Have all of us been here since the dawn of time as little Atoms?
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No.
It’s the configuration of atoms, not the specific ones, that make you, “you.” And the atoms that make you up originated from the previous generate of star that birthed the entire solar system. The only atoms that we could say existed since the dawn of time might be Hydrogen.
Not really. Atoms decay into smaller atoms. Stars form heavier atoms. You might have a few billion of years old hydrogen atoms rattling around in you.
Not exactly.
If I have 300 wooden boards that have always existed since the dawn of time… I take those boards and build myself a nice pool deck and I name it “Bob.” Does that mean that Bob has always existed since the dawn of time? No, of course not. Bob didn’t exist until I built him. The wood I used to build him is old, but it couldn’t be considered “Bob” because they weren’t in the configuration of a pool deck yet, and I wasn’t around to name it yet.
Particles that we are made of are billions of years old, but we ourselves are not that old.
Dr Lawrence Krauss talks about how we [are all stardust](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0L8qP3qCq4).
I tried finding a link to an article about a scientist or student that proved that every time we breathed (or possibly drank water – I forget) we were breathing or drinking some of the same atoms or molecules that Shakespeare / Caesar / Hitler all did too. He took a thought experiment and did the math.
It really depends on what you consider as “us”
The matter that makes up our bodies has existed since the dawn of time, when Carl Sagan said we’re all made of stardust, he was being poetic, but he wasn’t exaggerating. He was stating an absolute truth.
On the other hand, the particular composition of that matter that makes you “you” has only existed since your birthday , give or take a year, um… try not to think about it too much…
You as a person will be remembered after you have gone away, but while the matter that made up your body will be laid to rest, mourned, and eventually be forgotten about, it will never, ever go away.
It will feed worms, the worms will feed the soil the soil will feed the grass, it will grow trees, those trees will grow fruit, those fruits might even feed your descendants, or just grow into other trees. The matter you are made of did not just exist since the dawn of time, it will also see the end of time.
In this context, what really constitutes “you” ?
Have you always been here, just waiting for your moment to be alive? Will you survive, in some form, until the end of the universe?
Have you been here since the beginning of time? Will you be remembered long after you have passed away?
Or, should you just enjoy the moment?
Erm…. sorry to answer a question with a question.
But that’s my answer.
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