Wald Revives Spontaneous Birth Theory

The theory of spontaneous generation, for many years scorned by most scientists, received an unexpected revival last week from George Wald, professor of Biology, at the recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in New York.

Along with papers by several leading American scientists which indicated that the creation of life from so-called "dead matter" was no longer, as previously supposed, a physical fantasy, Wald said "If you start with a universe containing protons, neutrons, and electricity, life will eventually appear."

Wald predicted that the future development of the theory of evolution might center mainly around finding how simple chemicals can combine into complex compounds which could later form themselves into basic living organisms.

In summarizing one of the most significant biological and chemical advances in recent years, Wald stated, "We are beginning to understand that we live in a universe which is some five to ten billion years old. We realize that the universe has its own cosmic evolution. Stars and galaxies are born, grow, become old and die. Our life has a place as part of the order of nature. Life is a part of the physics of our universe."

The University biologist pointed out that since there are probably ten million million planets somewhat similar to earth, life has probably developed on many of them in much the same form as we have on this planet.

This concept of life on other planets implies the existence of other races of humans.