Human Origin
From where and how did we come?
Oft asked question, thousands of years, and then some.
Five million years?
Sixty-five million years?
Human origin? A conundrum.
Now new photos, JWST.
Of new worlds, new galaxies.
Give astronomers hope,
planet/human origins in their scope,
nasa.gov? nasa.gov/jwst?
© Forrest W. Heaton February 2023
What is the human body made up of? From internet research: “In adult men, about 60% of their bodies are water. However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue. In adult women, fat makes up more of the body than men, so they have about 55% of their bodies made of water.” Further: “The human body is approximately 99% comprised of just six elements: Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium, and phosphorus. Another five elements make up about 0.85% of the remaining mass: sulfur, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. All of these 11 elements are essential elements.”
Nearly 100 percent of our bodies came from the gas and dust of the universe. More internet research: “Nearly all the elements in the human body were made in a star and many have come through several supernovas.” “Humans and their galaxy have about 97 percent of the same kind of atoms, and the elements of life appear to be more prevalent toward the galaxy's center.” The above quotes are researched quotes on the internet. They could be wrong but it is doubtful. Science has progressed to learning these things. And, we’re about to learn a lot more.
We need to put in a statement here that we are not challenging the positions of religions or statements of what one should or should not believe. It is our feeling that as we learn new information from scientific evidence as explained by scientists that religions and statements of beliefs will have to make room for the new information.
The James Webb Space Telescope is looking back thirteen-plus billion years in time, enabling scientists to observe the formation of new galaxies and then speculate on the development of our own galaxy. They are studying both planetand planet inhabitants including plants and animals and the beginning of human beings on earth.
The record of the development (evolution) of humans is both complex and full of debate. There seems to be agreement, however, that the earliest documented representative of the genus Homo (us) evolved approximately 2.8 million years ago. Some believe this period may be more accurate at seven million years ago. But we’ll leave that matter to the paleoanthropologists and for another blog (and/or your continued research.) We will concentrate on humans coming from the gas and dust of the universe.
What we are made of is often studied in medical school and perhaps in a college philosophy class or two but most of us ordinary citizens haven’t given it more than cursory thought except to assure continued hydration or taking meds in which a blood test advises we are deficient.
But what we are made of could become a much more interesting discussion when photographic results begin rolling in from the James Webb (NASA’s 2nd Administrator) Space Telescope as it peers back billions of years in time and allows scientists to more accurately determine our origin.
Just take a look at this JWST photo. It reveals “intricate networks of gas and dust in nearby galaxies.” This gas and dust from the universe could be just the kind of gas and dust which may have been our origin. This is exciting! And, we’re right here observing it as it is being revealed to us! To keep up with new developments, visit nasa.gov/jwst often! Enjoy!
