Abantu Abahlala Kwamanye Amaplanethi—Bakuphi?

NGOKOMLOBI wesayensi uIsaac Asimov, lona “umbuzo ngandlela-thile owonakalisa konke” ngalabo abakholelwa ekubeni khona kokuphila kwamanye amaplanethi. Waphakanyiswa ekuqaleni ngo-1950 isazi sesayensi yemvelo uEnrico Fermi, umbuzo wavusa impikiswano eyahamba ngalendlela: Uma ukuphila kwabantu abahlakaniphile kuye kwavela kwamanye amaplanethi emthaleni wethu, kumelwe manje kube khona izimpucuko eziningi esezinezigidi zeminyaka ngaphambi kweyethu. Kumelwe ukuba kakade sebeye bathatha uhambo phakathi kwezinkanyezi futhi basakazeka kabanzi emthaleni wethu, bakha izindawo ezintsha zokuhlala futhi behlola ngokuzimisela. Ngakho bakuphi?

Nakuba kuvunywa ukuthi ezinye izazi zesayensi yeSETI zishikiliswa “yilendida kaFermi,” ngokuvamile ziphendula ngokuveza indlela okwakuyoba okunzima ngayo ukuhamba phakathi kwezinkanyezi. Ngisho nangejubane lokukhanya, nakuba lilikhulu kakhulu, kwakuyothatha umkhumbi-mkhathi izinkulungwane zeminyaka ukuhamba nje kuphela umthala wethu. Ukweqa lelojubane kuthathwa njengokungenakwenzeka.

Inganekwane engokwesayensi ebonisa imikhumbi igxuma isuka kwenye inkanyezi iya kwenye ngezinsuku ezimbalwa noma amahora iyiphupho, ayiyona isayensi. Amabanga okuqhelelana phakathi kwezinkanyezi makhulu kakhulu cishe ngalé kwamandla ethu okuqonda. Eqinisweni, uma besingakha isibonelo somthala wethu sibe sincane kakhulu kangangokuthi ilanga lethu (elikhulu kakhulu kangangokuthi lingagwinya izigidi zemihlaba) lishwabane lilingane newolintshi, ibanga lokuqhelana phakathi kwezinkanyezi kulesibonelo besisazoba isilinganiso samakhilomitha angu-1 600!

Yingakho ososayensi beSETI bencike ngokuqine kakhulu kuzibona-kude ezisebenza ngamaza omsakazo; bacabanga ukuthi njengoba izinto zokuhamba ezenziwe ngempucuko ethuthukisiwe zingase zingakwazi ukuhamba phakathi kwezinkanyezi, bebesayofuna futhi ezinye izinhlobo zokuphila ngezindlela ezingabizi futhi ezilula ngokuqhathaniswa zamaza omsakazo. Kodwa indida kaFermi isabashikilisa namanje.

Isazi sesayensi yemvelo saseMelika uFreeman J. Dyson siye saphetha ngokuthi uma impucuko ethuthukisiwe ikhona emthaleni wethu, ukuthola ubufakazi bayo kumelwe kube lula njengokuthola izimpawu zempucuko yobuchwepheshe esiQhingini saseManhattan eDolobheni laseNew York. Umthala kumelwe ukuba ugcwale ububenyebenye bezimpawu zabantu bangaphandle kanye nemiklamo yabo yobunjiniyela eminingi kakhulu. Kodwa akukho osekuke kwatholakala. Eqinisweni, esinye isihloko kulendaba saphawula ukuthi amazwi athi “kuye kwafunwa, kwangatholakala lutho” aye aba njengengoma ephindaphindwayo yenkolo ngezazi zezinkanyezi zeSETI.

Ukungabaza Kuyaqala

Izazi zesayensi eziningi ziqala ukuqaphela ukuthi ezinye ezisebenzelana nazo ziye zafinyelela iziphetho zokucabangela eziningi ngokweqile zokulindela okuhle ekubhekaneni nalempikiswano. Ososayensi abanjalo banikeza inani elincane kakhulu lempucuko ethuthukisiwe emthaleni wethu. Abanye baye bathi kukhona okukodwa kuphela—yithina. Abanye bathi ngokwezibalo, kumelwe kube khona abambalwa kunathi—ngisho nathi kufanele ngabe asikho lapha!

Isisekelo sokungaqiniseki kwabo akunzima ukusibona. Singafingqwa ngemibuzo emibili: Uma abantu abanjalo abahlala ngaphandle komhlaba wethu bekhona, kukuphi lapho bebeyophila khona? Futhi bafika kanjani lapho?

Abanye bangase baphendule embuzweni wokuqala ngokuthi, ‘Ingani bebeyophila kumaplanethi.’ Kodwa kuneplanethi eyodwa kuphela esimisweni sethu sikanozungezilanga engenabo ngokuphelele ubutha ekuphileni, iyona kanye lena esikuyo. Kodwa kuthiwani ngamaplanethi azungeza izinkulungwane zezigidi zezinye izinkanyezi emthaleni wethu? Ingabe ezinye zazo azinakukwazi ukuthwala ukuphila? Iqiniso liwukuthi kuze kube manje izazi zesayensi azikakwazi ukuqinisekisa ngokuphelele ukuba khona kweplanethi eyodwa engaphandle kwesimiso sethu sikanozungezilanga. Kungani zingakwazanga?

Kungenxa yokuthi ukuthola eyodwa nje kunzima ngokwedlulele. Njengoba izinkanyezi zikude kakhulu futhi amaplanethi engavezi nokuncane ukukhanya kwawo, ukubona ngisho neplanethi enkulu kakhulu, njengeJupiter, kufana nokuzama ukufuna inhlayiya yothuli entanta endaweni ezungezile ngaphakathi kwebulb ekhanya kakhulu eqhele ngamakhilomitha amaningi.

Ngisho noma ngabe amaplanethi anjalo akhona—futhi obunye ubufakazi obungaqondile buye banqwabelana ukuze bubonise ukuthi akhona—lokhu akukasho ukuthi ajikeleza ngokuqondile uhlobo lwenkanyezi oluyilo emthaleni ongumakhelwane ofanele, ngebanga elifanele ngokuqondile kusukela enkanyezini, nokuthi zona ngokwazo ziyisilinganiso nenhlanganisela efanele ngokuqondile ukuze zisekele ukuphila.

Isisekelo Esiwohlokayo

Nokho, ngisho noma ngabe amaplanethi amaningi akhona ahlangabezana nezimo ezibophayo ezidingekayo ukuze zisekele ukuphila njengoba sikwazi, umbuzo usasele, Ukuphila kwakuyoqalisa kanjani kuleyomihlaba? Lokhu kusiletha kuso kanye isisekelo senkolelo yokuthi kunabantu bakweminye imihlaba—ukuziphendukela kwemvelo.

Ezazini zesayensi eziningi, kubonakala kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uma ukuphila kungase kuziphendukele ezintweni ezingaphili kuleplanethi, lokho kungaba yiqiniso nakwamanye ngokufanayo. Njengoba omunye umlobi ekubeka: “Ukucabanga okuvamile phakathi kwezazi zesayensi yezinto eziphilayo ukuthi ukuphila kuyoqalisa noma nini lapho kunikezwa indawo ezungezile lapho kungaqalisa khona.” Kodwa yilapho ukuziphendukela kwemvelo okubhekene khona nokuphikiswa okukhulu. Izazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo ngeke ngisho zichaze nokuchaza ukuthi ukuphila kwaqala kanjani kuleplanethi.

Izazi zesayensi uFred Hoyle noChandra Wickramasinghe balinganisela ukuthi amathuba amelene nokwakheka ngenhlanhla kwamaenzyme okuphila abalulekile linye kwangu-10^40 000 (u-1 onamaqanda angu-40 000 ngemva kwakhe). Izazi zesayensi uFeinberg noShapiro bakubonisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Encwadini yabo ethi Life Beyond Earth, babeka amathuba ezakhi ezisobishini lwezinto eziphilayo angathatha izinyathelo zokuqala ekuphileni kwelilodwa kwangu-10^1 000 000. Uma kwakuyodingeka ukuba sibhale leyonombolo phansi, lomagazini osesandleni sakho wawuyoba nogqinsi olungamakhasi angaphezu kuka-300!

Ingabe uthola lezibalo ezinkulu kunzima ukuzibamba? Igama elithi “akunakwenzeka” kulula ukulikhumbula, futhi limane nje lifaneleka ngokuqondile.a

Namanje, izazi zezinkanyezi zeSETI ngokungakhathali ziphetha ngokuthi ukuphila kumelwe ukuba kwaqalisa ngenhlanhla embulungeni yonke. UGene Bylinsky, encwadini yakhe ethi Life in Darwin’s Universe, ucabangela izindlela ezihlukahlukene ukuziphendukela kwemvelo okungenzeka kuye kwenzeka ngazo emazweni angaphandle komhlaba wethu. Usikisela ukuthi izimbambela ezihlakaniphe kakhulu, abantu abangamamarsupial abanezikhwama eziswini zabo, nabantu abangamalulwane abakha izinsimbi zokudlala umculo ababona neze abangakholeki. Izazi zesayensi ezidumile ziye zayincoma incwadi yakhe. Nokho, ezinye izazi zesayensi, njengoFeinberg noShapiro, zibona iphutha elikhulu ekucabangeni okunjalo. Zibulahla ngokubujivaza “ubuthakathaka ezisekelweni zokuhlola okuyinhloko” kwezinkolelo zezazi zesayensi ngendlela ukuphila okwaqala ngayo emhlabeni. Nokho, ziphawula ukuthi izazi zesayensi “ziye zasebenzisa lezisekelo ukuze zakhe imibhoshongo efinyelela ekupheleni kweMbulunga.”

Inkolo Eyiphutha

‘Kungani,’ ungase umangale, ‘ukuba izazi zesayensi eziningi kangaka zikuthathe kalula okungenakwenzeka?’ Impendulo ilula futhi iyadabukisa. Abantu bathambekele ekukholelweni kulokho abafuna ukukukholelwa. Izazi zesayensi, ngakho konke ukuzisholo kokuphikisa kwazo, azigomekile kulobuthakathaka bobuntu.

UHoyle noWickramasinghe baphawula ukuthi “inkolelo yokuthi ukuphila kwalethwa ukuhlakanipha” ngokunokwenzeka iyiqiniso “kakhulu” ngokwengeziwe kunesizukulwane esamane sazivelela kanyekanye. Bayanezela, “Ngempela, inkolelo enjalo isobala kakhulu kangangokuthi umuntu uyamangala ukuthi kungani ingamukelwa kabanzi kangaka njengezifakazelayo. Izizathu zingokwengqondo kunokuba zibe ezingokwesayensi.” Yebo, izazi zesayensi eziningi ziyawubalekela umqondo woMdali, ngisho nakuba ubufakazi bubonisa lokho. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ziye zazakhela inkolo yazo siqu. Njengoba abalobi abangenhla bekubona, inkolelo kaDarwin imane nje ifaka igama elithi “Imvelo” esikhundleni segama elithi “uNkulunkulu.”

Ngakho ekuphenduleni umbuzo othi, “Ingabe ukhona olapho ngaphandle?” ngokusobala isayensi ayinikezi zizathu zokukholelwa ekuphileni okukwamanye amaplanethi. Eqinisweni, njengoba iminyaka idlula futhi ukungabi bikho kwezwi elivela ezinkanyezini kuqhubeka, iSETI iwukudumazeka okuqhubekayo ezazini zesayensi ezikholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo. Uma izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokuphila ziziphendukela ngokuzenzekelayo ezintweni ezingaphili, khona-ke kungani singezwa ezivela kuzo kulembulunga enkulu kakhulu? Zikuphi?

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma lombuzo uwumbuzo ongokwenkolo, siyithola kanjani impendulo? Ingabe uNkulunkulu wadala ukuphila kweminye imihlaba?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]

Izivakashi Ezivela Ngaphandle Komhlaba Wethu?

Abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi umuntu uyavakashelwa, noma uye wavakashelwa esikhathini esidlule abantu abavela ngaphandle komhlaba wethu. Ngokuvamile izazi zesayensi ziyakulahla lokhu kuzisholo; zikhomba ukuntuleka kobufakazi obuqinisekile kuzo zonke izimo futhi ziphetha ngokuthi imibono eminingi yeUFO (Izinto Ezindizayo Ezingenakufaniswa) zingachazwa ngezenzakalo ezingokwemvelo. Ukuzisholo okuphoqelelwe zithambekele ekukulahleleni ezindaweni ezingahloliwe zengqondo yomuntu ekhathazekile noma ezidingweni ezingokwengqondo nezingokwenkolo.

Omunye umlobi wesayensi ecatshangelwe waphawula: “Cishe isifiso sokuhlola nokukholelwa kulento singokwenkolo. Besivame ukuba nonkulunkulu. Manje sifuna ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi asisodwa, siqashelwa amandla avikelayo.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, okuhlangenwe nakho kweUFO kugcwele iphunga eliningi lobulumbi kunelesayensi.

Kodwa izazi zesayensi eziningi zikholelwa ‘ezivakashini’ ngendlela yazo. Zibona ukungabi nakwenzeka kokuqalisa kokuphila ngenhlanhla lapha emhlabeni, ngakho zithi kumelwe ukuba kweza lapha kusuka emkhathini. Ezinye zithi abantu abahlala ngaphandle kweplanethi yethu bahlwanyela iplanethi yethu ngokuphila ngokuthumela amarocket agcwaliswe ngebacteria yasendulo. Omunye uze ngisho wasikisela nokuthi abantu abahlala ngaphandle kweplanethi yethu bavakashela iplanethi yethu kudala kakhulu nokuthi ukuphila kwaqalisa ngenhlanhla emfucumfucwini abayishiya! Ezinye izazi zesayensi zifinyelela iziphetho ebufakazini bokuthi amamolecule ezinto eziphilayo ezingenabunkimbinkimbi avamile emkhathini. Kodwa ingabe ngempela lobo ubufakazi bokuba khona kokuphila ngenhlanhla? Ingabe isitolo sezinto zensimbi siwubufakazi bokuthi imoto kumelwe izakhe ngengozi lapho?

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ngisho noma ngabe amanye amaplanethi ahlala abantu akhona, ingabe bukhona ubufakazi bokuthi ukuphila kwakungaqalisa kuwo ngenhlanhla?