OUR latest research suggests that Planet Earth is around 4.6 billion years old and the oldest living species that once existed was a kind of bacteria that formed tiny filaments and tubes and was most probably living on the sea floor in iron rich waters.
These fossils were recently discovered in Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt, Quebec, Canada. The microorganisms are about 3,770 million years old, and thus provides direct evidence of one of the oldest life forms on Earth.
The host rocks are one of the oldest geological strata on the planet which could have possibly formed an iron-rich deep-sea hydrothermal vent system that most probably provided a habitat for Earth’s first life forms between 3,770 and 4,300 million years ago.
This new discovery proves that life started from sea, where hot fluids would have circulated on seafloor via a network of vents shortly after our planet would have formed. And almost all the essential things (e.g. minerals, water, air, vegetation, etc.) that are required for us to survive on the planet were formed much earlier than our existence (see below).
Interestingly, the oldest fossils that resemble humans are about 400,000 years old, and these were recently unearthed in Portugal. And more importantly our civilizations are very young (compared to our habitat, the Earth), about 10,000 years old. And industrialization stated in 1800s. So here we are; a very recent phenomenon on the planets timeline, which was formed, shaped, modified, decorated, ornamented, and stocked much before our existence. It is like if you are about to go to some remote place on the planet, and surprisingly you found everything that is needed for the survival around you, and with a little effort you discovered things that make life easy and comfortable. What a great discovery to discover the discovered!! This is true to most of what we call discoveries, and yet we of full of pride that we have shaped this planet and made it a better place. True. Most of us have worked(ing) hard to make life comfortable on the planet but we also know that this planet has a traumatized history that unambiguously prove that evil and greed in people have destroyed nations. The unthinkable treasures that nature has provided to us are now in tatters. For example the treasure of air, without which we simply cannot exist, was formed very early in the geological past, and now we are at a stage where in some countries we have to pay to breath the fresh air. What cost this progress!! It appears as we all are hell-bent on destroying our own existence on this planet.
The unthinkable treasures that nature has provided to us are now in tatters. For example the treasure of air, without which we simply cannot exist, was formed very early in the geological past, and now we are at a stage where in some countries we have to pay to breath the fresh air. What cost this progress!! It appears as we all are hell-bent on destroying our own existence on this planet.
Similar is the fate of lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere. Human largely think that this is indirect (it surely is direct) destruction, but think again. Unfortunately, most of us are unable to feel the pain the planet does through. And the chronology of wars that this planet has seen after the arrivals of Homo sapiens is preposterous.
In the modern world the conflict zones are now dominantly in South Asia (we are part of this conflict, India-Pakistan-China), Middle-East and North Africa. And when we try to understand the reasons for conflicts and why we are where we are then you will understand it has literally little to do with people and their faith (the often exaggerated reason for the starting of wars). But it is largely because of the obnoxious evil that supremacist powers of the world are filled with. And to make excuses they use reasons like religion, skin color, nationalities, security, and terrorism to sanitize the inner thirst of greed and power and to achieve the ultimate goal of supremacy over all humans.
For example during the war on Iraq the excuse was given that then President Saddam Hussein had stockpiled mass destructive materials (which was complete hoax). And it followed what one would have expected, the Yankee dudes came and killed millions of brown people, and displaced (they call them refugees now!) millions more. World watched, and continues to watch the horror let loose by their acts. Such stories are evident in Africa, Middle East and in our portion of the planet as well.
This shows that war is not about religion alone but most of the times it is made a pretext to just fool the gullible people. But fooling people cannot be achieved unless they are ready to get fooled. This has always worked, and it is still working. People have killed in the name of religion, color, nationality etc. Look what is happening in India. Zealots are using their so called holiness to unholy the one of the most culturally rich, and diverse population on the planet Earth. And similar stories are evident from Pakistan where Hazaras, and Ahmadis are prosecuted in the name of religion. Unfortunately, we also have a breed of extremism in Jammu and Kashmir as well. In Jammu it is dominated by right wing sainikis of the ruling party, and in Kashmir, the right-wing religious extremism is also prevalent. This mentality would simply lead us to furthest escalation in the future. And I fear a nuclear holocaust in the foreseeable future where Jammu and Kashmir may cease to exist from the planet earth. As the war will be nuclear and therefore most of the inhabitants will be doomed, so will be the millions of people in both the countries in conflict. So, what is the wise advice to follow?
I think our leaders should completely shun the religious angle to the struggle, and focus on the core issue, which is internationally accepted referendum to determine future status of Kashmir. And if that is not feasible then let us try hard to make a peaceful platform where India and Pakistan could sit together and carve out a solution to the problem. It is achievable. But it needs to be done in a most civic manner. Both countries are important, and one must work hard to make sure all the stake holders are happy. Lose something, and gain something.
One cannot live in a conflict with neighbors permanently. Remember, religion has always been used as an excuse to destroy nations, and they will make sure it serves the similar purpose in Jammu and Kashmir. It is used to weaken the sentiments of freedom by arousing the sentiments of extremism. So we ought to work to fight evil in all forms, here and there. Unite and seal the evil ends, so that they dont spread the tentacles further.
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