Michael N. Mautner – Seeding the Universe with Life – Securing our Cosmoloical Future – 2005

Scientist, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University,
Richmond, Virginia, USA.

First publication workshop Space: Planetary Consciousness and the Arts, in
collaboration with OURS Foundation, IAA and Maison d'Ailleurs, Yverdon, 2005

Within this century, we can start seeding other solar systems with life. We can launch the microbial representatives of our family of gene/protein life toward other young stars, using solar sails. Our astro-ecology experiments suggest that they will find fertile soils. Some of this new life can develop into intelligent beings who will promote life further in the galaxy.

Expanding life is motivated by a panbiotic ethics. These ethics can be based on the unique place of life in nature and on its drive for self-propagation. We are part of Life, which defines our purpose: to secure and propagate life, and to elevate it into a controlling force in nature. Our descendants will then promote life further, and may seek eternity. In them, our human existence will find a cosmic purpose.

Astro-ecology is the study resources for life in the Solar System and in the more distant future. The author’s research on meteorites showed that bacteria, algae and even vegetable cultures – asparagus and potato – can grow on nutrients in meteorites. Based on the measured nutrients, we can estimate the immense amounts of life that we can construct in our Solar Sytem and about billions of other stars.

This immense future will follow once we established a foothold in space to serve Earth. The book « Seeding the Universe with Life – Securing our Cosmological Future » describes briefly these benefits: Space colonies to house large populations; solar power from satellites; and the author’s proposals of solar screens to reverse greenhouse warming, and of lunar gene banks for endangered species.

Astro-ecology can be extended also to more distant eons in the future, when energy will be determinant. The book assesses the potential amounts of life about various stars in the future galaxy. These estimates, using time-integrated biomass, can quantify the immense amounts of potential future life.

We can realize this immense future if we are guided by appropriate ethics. A panbiotic ethics can be based the scientific view of life: the complexity that makes us unique in nature; the special coincidence of physical laws that make biology possible; and the basic unity of all cellular gene/protein life-forms. Our basic identity as living beings then implies a human purpose: to forever safeguard and propagate life in the universe. With these principles we can secure the immense potential of future life. Doing so will give our human existence a cosmic purpose.

These subjects are addressed in more detail on the web-site of the Society for Life in Space (SOLIS) (www.panspermia-society.com) and in the author’s new book « Seeding the Universe with Life – Securing our Cosmological Future », (www.amazon.com).

© Michael N. Mautner & Leonardo/Olats, April 2006 / republished 2023