own and becomes an invisible force that is able to control everyone involved - its own creator included. Artists quickly slip into being obsessed by their dreams. In their case, their vision takes hold of their lives. The universes also may turn out to be controlled by an unknown super electro-magnetic force. Conversely, if the universe happens to be the creation of God, it is very doubtful that God was in a position to foresee that his own creation would end up being controlled by an unexpected force - at least the Bible does not make any revelation about any of the forces known to us. Not only that, but as we shall observe later on in our discussion, the new emerging force, which we called the continuous creation or the continuous transformation force in the case of matter, will also prove to be the overriding force of all forces. This is the most compelling all-encompassing force that does not allow anything in existence to escape its grip. Other forces may not be present everywhere, the force of continuous creation is. All in all, in the case of the physical universe, once the atom is fused, it becomes more like a stem cell. Each atom somehow ends up being programmed in a certain manner, each ends up governed with certain entropy, all of which can have a different effect each time it interacts with other elements. Take the Tyndall effect for instance. The interaction of light and the earth atmosphere makes the skies appear to be blue. This takes place despite the fact that air is a colorless gas. The point here is that as human beings, we have no control over the forces of the universe, nor can we anticipate the outcome of its phenomena or effects - albeit, we may able to understand and manipulate them. We are only in a position to control our actions. It is in how we work together, in how we cooperate, in how we discharge our social and civil duties, in how we plan, in how we intend to survive beyond the confine of this planet; these are the actions that can help us control the outcome of our destiny. Our success in making our world a better place to live in greatly depends on us. Reaching our long term goal of devising a workable plan to colonize a different planet is going to require more than the cooperation of few individuals, any task of such a magnitude is going to need the effort of all nations. From what I see, God has not been able to do much for us on earth, it is very doubtful that he or she is going to be available to save us when this planet is going to die - providing humanity survive until then. What I am saying here is not new. Anyone who is an existentialist or is familiar with this philosophy will find my views to be very similar.

      After offering a glimpse on how the continuous creation manifests itself in space, we can draw the conclusion that to exist, the mass has to go beyond being just a passive matter, it has to be in a state of a continuous transformation and creativity. We can also conclude that this transformation is not caused by any supernatural force; it is triggered by the natural interaction of any masses -regardless of their sizes. Again the best way to understand how forces come to be is by observing static electricity or gravity. Moreover, the fact that randomness and chance play a big role in what results as a consequence of such occurrence should make anyone who believes in the supernatural re-examine his or her conviction. We now move on beyond physics and atoms to provide a picture of what goes on as chemical elements, by interacting amongst themselves, create a universe of their own, which becomes a parallel universe in more ways than one. In fact the physical universe itself is the product of an earlier universe that may still exist without our knowledge.

      BEYOND BIOLOGY

      THE LEAP TO INTELLIGENCE

      (Is it an evolution or a continuous creation? We must belong to a species that has discovered billions of years ago that biological evolution on its own does not suffice to help us survive beyond a certain planet or certain earth.)

      It has been established that matter is able to transmute and create forces on its own. Now it becomes relevant to establish how an atom is able to give rise to a living thing. By a living thing we mean anything that is able to self-replicate or reproduce on its own. As in the case of the universe, life must have had a very simple origin. Before we even get started, let me advise you that it would be useful to think in terms of parallels as opposite to angles. (Incidentally, the strands of our DNA happen to be shaped in a parallel configuration which perhaps explains why scientists will one day understand how it functions, whereas in the case of primary matter they may never be determined, for they have no parallel to use as a comparison.) Let me elaborate: you are thinking in angular terms when you are trying very hard to know everything about all facets of everything; on the other hand, you are thinking in parallel terms when you are admitting that it is impossible to think in angular terms for no one is able to know everything about any particular thing. Let me tell you why we are not capable of thinking in angular terms. As we all know an angle is made of two lines that start from one point and shoot into two different directions. Now pretend you are one line and the subject matter is the other line. If one is aiming to know everything about something one