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I would say, on the third orbit, when it hooks-up with Pluto, far greater than the two other orbits in its history.
On each third orbit, the chances increase tremendously, and just because it has always missed us before, it doesn't necessarily mean it will miss us in the future, although this generation, and the next shouldn't worry too much. It's the generation after that, that might need to take a closer inspection and scrutiny of their future, because they might be the ones who fall foul of Halley's destiny.
One of the ironies with this analogy is, it will be the bringer of life, that actually becomes the purveyor of death.
If we assume, that when a comet, produced by stellar activity itself, begins an epic life cycle, then we should also assume its job is to create that cause and effect we spoke of. For when a comet hits an embryo planet, made entirely of swampy gas soup, it will not only deliver a consignment of acids, but also an incubation structure through the primary heat it generates. When a comet impacts, showers a newly formed planet in amino-acids, its heat generation will provide vital contributory factors to produce the building blocks of life; heat propagation. Slowly, over tens, if not hundreds of millions of years which follow, a vital change in the planet will commence. No longer will an early structure be surrounded by gas, but will also contain the foundation, and essence of life; an acidic companion.
At that point, our early formed planet, should still be a huge gas giant, its gravitational influence enormous, its core tiny. But with a gradual recognition of outside forces, mainly from the star, an advancement towards maturity is most certainly guaranteed.
As the star constantly runs hot and cold, continuously filters a gaseous atmosphere, the first cellular signs of life emerge. They would probably be so primordial we might not even recognise them today, and their only food supply would no doubt be a cannibalistic banquet where, in feeding frenzy, they constantly try to devour one another.
A newly produced planetary soup, will no doubt have a paradoxical nature at that point, devour one, reproduce two - and their ascent towards solid life, as we begin to understand it, is under way.
It would most likely, feed originally, off some carbon compound, that also assists with the dilutionary effects of gas related conditions, as we might recognise them today. And although it might seem unacceptable to some people, that life as we recognise it, emerged from this theory, I'm afraid we have to pay attention to detail, especially the principle of cause and effect.
If we wish to understand ourselves, then first we have to understand that which surrounds us. It is no use clutching at straws, and expect divine intervention at every twist and turn. That is not about to happen, even if God is out there. We have to accept, we would probably be part of a larger system, that simply does not know how to turn itself off.
And whether we like it or not, humanity will be resident for the duration, and when complete, in hundreds of millions of years time, that sorry state of affairs will begin all over again.
If from this chapter, I was asked to formulate, and then make a strong prediction, that I would hold to; not one where I constantly re-evaluate it and change my mind; I would say, that in maybe another half a billion years time, human life on Jupiter will be where we are today; no doubt having the same conversation. They will be arguing diligently about the very essence of life, how it came into being - and what the outcome might be. And if, at that point, they reach the same conclusion as us, that planetary construction is as evolutionary as the heavens, they will no doubt conclude themselves, that Uraniums will be debating the very same questions as them, and us before them, as probably the Martian's and Mercurean's did before us.
And as no doubt hundreds of millions of other civilisations are as
we speak.
And I think, when they conclude all possibility of chance is extracted from the equation, they might just realise, that stars are not light years away
but merely a stone's throw.
From that early, primordial soup, we have advanced to such high technology it frightens me. But the best is still to come. When mankind finally emerges from this chrysalis like planet, and spreads his wings to explore the great yonder we call space.
Continued
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