Carbon-based life

The theory of evolution, maintaining that all living things evolved by chance from a common ancestor, makes frequent use of the concept of adaptation. Evolutionists claim that by adapting to their environments, living things develop into entirely new species. In fact, the concept of evolution through adaptation is a hangover from the primitive scientific understanding of Lamarck’s day and has long since been refuted by scientific findings. (See Adaptation)

However, despite having no scientific basis, the idea of adaptation still influences most people. When told that the Earth is a special planet for life, they immediately assume that since life emerged under the conditions on such a planet, so other forms of life could develop on other planets. Science-fiction writers imagine, for example, that while human beings live on Earth, there could be living things on the planet Pluto that perspire at -238A1C degrees, that breathe helium instead of oxygen, or that drink sulphuric acid instead of water.

Yet such imaginative ideas are actually based on ignorance. Evolutionists with knowledge of biology and biochemistry do not actually support such fantasies, since they are well aware that life can exist only with specific elements and when specific conditions are established.

The adaptation error in question is also the result of such ignorance. The only model of life with any scientific validity is that of carbon-based life, and scientists have concluded that there cannot be any other physical life in the universe based on other elements.

Carbon is the sixth element in the periodic table. Its atoms are the basis of life on Earth because all basic organic molecules (such as amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids) form as the result of carbon atoms combining with certain other atoms in particular ways. Carbon forms the various types of protein in our bodies by combining with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. No other element can replace carbon, because no other element has the ability to make so many unlimited types of chemical bonds.

Therefore, if there is to be life on any other planet in the universe, it will inevitably have to be carbon-based life.75

In addition, carbon-based life has a number of immutable laws. For example, carbon-based organic compounds (proteins) can only exist in a specific temperature range. Above 120 degrees Celsius, they begin to break down, and at temperatures below -20 degrees they begin to freeze. Other factors such as light, gravity, atmospheric make-up and magnetic forces must all fall within narrow and specific ranges in order to permit carbon-based life.

The Earth possesses just those narrow and specific ranges. If any one of these is exceeded—if the Earth’s surface temperature exceeds 120 degrees, for example—then life on this planet will be impossible.

Life can exist only when very special and specific conditions are met. To put it another way, living things can only exist in an environment specially created for them. The Earth is an environment specially created by our Lord, and all its details reveal God’s mercy on us.

75 Michael Denton, Nature’s Destiny, p. 106.