REASONISM

I was fortunate enough to be given a preview of the new film titled 'Creation' with Jennifer Connelly and if you want to watch it and don't want to read my thoughts on it until after you do, then stop reading now. Otherwise, read on....

David Makoeya, a 61-year-old man from the small village of Makweya, Limpopo province wanted to watch the World Cup. The rest of his family wanted to watch a religious program, a 'gospel show' instead. They fought over the remote control and eventually, his 68-year-old wife, his 36-year-old son Colin and his 23-year-old daughter Lebogang, killed him. They banged his head against the wall.

It is ironic isn't. Religion, in this case Christianity, has a commandment that says thou shalt not kill. Yet, passion for it has made many people kill.

It NASA sent one of its probes, Cassini to observe Saturn's biggest moon, Titan. According to two of its reports, there are indications that life exists in Titan. Organic chemicals had been detected and its surface is covered with liquid. But the liquid is not water. It is methane. Scientists presume that if there is life there, it will be likely based from methane, not water like ours here on Earth.

Cassini, the probe, sent Earth two reports:

1. The first report shows that hydrogen gas in the moon's atmosphere disappears at the surface. This suggests to scientists that there could be life on the surface of the moon, albeit in forms of bugs or bacteria, breathing the hydrogen like we breathe oxygen here on Earth.
2. The second report also indicate that a certain chemical is lacking on the surface of Titan a chemical that could serve to be consumed as food by whatever could be there.

Apparently, each one of the evidence presented may not mean much on their own but when they exist together, it is a strong indication for life to exist.

Jupiter is a planet believed to be composed mostly of gas. It is characterised by bands of different layered and coloured gasses. Last year, after Jupiter hid behind the sun, away from our vision for three months, it emerged with one of its major bands missing. As surprising as this is, the planet actually losses or gains a band every fifteen years on average. We (our scientists) still do not know why.