"A few years ago," he said, "scientists were startled to find chemicals that were the product of life, inside meteors from outer space."
"I understand they've even found bacteria which they have been able to bring to life," said Sam.
Jim nodded. "More than four hundred feet deep on the moon I've found the same kind of chemicals—hydrocarbons that must be the product of living cells."
"Four hundred feet deep on the moon—" said Sam musingly. "And maybe the moon came from billions of billions of light years across space. So wherever it came from there was something living. What is it? Traces of bacteria, or chemical remains of plant life like our coal mines?"
Jim shook his head. "I don't know yet. I'm not sure we can find out until we go there. But, as you say, it means the moon was once the scene of life—wherever it came from."
"One thing I haven't understood," said Sam, "is why the moon stopped here if it had been traveling through space for so long. Why didn't it keep on going?"
"It was just a combination of factors," said Jim. "The moon happened to be traveling at just the right speed. The earth was in just the right place at the right time. As a result, the moon fell into an orbit around the earth. Pure accident."
"A lucky accident!" said Sam.
Jim looked up at the pale moon above their heads as they walked toward the parking lot. "I hope so," he said. "We will soon know whether it was a lucky or an unlucky accident."