Scientists coming closer to non-life creation

Re: “Creating life? Credit should go to a higher power,” Oct. 23

1) Scientists thought the sun was the centre of the galaxy: It was the church that was certain that the earth was the centre of the universe but scientists who discovered this to be incorrect. Also, it was the church that denied it, in fact, famously imprisoning Galileo for his ideas and taking only 300 years to clear his name of the charge of heresy.

2 Mice from dirty underwear: Wow, I had never heard of this before, seems pretty funny in this day and age, but you can bet it was scientific experimentation that showed this to be wrong.

3) Louis Pasteur proved that non-life cannot produce life: It is exceedingly difficult to prove something to be impossible. You really need to prove that all possible methods fail all the time and then you need to prove that there are no methods that have not been tested. This would be extremely difficult. Really, he only showed that he was unable at the time, using the knowledge, equipment, and methods of the day, to accomplish the feat. While scientists have not created life from non-life (and have not claimed to), they are coming ever closer to understanding and replicating the mechanisms involved. Maybe someday, maybe not, but if they never get there, it doesn’t prove impossibility.

4) Sir Fred Hoyle on the tornado creating a Boeing 747: This one is just silly and as unlikely as it is to ever happen, has absolutely nothing to do with evolution. All I can do here is recommend some good reading such as “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins.

5) Professor Harold Morowitz and 1 times 10 to the 340,000,000 power: Not sure where this number comes from, I Googled it but couldn't find how he made this calculation. Regardless while this figure, if accurate, is as you say truly staggering, it does not mean it has never or will never happen. Even a zero probability event can happen.

Dale Kosi Medicine Hat