The Origin of Life: A Scientific Inquiry

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In summary, the big bang theory does not attempt to explain the origins of life. It only explains how the universe began and how matter evolved. Life on Earth emerged much later, using elements created from stellar explosions. The big bang theory focuses on the formation of atoms, while the origin of life is a separate field of study.
  • #36


There is perhaps a valid question regarding the relation between the Big Bang and the origin of life and ultimately our civilization: Where did all the information come from?

The laws of physics conserve information, both at the classical level and at the quantum level. Now, there is, of course, nothing paradoxical about this. You can imagine running some cellular automaton with reversible rules that conserves information that start from some simple to describe initial state and after many iterations gives rise to a community of intelligent beings discussing physics. :smile:
 
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  • #37


Desiree said:
Thanks Kurdt for your input. but let's just for a moment put my question/thread aside.

Suppose that we have a person standing right in front of us and we are trying to figure out whether he/she is a mathematician or an engineer or whatever the answer could be.

By our observations and observations only I mean, we could figure out the person's approximate age, exact gender, color, height, weight, volume, density, temperature, his/her radiations type, physical condition/strength, number of teeth, # of fingers, his/her mood: happy/sad...etc etc... but please tell me and I ask everyone to tell me if we could figure out whether this person is a mechanical engineer, or civil engineer, or a doctor, or a lawyer, a physicist? We could not for sure guess what profession he/she has only by using our observation's results and data. Even though we guessed based on our observations of all his/her physical descriptions that he/she is a mathematician, then we were told the answer and it just happened to be true does not mean that our "Knowledge" was correct. We in no way could figure out his/her career unless we resort to tools other than observations, if possible, never mind figuring out if he/she has an uncle called 'Thomas'.

So I guess my point now is a bit clearer on the BB theory. To my knowledge, BB has been proposed and advocated based on cosmological observations. No offense but I might eventually give into it but it's now too early.


P.S.
My academic background is neither biology nor physics. I am an engineer.
What does any of that have to do with your topic "Where did life come from?"

The origin of life has nothing to do with the big bang theory. You've been told that, repeatedly.

Do you want this thread closed and you start a new thread strictly about the big bang? Because your questions have been answered and this thread is going nowhere.
 
  • #38
Andy Resnick said:
That's not true- some RNA is autocatalytic; it is itself an enzyme:

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0030310&ct=1

Thus, one emerging thought is that RNA is the basis of life; DNA follwed after RNA.

Stuart Kaufman has written an excellent book specifically addressing your second paragraph.

The article you linked is specifically about RNA splicing...thereby replacing the need of a splicosome. This is different than your claim that it can self-replicate. But does refute my claim that is will just "remain a lump" effectively. :)
Although a "lump" of RNA that splices itself will still be a "lump" of RNA...just comprised of smaller pieces. hehe

But details aside, I do not doubt the value of RNA in the formation of life and I'm sure it played a key role. The different types of RNA (messenger, transfer, and ribosomal) probably made up much of the rudimentary mechanics of the first cells. But, IMO, I still believe some enzymes must have formed on their own to join the process...polymerases especially.
 
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  • #39


I think that you should probably, at the very least read the wikipedia entries on the big bang: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_bang and abiogenesis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis.

Then, if you still have more questions, I am certain that we could find some good books on the subjects. Before you decide that two theories which are widely agreed upon as being the best explanations for the evidence (in the respective fields of cosmology and evolutionary biology) are untrue, you should attempt to have a basic understanding of them.
 
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  • #40


This thread has gone on long enough. Clearly the OP has no interest in actually learning science from scientists, but would prefer to reject it based on a "belief" system. The discussion has become redundant and futile.
 
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