|
 The same atomic elements that formed the Earth 4
billion years ago are still here. But now they
are cooler and have been re-arranged into different
patterns. The atmosphere is has a different
mixture of gasses, the hydrogen and oxygen atoms
are joined to form water that in turn is distributed
as clouds, oceans, lakes and rivers. The carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen now join in special
ways to form life.
The
atoms creating you, and every other living being,
and the oceans and atmosphere are the same atoms
that were here all along and they are all 4.5
billion years old.
To focus on this fact, look around you and think
about everything you see today while reflecting
on the fact that you are looking at the same
atomic elements, the same carbon atoms, hydrogen
atoms, oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, that were
around you before you sat down to read this.
The atoms have not changed, not in five minutes,
not in 4.5 billion years.
The
atoms are in constant motion and are now moving
in different patterns than they were a few minutes
ago or billions of years ago, but they are the
same atoms.
|
4,500,000,000
years ago