Virginia High School Student Explores: Is Life on Earth Linked to Outer Space?

A young mathematician, 18-year-old David Lu Cao, devised a theoretical explanation on the connection between celestial bodies and the origins of life on Earth.

This video is a part of our ongoing STEM Superstars series. Discover young innovators in STEM here.

From his early days in school, David Lu Cao, currently a senior in high school, was intrigued by the query, “How did life originate on Earth?”

It was a turning point when his father presented him with a telescope on his birthday. Witnessing the planets and distant entities served as a significant experience for Cao, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.

In 2017, astronomers detected the initial interstellar object, named ‘Oumuamua, emanating from a different solar system.

“Contemplating this enigmatic asteroid or comet sparked my thoughts on the possibility that similar entities may have propagated life throughout the universe,” he expressed. Could these entities have initiated life on Earth?

Panspermia, a concept suggesting the transport of microorganisms or essential life components within such objects, stands as one of the hypotheses regarding the genesis of life on our planet.

Cao formulated a mathematical theory, utilizing information about the prevalence of these entities across a specified time frame and spatial zone.

In his analysis, he determined a 0.001% likelihood of Panspermia playing a role in the emergence of life on Earth.

“Considering the myriad habitable exoplanets within our galaxy alone, this percentage is quite substantial,” he commented.

Cao aspires to engage with NASA or similar entities such as SpaceX in the future, with the aim of propelling humanity towards new horizons, he conveyed.