A Mind Blasting Concept
A stranger recently blew my mind.
Let me explain.
During a discussion on a hangout on G+, I mentioned that I thought it was interesting that every cell in my body is less than a year old. Skin cells are created, live and die in a few days, while bone cells last months. Regardless of it’s differentiation, every single cell in my body didn’t exist a year ago. I found it fascinating that memories are preserved by these brand new cells. None of the cells in my body were around when the event I remember actually happened. And yet the memory is there.
I remember how to tie my shoelaces. I remember how to type. I remember how to swim. Amazing!
Here comes the mind bender.
This dude mentioned that every atom in those cells has been around for a few billion years at least. Since matter in this universe is neither created nor destroyed but simply undergoes a state change, some of the molecules in my cells are really, really old.
That blew my mind.
I have friends who are devout Young Earthers who have been taught by ex-plumbers and ex-truckdrivers and ex-housewives that the Earth is about 6500 years old. I have friends who are devout physicists who think the Earth is around 5 billion years old. They were taught by different ex-truckdrivers and ex-plumbers. Sometimes people I know like to argue about the age of the Earth.
I find that strange.
I’ve never met a person alive who has ever truly won an argument.
You know what I think?
The Earth is a super cool place to be right now. All my new cells think so. And so do the very old atoms that form those cells.
I wonder if any of the protons or neutrons or electrons in my body were ever in a star. I wonder if any of them were inside a dung beetle or a rhinoceros.
Ever wonder where the atoms in your cells have been before?
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