Are We Alone in the Universe?

In a universe as massive as our own, it would be selfish to even fathom the possibility of solitude in such an astronomical place. If we are truly alone in the Universe, then why fill it with so many other, countless galaxies?

Think of it like this - Let us say, hypothetically of course, that you just built an aquarium the size of the entire Earth. But instead of keeping billions of fish in this giant tank of yours, you've decided to allow only one measly goldfish to reign over it's very private sea, alone. Without any other fish to help fill the waters, doesn't it seem pointless to build such a massive aquarium in the first place?

Only the selfish would believe that we Earthlings have the entire Universe all to ourselves. But did you know that we already have suggestive proof of life lurking right here in our own Solar System? To get an idea of what I'm talking about, one must only look up. Our own Sun can help shed some light on this rather dim subject.

The Sun, Earth's closest star, is just beyond our reach at 93 million miles. Even with this seemingly long distance, light from the Sun takes only 8 minutes to reach our planet, bathing us with it's awesome power. This light is necessary for almost all life on Planet Earth to even exist in the first place. After soaking up water (a byproduct from the heat of the Sun) and light from the Sun, plants on Earth begin to emit oxygen (along with other gases) as a waste product. And without this wasted oxygen, we Earthlings would surely perish. Thusly, thanks to our closest star, everyday-life on Earth thrives with abundance.

Now more than ever, we Earthlings know first hand of what a star is capable of. Given the right conditions, the marriage of a star and a planet can and do produce life as we know it. Even though we may not have definitive proof of life existing beyond the Earth just yet, it does not mean that life abroad doesn't exist. The fact that our Universe contains billions of stars, making up billions of galaxies, I would say that it's not possible for alien life not to exist. But until we find that definitive proof of life, the question of whether or not we are alone in the Universe still goes unanswered. But perhaps on a planet, in a galaxy far far away, that very same question plagues other advanced, alien minds just as ours have for centuries.

What Is The Young Writer Gazette?

The Young Writer Gazette is my way of taking on the world as a new writer. So who am I, you ask ? Well, my name is Andrew J Frischman, I am indeed a young writer, and this is my gazette. Although I've received no formal experience as a writer, other than what I've learned throughout my elementary to high school years, I plan on one day gracing the shelves of bookstores, spanning the entire globe. The question is, what sort of writing can one possibly expect out of me, from this young writer, Andrew J Frishcman?

Writing is the conduit through which I unleash my thoughts. Without it, I would in all probability be nothing more than a lost cause. My favorite topics range from the possibility of life after death, to the possibility of life in the Universe, all the way to mythology and other worldly religions. Simply writing articles for this gazette, however, isn't my goal in this fairly new writing career I've decided to pursue. No, instead, my true passion lies with writing fictional stories. And with a mind that ceases to rest, coming up with one idea after another, you can bet that I am one young author who can and will keep the public both happily satisfied and masterfully entertained.

Coming soon to a bookshelf near you,

Andrew J Frischman

Life After Death

To discuss the possibility of life after death properly, it is important to approach the matter with an open mind. Bearing a closed mind in such a discussion would only be doing you a disservice. Just keep in mind, beliefs are nothing more then one's own opinion.

It is a well known fact that all things must eventually come to an end. Man mustn't get too comfortable, for he to receives no pardon from his imminent execution. But before death can claim him as it's own, Man constantly contemplates the possibility of life after death.

Throughout his entire history, Man has spent his entire life preparing himself for that fateful day on which he will finally join the ranks of the dead in the infamous Afterlife. From the Egyptians to the Christians, belief in the Afterlife is literally a living dead reality. But until death finally arrives, the truth of what lies ahead in the Great Beyond remains a mystery. Only after one has finally kicked the bucket can they then solve this ultimate riddle of life after death.

Due to his still living situation, Man has been forced to speculate on what to expect in the Land of the Dead. In the eyes of the living, this speculation of the unknown would have to suffice for the time being. To help keep belief in the Afterlife alive, religious stories of it's mysticism have been passed down throughout the ages in each culture of the World, generation by generation. Religious tradition is an important thing to have, but those beliefs should never be imposed upon others. Just because it's written, doesn't mean it's true. And since proving the unseen is currently impossible, nobody can ever claim to have the only answer.

Science, Religion, and How the Earth was Created

Science or religion, which do you believe? The simple fact is, nothing can ever be certain. After all, both choices are Man's own attempt at explaining the unexplained. Whereas scientists around the World theorize that it was the "Big Bang" which created the Universe, Religion claims that a superior being/s was indeed the creator. But as for the origins of either, neither can be explained. It's Man's greatest conundrum of which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Without the chicken, there is no egg. Then where did the chicken come from, I wonder? Religion would have us believe that a superior being/s created the Earth. But if you were to ask a believer of religion about the origination of their superior creator, you would receive this popular answer: "He/She was always there." At that point, you're expected to simply walk away and leave it at that. This is why, after the story of creation, religious texts focus primarily on a religious way of life.

Imagine for a moment that you are an ancient Egyptian living in the Thirteenth Dynasty. Your whole life you've grown up worshiping hundreds of different deities. In doing so, you faithfully believe that if you anger the gods you will surely be punished. On the other hand, you believe that if the gods are pleased, rewards from the heavens will rain down upon you and your loved ones. And so, this becomes your way of life every day until the time of your death. But jumping back into our present time reveals that this religious way of life is now considered to be based on mythology, being nothing more than ancient storytelling. Be that as it may, this "mythological" way of life is no different from any of the World's religions today other then by practice. Does this mean then that our own world religions of today will also one day be considered only a form ancient storytelling? According to our past, surely it must.

All religious texts tell stories. But just because something is written, doesn't necessarily mean it is based on fact. This is the cornerstone of science, or in this case, the proverbial egg. Science is literally the study or observation of the physical world. And by using our five senses, we humans attempt to explain this physical world of ours. After making close observations, we then attempt to make an educated guess at what it is, how it got there, and how it works. Thusly, by using all of these guidlines, most of the Scientific Community agrees that the "Big Bang" is in fact the culprit behind the creation of the entire Universe and everything in it.  But what exactly is the "Big Bang?"

The "Big Bang" is thought to have happened about 13.7 billion years ago, when an extremely dense, hot object burst under it's own immense pressure. An unimaginable amount of stellar material then spewed out into space, essentially leading to the creation of both our Earth and our massive Universe. However, just as religion tends to do, how and why this original object got there in the first place is still a mystery.

To reword it: Which came first? Was it the superior being/s?  Or was it the Universe itself? Personally, I don't believe that any one person could possibly have the one and only answer. After all, any way you look at it, it's all still a matter of personal opinion...which is exactly how it should be. We all have the right to to believe what we want, where we want, and how we want. Be that as it may, one should always have an open mind and debate or discuss the subject however they see fit. Who knows, maybe the riddle is finally solved after death. Death? I wonder which came first. Life then death?  Or was it death then life? Either way, it's still just a matter of opinion.