Genesis

June 2, 2008

In the beginning, 10 to 20 times 109 years ago, there was a big bang. A hundredth of a second later electrons, photons and neutrinos appeared. Three minutes later the quarks of the fundamental particles formed into light nuclei, approximently 76% Hydrogen and 24% Helium. 300,000 years later G-d said, “Let there be light”; and the nuclei combined with electrons to form neutral atoms, making the universe transparent to photons.

G-d saw that the light was good, and created and destroyed stars 109 years later. The recycling of the cosmos produced and dispersed elements into the universe. 3.6x109 years after the first star formed, the heavier elements combined with Hydrogen and Helium to form our Sun and Solar System. He separated the light from the darkness. G-d called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

About 4x108 years after the formation of the Solar system G-d said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” So G-d made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. G-d called the expanse “sky.” And G-d said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. G-d called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And G-d saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

Then, 5x108 years later G-d said, “Let the land produce self-replicating organisms: each with DNA-RNA that allowed for the formation of proteins to carry out certain functions.” And it was so that prokaryotic cells formed. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And G-d saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

On the fourth day, G-d rests.

And then 1.5x109 years later G-d said, “Let the water teem with living creatures made eukaryotic cells.” So G-d created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds. And G-d saw that it was good. G-d blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and self-replicate and fill the water in the seas.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

And then 7x108 years later G-d said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was called the Cambrian explosion. G-d made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And G-d saw that it was good.

Finally, 6x106 years ago, G-d said, “Let us make man/woman evolve from currently animals.” So man/woman diverged from a chimpanzee. G-d blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then G-d said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

G-d saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

G-d has not finished the heavens and the earth in all their vast array. He is resting until the seventh day, 4.94x108 years from now.


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Written on 2 June 2008. Categories: thoughts, science.

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