"But if we begin thinking about the world being over 100 million years old, then it's absolutely by chance that you and I are sitting here alive today, while all the others are dead or have never been born"

This quote by Thor Heyerdahl talks to the idea of opportunity and the randomness of life. Heyerdahl is recommending that the world is so old, that it is almost impossible to understand the large number of years that have passed. He is likewise recommending that it is by opportunity that we live today, while all the others are dead or have never ever been born. This implies that our lives are not predetermined, however rather that our lives are an outcome of randomness and luck. Heyerdahl is recommending that our lives are a result of a series of random events that have actually occurred over the course of countless years. He is likewise recommending that our lives are short lived and that we should appreciate the time we have here in the world. He is stressing the significance of living life to the max and taking advantage of the time we have.