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At a time long before the human race was born, immense comets crashed into our young and impressionable planet, as some current theories describe, and deposited the essential building blocks and main ingredients for life itself. If you are one who accepts this theory, then every living thing that has ever existed on Earth, from trilobites to a dozen fragrant red roses with thorny stems, is extraterrestrial in nature.

Extraterrestrial meaning that all of the particles necessary for life to originate and then flourish here on Earth, came from space to begin with. I believe this theory and find it plausible.

On the other hand, asking, "do you believe that humanity was created by extraterrestrials," is a different question entirely. The inherent implication of this query is that Earth was visited by sentient beings who originated elsewhere, migrated here, and that we are their descendants. I do not believe that, but am aware that many people do.

Science states that every species of insect, fish or mammal that has ever been discovered, observed or cataloged, is indigenous. Why not us? We are animals too, though we have evolved independently and differently than our mammalian cousins in certain respects and have acquired things like self-awareness, structured language, civilization, immense cities, and space technology. In these ways we are set apart from other animals, but there is nothing to suggest that we are alien in origin. In all the ways that truly matter we are the same. We have no special claim to longevity, we are susceptible to disease, we need air to breathe, and we need food and water to live. We are all are part of the same eco-system, and the DNA that makes the animal kingdom what it is, is part of our genetic makeup as well.

While the seeds of life might have come from space in the form of comets crashing into our planet-sized egg, there is no evidence in our collective human heritage to suggest that we, as a race, were born anywhere other than here. We can trace our line all the way back to our cave dwelling ancestors, who didn't have starships, and left behind plenty of artifacts for us to adorn museum displays with. From those common ancestors to "Mitochondrial Eve," we can follow our footsteps forward in time to the more "evolved" humans whose genius and ingenuity invented the atomic bomb and the MTV Music Awards. The human race through countless years and many evolutionary changes has struggled and grown into who and what we are now, and despite the numerous flaws in our society, our ability to learn and grow and change makes us unique, but not of extraterrestrial origin.

Why then are so many enthralled by belief in an extraterrestrial grandparent? Perhaps it is because stargazing is something that we alone of all the mammals enjoy doing, as we look up at the night sky and gaze into a galaxy filled with dark matter, quasars, black holes, suns, moons, and planets. It forces us to wonder what else is out there, and fires the imagination with thoughts of other worlds conceivably populated by intelligent beings with varying levels of evolutional development. Do I believe there is life on other worlds? Yes I do, or else the galaxy is a colossal waste of real estate.

Do I believe that humanity was created by extraterrestrials? No I don't. The thought that we are descended from a race of beings that originated on "Planet-X," visited Earth at the dawn of time and created humanity, effected our evolution, or combined their DNA with ours, I do not believe for a second. We are all children of Earth, the mother of us all, and that alone is something to be proud of, and a reason to care for her as best as we can.

Learn more about this author, Frank L. Parker.
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