quote:
I guess I was so focused on the "carbon" part and his ossilating between what for me was clearly "creation" or "evolution" that I did not remember that the data was in helium instead.
Actually, I think you may be right. Feynman talks about this in
The Character Of Physical Law
Professor Hoyle and Salpter said that there is one way out [of the dilemma that stars could not produce heavy elements]. If three helium atoms could come together to form carbon, we can easily aculate how often that should happen in a star. And it turns out that it should never happen, except for one possible accident-if there happened to be an energy level at 7.82 million volts in carbon, then the three helium atoms would come together and before they came apart, would stay together a little longer on average than they would do if there were no level at 7.82 million volts
Maybe this is related to the energy levels of helium, so barfly may be correct as well.
But as far as Hoyle, how can he be an atheist and not accept abiogenesis? Or is it that he didn't think it would could happen on earth but could in space?
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