OriginofLife Macosko

Origin of Life:by Chance or by Design?: 

Origin of Life: by Chance or by Design? Chris Macosko Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science University of Minnesota COM Friendship Dinner Oct. 13, 2007

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Biology G.B.Johnson and R.H.Raven, 1996 Biology Biggs et. al. Glencoe Pub. 2004. Chap 14.2

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Biochemistry D. Voet & J.G. Voet Wiley 2004

Chinese Scientists Searching for Origin of Life in Space : 

Chinese Scientists Searching for Origin of Life in Space "We have obtained some positive results," said Pei Chunchuan, chief scientist at the Qinghai Station of the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the top research body for natural sciences in the country. The researchers have detected some minor organic molecular lines, which could indicate that life might exist in interstellar space. Pei explained that if, for example, lines of organic molecules such as amino acids were found, the discovery could mean that stars carried some bigger organic molecules during their formation process. These organic molecules could directly evolve into life under suitable conditions," said Pei. Peoples Daily (English) December 12, 2001

Fossils provide more evidence that ocean floor bore living beings: 

Fossils provide more evidence that ocean floor bore living beings A crosscut of one of the 1.43 billion-year-old black smoker fossils of deep-sea microbes recovered from an exploratory mine in northern China. They provide more evidence that life began on the bottom of the ocean. Timothy Kusky / Gondwana Research August 6, 2007 Deep-sea discovery reinforces origin of life

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Oparin, Haldane, 1930’s Autobiogenesis: Spontaneous Origin of Life

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Adapted from “A Production of Amino Acids under Possible Primitive Earth Conditions,” Stanley L. Miller, Science, New Series, Vol. 117, No. 3046. (May 15, 1953), pp. 528-529.

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General formula for amino acids (http://web.mit.edu/esgbio/www/lm/proteins/aa/aminoacids.html)

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Table 1-4 Yields from Sparking Mixture of CH4, NH2 , H2O and H2

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Oparin, Haldane, 1930’s Autobiogenesis: Spontaneous Origin of Life Research into 1970’s supportive

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First photograph ever taken from the surface of Mars. Viking 1 Lander July 20, 1976. Primary objectives of the Viking missions - obtain high-resolution images of the Martian surface, - characterize the atmosphere and surface - search for evidence of life on Mars. http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2003-00061.html

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“…recent advances…have thrown serious doubts on the anoxic [oxygen free] model…” —H. Clemmey and N. Badham “Oxygen in the precambrian atmosphere: An evaluation of the geological evidence.” Geology 10(3), 145 (March 1982).       “No geological or geochemical evidence collected in the last 30 years favors a strongly reducing primitive atmosphere…Only the success of the laboratory experiments recommends it.” —R.A. Kerr “Origin of life: new ingredients suggested.” Science 210(4465), 42 (October 3, 1980).

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Oparin, Haldane, 1930’s Autobiogenesis: Spontaneous Origin of Life

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Biochemistry D. Voet & J.G. Voet Wiley 2004

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Can Random Reactions Produce a Protein? How many ways to arrange 100 amino acids, 5 of each type? W = # arrangements = 10115 different peptides <105 useful for life

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Can Random Reactions Produce a Protein? How long will it take to create a particular polypeptide? vs. 10115 possible structures

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Oparin, Haldane, 1930’s

The Enigma of the Origin of Life : 

The Enigma of the Origin of Life “The largest stumbling block in bridging the gap between nonliving and living still remains. All living cells are controlled by information stored in DNA, which is transcribed in RNA and then made into protein. This is a very complicated system, and each of these three molecules requires the other two--either to put it together or to help it work. DNA, for example, carries information but cannot put that information to use, or even copy itself without the help of RNA and protein.” Kenneth R. Miller and Joseph Levine, Biology: The Living Science (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall), 1998, p.406-407.

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Stanley Miller the chemical origin of life is a lot more difficult than we first imaged Father of 'Origin of Life’ Chemistry Dies May 21, 2007 National Geographic 1998

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Questions for discussion 1. Growing up, what were you taught about the origin of life? This presentation argues that life could not have arise apart from some sort of intelligent design. What do you think about the reasons given? Do you have any particular questions? Is the universe designed or not?

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Questions for discussion 1. Growing up, what were you taught about the origin of life? This presentation argues that life could not have arise apart from some sort of intelligent design. What do you think about the reasons given? Do you have any particular questions? Is the universe designed or not?

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Naturalism presupposes - matter first - only naturalistic causes - nothing outside Nature - no designer, no God Theism presupposes - information first - natural & supernatural causes - God controls Nature - Nature is designed,

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DEFINITIONS Evolution = change Microevolution: bacteria change to resist antibiotics finch beaks get longer (shorter) with weather changes Macroevolution: mutation and natural selection results in new species Naturalism – only matter, natural laws (pg 388 Biggs, 2004) - Primordial soup – proteins first or RNA first - From outer space 2, Theistic Evolution – God started it - Old Earth Creation – days in Genesis = eons 3. Young Earth Creation – Earth < 10,000 yrs old - Creation Science – Genesis as a science text 4. Intelligent Design – don’t presuppose Bible or naturalism, follow the data  

Summary: 

Summary Intelligent Design starts with reevaluating the science of Darwin Case study: origin of life Huge amount of information in the molecules of life Current theories don’t work for origin of life We know that intelligence can create molecules of life Not an argument from ignorance/gaps Not trying to sneak God into the classroom, just good science Macrodesign or Theistic Evolution - all information is front end loaded into fabric of the Universe bait and switch: “we might find a natural law in the future to explain” Never mention that we lack the laws when Darwinism is taught

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Why do textbook writers continue to include Autobiogenesis theories?

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“For those who are studying the origin of life, the question is no longer whether life could have originated by chemical processes involving nonbiological components. The question has instead become which of many pathways might have been followed to produce the first cells.”—Ch. 2, pg 6.

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Naturalists fear - teach religion in science class - ignorance = God - need a scientific theory - rejection by peers - autonomy Theists fear - teach philosophy in science class - ignorance = purposelessness - don’t need alternate theory to reject Darwinism - any criticism of Darwinism is religiously motivated

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“The chemistry of the first life is a nightmare to explain. No one has yet developed a plausible explanation to show how the earliest chemicals of life - thought to be RNA, or ribonucleic acid, a close relative of DNA, might have constructed themselves from the inorganic chemicals likely to have been around on the early earth. The spontaneous assembly of a small RNA molecule on the primitive earth ‘would have been a near miracle’ two experts in the subject helpfully declared last year.” Nicholas Wade, New York Times (6/13/2000) The Enigma of the Origin of Life