Science and Inquiry discussion

For November 2014, we will be reading Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origins.

Please use this thread to post questions, discussions, and reviews, at any time.

Oh hey, cool, this book I've been meaning to read for years won! I'll plan on joining y'all!

This is an excellent book! The author is a scientist who is deep in the subject, having performed many experiments trying to unravel the mysteries of life's origins. He relates his own experiences in a very nice style--a good blend of casual, informative, and non-condescending. He describes a lot of controversies that surround this subject that is really still in its infancy. Here is my review.

David, glad you enjoyed it. Nice review. My, you have lots of followers! I'm looking forward to reading it (again) as soon as I finish the book I'm currently reading.

Thanks, Steve.

It is remarkable, that so many of the books that have become our "book of the month" would never have appealed to me if I hadn't been using Goodreads. I would not have chosen to read it on my own. But having read it, I am glad I did.

If you know a bright high school student that is contemplating a career in science but who thinks that maybe all the great questions have been answered, that there will never be another Newton, Darwin or Einstein, then give them this book.

As the author states, there is as yet no Theory of Emergence or mathematical law, but he predicts there likely will be within in two decades. Whoever comes up with this might well rank with those mentioned above.

Not only might such a theory and law help us answer the question of how life began on Earth, but as the author states:

"A comprehensive theory of emergence will foster applications to myriad problems in everyday technology: long-range weather predictions, computer network design, traffic control, the stabilization of ecosystems, the control of epidemics, perhaps even the prevention of war."

Sounds like pretty good motivation for a career in science to me.

So, is anybody else reading this book? Any comments? What do people think of the hypothesis that the so-called fossil fuels are a renewable resource?

I am enjoying the book David. Having worked with minerals a fair bit it is fun seeing something familiar taking a key role, albeit in a function I am unused too!
Taking up your question on oil, more detail on its emergence, from mantle or fossil sources would be needed to explain its origin. I would be surprised if the mantle is a major source of oil, but even if it is, the rate of its formation is unlikely to match the rate we're burning it. Only renewable if we still need it in a million years or more!

Which came first, metabolism or genetics? At the end I guess I came down on the side that argues for metabolism first. I bought the argument that it is less complicated than genetics and therefore should likely have appeared first.

Other opinions?

I found it fascinating that if life began as a self-replicating layer of molecules on a mineral foundation, then it is conceivable that "colonies of flat life might exist today in deep zpnes of Earth's crust." And the reason that we haven't already discovered them is that they would appear as "nondescript film" under powerful microscopes and would be "undetectable in standard biological assays."

Such life would be also be hard to find because it would have to "live in extreme conditions beyond the predation of more efficient cellular life."

This seems like a great challenge for a new generation of origins researchers; e.g. "How do we collect pristine samples from (say) deep in the crust near mid-ocean ridges or hydrothermal vents?"

Steve wrote: "Which came first, metabolism or genetics? At the end I guess I came down on the side that argues for metabolism first. I bought the argument that it is less complicated than genetics and therefor..."

A very clever person will answer this conundrum, someday.

Further to the second comment Steve, it would be interesting to know whether such life was Dna based - whether fossilized or otherwise, I wonder whether dNa is inevitable or the only means of achieving life?
As far as sample collection goes I could imagine it being practically achievable but difficult - conventional drilling to a target depth followed flushing and " clean" drilling for samples of interest. However, the likelihood of any single attempt being low, the expense would be hard to justify.

I wish I could have got hold of a copy, but alas...seems like a nice read from this discussion thread.

Yes, Avik, you should definitely read it some day.

I also found the debate between the "autotrophists" and the "heterotrophists" fascinating. Particularly the author's statement: "With autotrophy, biochemistry is hardwired into the universe. The self-made cell emerges from geochemistry as inevitably as basalt or granite."

And thus the line from the theme song of the TV show The Big Bang Theory, finally makes complete sense "...the autotrophs began to drool."

My copy arrives tomorrow. Will try to catch up

Don't worry Jeffrey, however long it takes, we'll still be interested in your thoughts and comments.

Here's a new development in origins research having to do with the spontaneous creation of chirality (handedness) in amino acid molecules:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...