Recap

Cygnus, Cosmic Rays & Evolution

Appearing during the middle two hours, author Andrew Collins discussed the significance of the Cygnus constellation. The constellation was important to the ancient mindset, and was represented as a bird on a pole 17,000 years ago in a cave painting, he said. Cygnus was thought of as a winged creature that transported the soul to heaven after death, he added.

In the 1980s, it was discovered that the Earth was being bombarded by cosmic rays coming in at regular intervals-- the source was later revealed to be a binary star or black hole known as Cygnus X-3. One of this distant object's jets is pointing directly at the Earth, Collins noted, and he believes that these cosmic rays likely affected humankind's evolution. The altering of human DNA could have fostered the transition from hunter/gatherer to Neolithic farmer, he stated.

The last hour featured Open Lines. The notorious caller "Oscar" resurfaced, claiming that he is currently possessing a psychiatrist.

Related Articles

Spotlight on Cygnus

Cygnus was one of the first constellations recognized by ancient civilizations, and because of its shape-- a short tail and long neck, it became associated with the swan. Pictured is Johannes Hevelius' Cygnus from Uranographia (1690). For more on the constellation, view material from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, including the object known as Cygnus X-3, which Andrew Collins writes about.