It was such a sobering thought to hear a child say, many years ago, that if humans were to become extinct on Earth, it would actually make a positive difference to the proliferation of life, as we are definitely the most destructive force on Earth.
I am the official photographer, so that gives me a good excuse to poke my lens in the various activities happening, and to be available for ‘consultation’ when needed, which is seldom. We prepared very thoroughly for the tasks to be done on arrival, in order of priority, so it was a pleasure to be doing them at last.
What an honour it has felt for me, to be the first known person on Mars and Earth 2. I say ‘known’ because who knows what or who once may have lived on either planet ? Here, at least, there would be a better chance of finding evidence, as the planet does not appear to have suffered any major catastrophe.
The first main tasks revolve around constructing waterproof dwellings, using the local resources, basically making log cabins with thatched roofs, as only later will we start making bricks, and then later finding iron ore to smelt and make more metal tools, equipment etc, besides the basics we brought with us, like spades, rakes, hammers, saws and knives, and a 3D printer. There are very strict criteria for mining or even collecting natural resources. The general idea is that only clay, sand and stones may be collected, in suitable places, with excavation not exceeding 1m. Rock with iron ore is to be mined only as far as replacing essential tools. There will be no other mining, such as for coal.
Energy needs must be supplied by, at first, the solar panels brought from Earth, and then also by natural means such as wind and water turbines.
Water is a priority, so finding the best ways to collect and store water from the nearby river is very important.
Further, we need to find an area to develop fields to grow the crops so crucial to our survival. Luckily, we have found a spot with natural damming up of the river, from where we can dig a trench to lead water down to the large, natural field nearby. Once we have cleared, dug over and fertilised our garden area, we will lead water down the canal to irrigate the waiting seeds.
Organising our waste disposal without pollution is next, then setting up the solar panels for our energy supply and connecting up all our equipment, lights etc.
We also have to do regular checks on the levels of oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere, radiation levels and so on, so the laboratory has to be up and running quite quickly. As on Mars, we have started off by using the space craft as our communications and records centre, as everything was there already and easy to use.
CHAPTER 4
At the end of most days, especially if the weather is warm, we head for the beach only one kilometre away, and have a relaxing swim. One day I was alone, floating on my back in a small bay, when I became aware of something or someone nearby. I looked around and saw a dolphin just metres away, looking directly at me. I was mesmerised as it looked so intently at me, surrounded by what seemed like a golden aura, shimmering with energy.
Reflexively, I said ‘hello’ and it actually piped what sounded like ‘hello’ right back at me ! But then, some of its pod came by, and they all went off at high speed.
Naturally, we have Alex, the Marine Biologist from Plettenberg Bay, as part of our team, who has extensive experience of cetacean languages and communication on Earth, so he is obviously interested in these dolphins too. He joined me the next day to see if the dolphins would return to the small bay. We had been floating around for a few minutes, calling to each other both in and above the water, and slapping the surface with our hands, just as dolphins and whales do sometimes with their flippers and tails.
We started to hear clicking and whistling noises approaching from the deep sea until one dolphin, probably the one from the previous day, came closer and engaged me as before. After greeting me with a ‘hello’, it went into a series of sounds, amazingly like a song, a simple ditty like a children’s nursery rhyme or a sailor’s jig. To show my understanding, I repeated the notes and then added another ‘verse’ off the top of my head. The dolphin seemed delighted and repeated my verse, ending with what sounded remarkably like cheering and laughing, while ‘clapping’ its flippers on the surface a few times.
Alex and I continued to go to the bay at the same time each day, where we saw the dolphins again, each time finding them more trusting and more eloquent. But still, we did not understand most of their apparent speech, and Alex said that he found the more natural dolphin sounds they make to be different from those he has studied and used on Earth. But we did not have the sophisticated technical equipment like the receivers used to record and programmes to analyse dolphin sounds. So he decided to record their sounds for a few days, playing some of it back to them, first to their consternation, then to their delight as they appeared to understand what was happening.
After about a week of daily contact, we went to the bay one day and realised that they had gone.
So Alex sent the recordings back to Earth for analysis, even though it would take many months for a response.
Alex and I know each other well from many years of seeing each other on and off during my holidays at Plett, but we discovered that we have a very special bond now and, for the first time in my life, I feel that I could settle down and just enjoy being with this very special man every day.”
CHAPTER 5
Alex is reporting to ‘Life on Earth 2’ about what they do all day.
“Well, we have pretty much only what we could bring with us, very limited to the essentials, of course.
Other than in the Communications and Data centre, each person only has like an iPod, linked to the C.D. centre, so there is access to anything you want. There is also a large screen in each building, mostly used for watching news, sport and films. But most of our day is taken by doing routine manual labour, like weeding the fields and laying down pipes and so on, so by the end of the day, most of us like to get together and chat about how the day has been and just chill out a bit. We have tested our first new home-brew here and all agree that it’s the best we have ever tasted on the planet ! The cabins, or rondavels or bungalows, mostly made from wood and thatch, form a large circle, with some facing in- and some outwards. The area in the middle is a garden and play area, and in the centre is a meeting place with seats around a fire-place, where you can cook or just enjoy the warmth. Sometimes we have special evenings of music, singing or dancing, or poetry readings or telling stories, or all of these, non-stop for 12 hours. We have filmed some of these and you may have seen them on late-night TV, so keep watching.”
A small group of the settlers is lounging around the fire. Alex has the gift of the gab or has kissed the Blarney stone tonight.
“I have always been intrigued by the interface of understanding between species of animals and with humans.
A legend that has always felt important to me is that of Androcles and the Lion. The runaway slave showed understanding and love to the injured lion and so it trusted him to remove the thorn in its paw. Later, when they were captured and put together in the arena to fight to the death, it spared his life as they recognised each other, and it came up to him to lick his hand. Allegedly, they were both freed, or so I like to remember.
As a young boy, sometimes I had a dream where I was being chased by a lion and my legs never ran fast enough and I knew it was going to catch up to me, so I woke up terrified. After waking my parents a few times in the middle of the night, my dad suggested that, next time, instead of running, I could try standing still, facing the lion and see what happened. After all, I would have nothing left to lose (ha! ha!). So, I’m not sure if I actually had the dream again or if I just thought about it enough to imagine that I may, at least, have day-dreamed it. I stopped running, stood still and turned around. I faced the lion, like a man, looked at it and asked, ‘What do you want, Mr Lion?’ in as calm and caring a way as I could manage. The way it looked at me made me realise it meant me no harm. It walked slowly up to me and then licked my hand.
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Many years ago, it was reported that three animals had been found, an American bear, an African lion and a Bengal tiger.
They had grown up together for 15 years, but had been badly abused by the owner. They were the best of friends, showing empathy and love for each other, like a close family. Some animals are very sensitive to the health and feelings of humans, as though they may have a sixth sense. Equine therapy has been very effective in helping in a wide range of human problems, from physical palsies to psychiatric challenges. And, of course, swimming with dolphins has been widely reported to be healing. It has worked for Mariada and me too. And we are still absorbing the fact that a dolphin told both of us, Ada in a dream and me when I nearly died, that it would see us later, on another planet. Which is exactly what has happened.”
Mariada adds, “Yes, I also feel the distinctions that many people draw between humans and animals are artificial, literally man-made, and are often based on fallacies, which often come from religious texts; for example, that we are more important than other life, that we have ‘dominion’ over nature. Well, if that means that we are the loving guardians of nature, responsible for protecting it and living in harmony with it, as one godly entity, then I agree, otherwise not.
Gandhi said, ‘The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’
I once heard a therapist at a school addressing the whole assembly of children and staff, and asking them, “What is more important: trees or humans?”
Can you believe that somebody could ask such a naive question? Well, of course, the correct answer was ‘Humans’ (with a capital H), because we are God’s Special Creation.
I had been invited to speak about some of my research, to inspire children, which I think I did, but I couldn’t help making a reference to the therapist’s short sermon near the end of my talk. I asked everyone, “Do you know that humans and in fact, nearly all life, depend heavily on trees and plants to create the oxygen for us to breathe and the food for us to eat, and so stay alive?”
“Yes, of course!” nearly everyone asserted.
“Well then, what would happen if all the trees and plants disappeared?” I asked.
“We would all die / starve / choke to death”, was the general consensus, and also a “no weed” from near the back.
“And what if everything was like it is now but then all humans were to die?” I asked.
There was some hesitation. Some smiled at me like it was a trick question. One child ventured,
“Nothing would happen?”
Another chipped in, “Maybe nothing would happen for a while. I feel sorry for all the animals and plants which depend on humans to survive. Maybe the animals would escape from the farms and learn to look after themselves.”
Another child took it to its logical conclusion. “And the natural forests and plants would grow back again. The rivers would flow again. Insects and animals would live in peace again. I think the world would be a better place without us!”
I was very pleased that the children were able to say it for themselves and I told them so. I added, of course, that this conclusion goes to show that we need to live responsibly with nature if we are ALL to survive.”
Alex adds, “I also sometimes gave talks at schools. When talking about evolution, I was careful to emphasise that most species, from all the evidence we have, appear to have changed or evolved over time. I often gave the wonderful example of dolphins and whales who came from the water to live on land, and then went back to living in the water. Children are fascinated. Why would they do that? Maybe when they saw early humans! And I’m very careful when talking about very early humans not to emphasise our simian qualities, because I know how offended some people are when you suggest that their ancestors, a very long time ago, may have lived mostly in trees and not always have walked upright.
One child very pointedly asked me, possibly prompted by a teacher, if I believed in God. When I asked what she understood by that, she said ‘to give your life to Jesus’. I explained that many scientists may have spiritual feelings, a feeling that there is a very great power in the whole universe, even if they don’t belong to any church or religion; that science is not a religion but only a positive way to ask questions about life and the world; to wonder about the wonderful ways that life and the world work; to show how great that power is that could cause life to exist in all its forms, including us, who try to understand it all.”
CHAPTER 6
A community meeting is held to debate the issues of mining and technology on Earth 2. The facilitator for the meeting is Rasta, who is often chosen for such functions as he has a powerful way of calming everyone while being respectful and firmly democratic in his interventions. He introduces the topics.
“As you know, we have a policy here of minimal, limited mining for only essential items. From aerial surveys done and from our own geological investigations, it seems that there are very limited resources near the surface for us to mine superficially as we do now. Any further mining would generally require deep drilling with equipment that we would probably never receive from Earth. Earth 2 is not like Mars for mining, with huge areas of denuded and exposed surfaces of rock, and almost no life or ecosystem that can be harmed by mining.
Our policy here is to have minimal mining, to minimise environmental damage and to live in harmony with all life. We are not on a planet to be exploited like Mars, with maximum mining. However, concerning the second issue of technology, we are, therefore, dependent on Earth for the manufacture and delivery of our technological equipment. So far, we only have our computers and the equipment in the space capsule, but we don’t have proper laboratories and everything else we need to do more advanced research or projects.
What do you propose on these issues?”
Mariada puts her points with passion.
“We didn’t come here just to multiply and live in peace and harmony until we vegetate. Or just make a place that would be suitable for the elite on Earth to escape to one day when they finally kill our beloved mother planet.
We are all intelligent humans and we need to develop and make progress. But it’s probably not in the interests of the politicians on Earth for us to do that. So they will try to keep us docile, disadvantaged and backward compared to Earth.
We could become independent of Earth if we start with more serious mining and manufacturing. We could focus on exactly what we need for our own progress; while still avoiding most of the unnecessary environmental damage we caused on Earth. Would they send police or the army to try to stop us? What would we have to lose? Paradise is not just living like hippies on a commune; not for me, anyway.”
Alex has been waiting for a chance to express what looks like exasperation.
“But that’s exactly where our ancestors went wrong. They believed that more and more technology would show how intelligent we are and make us feel more and more satisfied. But is that really intelligence and are we really making progress? Is there really such a thing as responsible mining? Doesn’t it all just end in destruction and pollution?
We have found a pristine planet where life has co-existed harmoniously for millions of years. Dolphins were brought here from Earth thousands of years ago and have adapted and thrived happily. Instead of looking outside of themselves and developing gadgets that will help them go somewhere else, they have focused their growth inwards and into their community, developing complex language and thinking skills. They can even use their echo-location to diagnose medical conditions, like we use x-rays, ultra-sound and angiograms. We should be trying to develop these skills. I sometimes think that, when we finally meet aliens, they will find us very slow and simple in our thinking, language and communication.
My proposal is that we continue with our policy of minimal mining and technology, and rather focus on developing our mental skills and environmental awareness. After all, we have a school of dolphins to teach us.”
The others seem less split into two opposing ca
mps now and there is little animosity. It is agreed that ‘Mariada’s group’ will not do anything rash like make a unilateral declaration of the independence of Earth 2. But they begin to compile a list of frustrations that will be sent to the United Nations. There must be a cure for the Summertime blues.
CHAPTER 7
A cetacean linguist at the research station at Plettenberg Bay plays a recording.
A male voice says, “The woman is amazing. Clearly she is not young, maybe like a grandmother. She has a very active mind as I see many images when I focus on her brain, and her body is very healthy but she has lost some suppleness and strength as the muscles have started to atrophy, and she does not ovulate. She is passionate about sharing and trying to talk with us and shows good respect. She listens very carefully, with her mind and her heart, and she shows love. She is close to her male friend. She calls him something ‘-ex’ and he calls her ‘Ada’, and they are happy as they talk and play. What do you think about the man, ‘-ex’?”
A female voice says, “Oh, yes! The same, mostly. He is about the same age and is fit, healthy and clever. He seems to know something of our language and is trying to talk with and understand me. He also shows love and, you know what ! His testes and so on are still active, especially when he is with her. But with other people he seems careful of showing much feeling. She seems to have a painful emptiness in her womb, as though she has lost people in her life and wants to find the parts of herself she has lost with them. I think she feels she may find them with him.”
PART 4:
DEEP MESSAGES ( 2045 +)
“In ancient Greece it was thought … they (dolphins) were once men, who had lived in cities, along with mortals; that they had exchanged the land for the sea; but that they had retained…human thought.”