Sunday, November 16, 2008

A Blast from the Past -Part II

Before I tell you about the rock that fell from the sky, a little history is appropriate.

That rock, now being studied by scientists was the result of a collision that occurred millennia ago. It wasn’t the same collision described earlier, but as luck would have it, similar events occurred.

A meteor stuck a planet moments after an organism of unknown name and origin sneezed onto his garden. A rock with his common cold germs was flung into the air as the planet exploded. Two other chunks of rock of considerable size collided into that rock from each side. A natural pocket formed around the rock with the germs and cold viruses on it, so the germs were not affected by the collision. Furthermore, when the new larger rock was flung from the planets atmosphere, the heat sealed the rock so the germs remained intact as it was flung into space.

The germs died and the viruses froze until a new host would become available, and the rock continued in its trajectory with its path changing slightly by the gravitational pull of other planets and solar systems. It traveled thru space slowly broken down to smaller parts by intra-stellar mass and other small debris that collided into it. By the time it hit Sonny’s baseball field it was no larger than a basketball.

Upon impact, the seal around the protected dead viruses was broken, and because of the vacuum that had previously formed inside, air rushed in, then rushed out, carrying a few virus molecules.

Like they say, where there is life there is a way. The same goes for a virus.

At the impact site a lone virus molecule was revitalized by the presence of air and moisture and was quickly inhaled by none other than our own dear Sonny.

Meanwhile back at the space administration, they were all a-buzz about finding the dead germ and snot cells that got sprayed on the rock a millennium ago. With this recent discovery, a new project for reaching nearby planets was given additional funding and the announcement was made that within a year we would have a probe on another planet!

That virus reproduced within Sonny like a runaway train. He got a nasty bit of the fever and chills, but then it went away. Lucky for Sonny, his ancestors had survived the great plague and his immune system was able to defeat the virus in good time.

Not so lucky for other folks and a lot of citizens died as the new breed of the common cold swept the planet like wildfire.

A year later, the finishing touches were being made on that probe. It was an exciting project to be working on, which is why one engineer came to work one day when he probably should have stayed home.

While working on the probe under sterile conditions, he sneezed right onto the Lander apparatus. He didn’t say anything, because he didn’t want to be the cause of a delayed project that the whole world was waiting to see.

Two months later, it was launched and soon pictures of the new planet would by sent back home for all to see. The savage terrain of the closest planet!

And now you know.

COMING NEXT: If the soup don’t stink, don’t stir it!

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