Life May Have Originated from Outer Space, and the Octopus Is Proof

An article recently published in the scientific journal Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology states that an old theory about the origin of life here on Earth being from outer  space, called "panspermia," has evidence to back it up. This pansmeria theory has been debated by scientists for years, and even referenced on the popular TV show "Ancient Aliens!"

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comet-ocean/en/

According to scientists, terrestrial lifeforms like the octopus strongly support the theory that a comet could have once delivered the ingredients of life to planet Earth. An alien virus, for example, could have inadvertently crashed on planet Earth, and then evolved into different genetic lifeforms. The evolutionary story of the octopus stretches back 500 million years, after all, with the octopus' camouflage features,  camera-like eyes, and extremely complex brain continuing to beguile biologists to this day.

Ocotupus / Photo by Делфина https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Octopus_vulgaris_,_%D0%9E%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4_!.JPG

The octopus isn't the only strange alien-like creature here on planet Earth. Many tiny organisms, such as the tardigrade (pictured below), look like otherworldly beasts when viewed through a microscope. The tardigrades, in fact, can survive outer space - by temporarily entering a state of "cryptobiosis," where all their metabolic systems stop, putting them in a suspended state of animation. And just like the octopus, the tardigrades also have been around for at least 500 million years!

Tardigrades can survive the conditions of Outer Space / Eye of Science/Science Photo Library

What do you think of the idea that life on Earth was seeded by aliens in outer space? Share your thoughts on this and more in the comments below, or on Facebook, Twitter,  or Instagram!