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We are the aliens, says Cardiff professor 13/11/2006
A Cardiff University scientist who helped to challenge the theory that life originated on Earth will be the focus of a BBC flagship science programme tomorrow.
The BBC Horizon programme We are the aliens will feature the work of Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe, Director of the Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology at the University.
Professor Wickramasinghe said: "The Earth is but a minute speck of dust in the context of the truly vast, nearly infinite Universe. To suppose that a system as complex as life arose only on Earth and independent of the vast Universe is arrogant to say the least.
" I think the first origin of life must have involved the combined resources of all the stars in a substantial part of the cosmos. It is gratifying to see that a point of view that seemed so obvious to me 25 years ago is now being accepted by an ever growing body of scientists.â€
The BBC team filmed Professor Wickramasinghe in both Cardiff and India exploring his pioneering theory, developed with late Sir Fred Hoyle, that life was introduced to Earth by comets, and that alien life in the form of microbes still arrives on Earth from comets.
We are the aliens will be broadcast on BBC 2 Tuesday 14 November 9pm.
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