Abiogenesis

Biopoesis, chemical evolution, biogenesis, exobiology

Stanley L Miller's 1953 experiment

One of the unsolved puzzles of evolution is how living cells emerged from non-living chemicals. This is perhaps the most critical step in the evolution of life. What scientists need is a naturalistic mechanism to produce complex structures from simple ones. I think it is safe to say that chance alone is insufficient, we need mechanisms that can create complexity. Can natural means create self replicating cells. The information content in DNA is the equivalent to all volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica in even a simple bacteria. The information content in DNA is sufficient to code for a cell that will not only host the DNA, but also the repair and replication of the DNA. The books and links below will demonstrate that we are still searching for a plausible mechanism to generate life from non-life.

Now suppose that we discover such a naturalistic mechanism, does that mean that God does not exist? We still have ask about the origin of these naturalistic mechanisms, did they just happen by happenstance?

One of the great myths of our time is the idea that undirected process could somehow be responsible for turning dead chemicals into all the complexity of living things. The current state of abiogenesis is summarised by Klause Dose:

More than thirty years of experimentation on the origin of life in the fields of chemical and molecular evolution have led to a better perception of the immensity of the problem of the origin of life on Earth rather than to its solution. At present all discussions on principle theories and experiments in the field end in stalemate or in a confession of ignorance.

Klause Dose, "The Origin of Life: More Questions than Answers," Interdisciplinary Science Review 13 (1998), 348.

If we received a single intelligent signal containing information from space then we would conclude that there is intelligent life out there. Each cell in the human body contains more information than in all thirty volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It's certainly reasonable to make the inference that this isn't the random product of unguided nature, but it's the unmistakable sign of an Intelligent Designer.

Walter Bradley, quoted in The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel, p110

For an example of Methodological Naturalism in science today see - "Vital Dust: life as a cosmic imperative" by Christian de Duve (1974 Nobel prize for biology) published 1995 by BasicBooks. Quoted below:

"We need a pathway, a succession of chemical steps leading from the first building blocks of life to the RNA world. Chemistry, however, has so far failed to elucidate this pathway. At first sight, the kind of chemistry needed seems so unlikely to take place spontaneously that one might be tempted to invoke, as many have done and some still do, the intervention of some supernatural agency. Scientists, however, are condemned by their calling to look for natural explanations of even the most unnatural-looking events. They must even, in the present case, eschew the facile recourse to chance, as I hope to have made clear" [p24 - my italics Vital Dust : Life As a Cosmic Imperative by Christian De Duve. 1995]

Regarding abiogenesis Stanley L Miller says the following:

"It must be admitted from the beginning that we do not know how life began. It is generally believed that a variety of processes led to the formation of simple organic compounds on the primitive earth. These compounds combined together to give more and more complex structures until one was formed that could be called living.

No one should be satisfied with an explanation as general as this. We need a detailed theory that specifies the nature of the processes leading to the synthesis of organic compounds on the primitive earth, the nature of the compounds formed by these processes, and the quantities that could have accumulated abiogenically. Then we need to know the conditions under which the simplest organic compounds combined together to give monomers such as amino acids and nucleotides, and how these monomers condensed to polymers such as proteins and nucleic acids. At present, little of this detailed information is available.

It has been argued that the course of events leading to the appearance of the first living organism is essentially unknowable since no geological record of these events has been preserved. We do not accept this argument, for even if we concede the absence of any geological record, we still have experimental evidence of a kind. We are fairly certain that life did originate on earth, and we know in considerable detail the nature of the basic components and biosynthetic pathways that are common to all living organisms. While we cannot be certain that these compounds and mechanisms were important for the most primitive organisms, it is simplest to suppose that most of them were. Thus, information about the synthesis of important biochemicals, whether monomers or polymer, under primitive-earth conditions is likely to throw light on biochemical evolution.

It must be realised that our problem differs from those faced in most scientific work in that we are attempting to reconstruct a historical process. It is not possible to test a hypothesis concerning the origin of life by running through the entire process in the laboratory. We must therefore use different criteria in evaluating a theory. We ask that postulated in a theory of the origins of life be consistent with all acceptable geological and astronomical data, and that each step be plausible in detail and be carried out in the laboratory insofar as possible. When a step cannot be investigated directly in the laboratory, say because it is too slow, related systems should be studied in such a way that extrapolation to primitive earth conditions is possible. This program is long and difficult. Quantitative equilibrium and kinetic data must be accumulated for many reactions and close attention must be paid to the geological evidence in order to define reasonable primitive earth conditions. When several prebiotic syntheses of the same compound are known, it is necessary to evaluate the relative importance of these different processes.

There may arise at some stage in the historical reconstruction the problem of deciding between two equally plausible but substantially or entirely different theories of the origins of life. How is a decision to be made in these circumstances? We can dispose of this problem by saying that we do not yet have one plausible, detailed, and complete hypothesis; we do not need to discuss the matter until we have two."

Introduction to 'The Origins of Life on the Earth', Stanley L Miller, Prentice-Hall, 1974.

The Stanley L Miller experiment in 1953

In 1953, a University of Chicago graduate student named Stanley Miller working in Harold Urey's lab flipped a switch sending electric discharges through a chamber containing a combination of methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water. The experiment yielded organic compounds including some amino acids, the building blocks of life, and catapulted a field of study known as exobiology into the headlines. Since that time a new understanding of the workings of RNA and DNA, have increased the scope of the subject. Moreover, the discovery of prebiotic conditions on other planets and the announcement of a bacterial fossil originating on Mars has brought new attention to the study of life's origins. Exobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe.

• 'We believe that there must have been a period when the earth's atmosphere was reducing, because the synthesis of compounds of biological interest takes place only under reducing conditions.' - the early earth more likely oxidising, most of the components of the earth are oxidised.
• 'Evolutionists recognize that life could not be formed today, simply because it would be immediately destroyed, not only by oxidation but by engulfment by other organisms'.
• 'The products of the discharge were condensed by the condenser and washed through the U-tube into the small flask. The nonvolatile [non-gaseous] products remained there, but the volatile [gaseous] products re-circulated past the spark.' - if the products had remained in the system they would be destroyed by the electric spark.
• The amino acids produced in Miller's experiment are 50/50 left and right handed, those in living molecules are all left handed. Miller also says that organisms with right handed amino acids would be just as viable, although you could not combine left and right handed amino acids in a single organism, but you could have left or right handed organisms. However in DNA and RNA the molecules are right handed.

Links:

1. Abiogenesis: Spontaneous Generation Redux and Hopeful Distortions by R. Totten © '99
2. DNA, Design, and the Origin of Life Charles B. Thaxton, Ph.D.
3. The Origin of Information By Mark Eastman, M.D. and Chuck Missler
4. Problems with the Purely Natural Explanations for the Origins of Life on earth Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness (IDEA) Club
5. Loopholes in the evolutionary theory of the origin of life: Summary by Jonathan Sarfati
6. Self-replicating Enzymes? A critique of some current evolutionary origin-of-life models Jonathan Sarfati
7. Origin of life: the polymerization problem Jonathan Sarfati
8. Origin of life: the chirality problem Jonathan Sarfati
9. Quantum leap of faith Paul Davies and the origin of life Alexander Williams
10. The Quest for a Chemical Origin of Life J H John Peet
11. The Probability of Abiogenesis - Talk Origins
12. Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, and Probability of Abiogenesis Calculations - Talk Origins
13. Evolution: Abiogenesis - About.com guide
14. Response to the Creation Science Home Page's "Top Evidences Against the Theory of Evolution" edited by Mark I. Vuletic with contributions from Thomas L. Moore - not a lot here, mmmm
15. The Improbability of Abiogenesis from A Creation PerspectiveDavid Plaisted
16. Abiogenesis Itself
17. Biogenesis and Abiogenesis Catholic Encyclopedia
18. some published works on biochemical evolution
19. Turning a Corner in the Search for the Origin of Life By Peter Wills
20. The Origin of Life on Earth by Leslie E. Orgel. Growing evidence supports the idea that the emergence of catalytic RNA was a crucial early step. How that RNA came into being remains unknown.
21. Does the Theory of Evolution Require that Life Came From Non-life (Abiogenesis)? Michael T. Griffith
22. The Origin of Life and the Death of Materialism Stephen C. Meyer The Intercollegiate Review 31, no. 2 April 1, 1996
23. Exobiology NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training

Stanley L Miller.

1. 7.3 Miller's Experiment Stu Pullen
2. The Origin of Life and The Suppression of Truth By Mark Eastman, M.D. and Chuck Missler
3. The Origin of Life and the Death of MaterialismStephen C. Meyer, Ph.D.
4. From Primordial Soup to the Prebiotic Beach An interview with exobiology pioneer, Dr. Stanley L. Miller, University of California San Diego
5. THE ORIGIN OF LIFE ON THE EARTH Leslie E. Orgel
6. From Chemical to Biological Evolution: The Impact of Life on Earth Systems
7. SIGNS OF INTELLIGENCE

Single celled: A team of 40 scientists in the United States recently achieved a landmark with the sequencing of the whole of the genome of the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae Rd.1 This is the first free-living bacterium to be fully sequenced. It was considered 'typical among bacteria'. The resulting genome has 1,830,137 base pairs coding for an estimated 1,743 coding regions ('genes').

Multicelled: The entire genome of the tiny nematode C. Elegans has recently been sequenced.
This is the first complete genome of a multi-cellular organism to be sequenced.
It contained about 100 million base pairs and about 20,000 genes.

Human Genome project:
Identify all the 100,000 genes in human DNA,
Determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA.

Books:

1. At Home in the Universe : The Search for Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity by Stuart Kauffman Review: Biological order comes from underlying principles of self-organization which may be used to analyze and reveal all forms of patterns, from biology to human functions. Kauffman’s new theory extends evolutionary thinking, suggesting that patterns and systems arise spontaneously and provide foundations for biological advancement at all levels See another Review by William A. Dembski
2. A Case Against Accident and Self-Organization by Dean L. Overman, Wolfhart Pannenberg Review: Is it mathematically possible that accidental or chance processes caused the formation of the universe and the first living matter? Are current self-organization scenarios for the formation of the first living matter plausible? Addressing these questions, Overman, a lawyer, reviews the influence of metaphysical assumptions in logical analysis and then discusses evidence from discoveries in molecular biology and physics in the context of mathematical probability. He concludes that accident is not a mathematically possible explanation for the formation of a universe that contains life.
3. Origins of Life by Freeman J. Dyson. How did life on Earth originate? Did replication or metabolism come first in the history of life? In this updated and expanded second edition of Origins of Life, Freeman Dyson examines these questions and discusses the two main theories that try to explain how naturally occurring chemicals could organize themselves into living creatures. Dyson analyzes the debate with reference to recent important discoveries by geologists and chemists. His main aim is to stimulate new experiments that could help to decide which theory is correct. This clearly-written, fascinating book will appeal to anyone interested in the origins of life.
4. Biogenesis : Theories of Life's Origin by Noam Lahav
5. The Emergence of Life on Earth : A Historical and Scientific Overview by Iris Fry. "Essential reading for people in disciplines ranging from philosophy to biology. It is simple the best general book that I know on the question of the origin of life."
6. The Molecular Origins of Life : Assembling Pieces of the Puzzle by A. Brack (Editor)
7. Not By Chance, by Lee M. Spetner. "When prominent biologists claim that "evolution is a fact", they are stating a half-truth that means far less than what they would like the public to believe. The theory states that the development of life is a purely natural process, driven by known mechanisms. This is simply not true. There is no evidence that life developed, or even could have developed, by a purely natural process. "
8. The Design Inference : Eliminating Chance Through Small Probabilities (Cambridge Studies in Probability, Induction and Decision Theory) by William A. Dembski
9. Intelligent Design : The Bridge Between Science & Theology by William A. Dembski, Michael J. Behe
10. Darwin's Black Box : The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution by Michael J. Behe
11. The Fifth Miracle : The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life by P. C. W. Davies How did life begin? Did it start here, by blind chance or by necessity, or was Earth seeded by extraterrestrial visitors? (And, if so, how did they arise?) Physicist and science writer Paul Davies tackles these heavy questions and more in The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life, a wide-ranging survey of the field of biogenesis. From the "Martian meteorite" ALH84001 to the hardy microorganisms living on--and under!--our sea beds, Davies looks for evidence pointing toward our first ancestor. His willingness to consider any possibility makes for a fun, fascinating journey through our solar system and beyond.
12. The Touchstone of Life : Molecular Information, Cell Communication, and the Foundations of Life by Werner R. Loewenstein
13. Steps Towards Life : A Perspective on Evolution by Manfred Eigen, Ruthild Winkler-Oswatitsch (Contributor), Paul Woolley (Translator)
14. The Major Transitions in Evolution by John Maynard Smith, Eors Szathmary
15. The Origins of Life : From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language by John Maynard Smith, Eors Szathmary, John Maynard Smith
16. Patterns in Evolution : The New Molecular View by Roger Lewin
17. The Origins of Life : From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language by John Maynard Smith, Eors Szathmary See also The Major Transitions in Evolution by John Maynard Smith, Eors Szathmary
18. Vital Dust : Life As a Cosmic Imperative by Christian De Duve, Christian De Duve
19. The Blind Watchmaker : Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design by Richard Dawkins
20. Climbing Mount Improbable by Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward (Illustrator)
21. Seven Clues to the Origin of Life : A Scientific Detective Story by Alexander Graham Cairns-Smith
22. Chemical Evolution : Self-Organization of the Macromolecules of Life : Proceedings of the Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution and the Origin of l by Julian Chela Flores (Editor), Mohindra Chadha, Alicia Negron-Mendoza
23. Molecular Evolution by Wen-Hsiung Li
24. Information and the Origin of Life by Bernd-Olaf Kuppers, Paul Woolley (Translator)
25. Evolution at the Molecular Level by Robert K. Selander, Andrew G. Clark, Thomas S. Whittam (Editor)
26. Prebiological Self Organization of Matter by frederick College Park Colloquium on Chemical Evolution 1987)/ Eirich
27. Chemical Evolution : Physics of the Origin and Evolution of Life : Proceedings of the Fourth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution, Trieste, Italy, by Julian Chela-Flores (Editor), Francois Raulin (Editor)
28. Search for Life on Mars by Malcolm Walter, Malcolm Walters, Paul Davies
29. The Origins of Order : Self-Organization and Selection in Evolution by Stuart A. Kauffman (OOP)
30. Abiogenesis: From Molecules to Cells by Paul D. Thompson (OOP)
31. Chemical Evolution : Molecular Evolution Towards the Origin of Living Systems on the Earth and Elsewhere by Melvin Calvin (OOP)

Addendum

This NASA article shows amino acids, both flavours, forming in a natural environment, something Miller never accomplished.

This University Science article shows how the flavours of amino acids separate, and promote the evolutionary chemical reactions necessary to begin biological life.