[karajorma]

I've got to go with the black smokers theory too.

While life could have got here from somewhere else Occam's razor cuts that theory to pieces. Life evolving elsewhere is no more probable than it evolving here so why subscribe to a more complicated theory for no good reason.

There's a theory that inorganic clay crystal formation was the source which is quite interesting too though.

[Kazan]

due to the Law of Extremely Large Numbers and the conditions on early earth the probability of life forming was overwhelmingly in _favor_

[karajorma]

I tend to agree there Kazan. I saw a paper on self replicating molecules a few years back. The molecule was surprisingly small.

When you consider the fact that a self replicating molecule only has to arise once and that you have 3.5 billion years for it to happen it becomes a reasonable probability that something will happen sooner or later.

[Kazan]

especially if you remember in reality PARELLEL test's of probability happen, not serial

[aldo_14]

There's also a theory, IIRC, that proteins didn't spontaneously form, but rather 'evolved' into the form that allowed life (and DNA, blahblahblah)... which sounds pretty damn plausible, especially as it means there's no need to rely on the gigantic odds of a protein like collagen forming spontaneously.
(NB: IIRC, the odds of a 200-amino-acid protein forming spontaneously are 1*10^260, which is a stupidly large number.  And that's excluding the interrelationship with DNA and whatnot which allows life to form)

I think a/the book which describes this in proper detail is called The Blind Watchmaker.  I've not read it, only seen a summary and reference.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393315703/104-4918594-4199961?v=glance is it, I believe.  The presence of negative reviews from creationists lends it a nice bit of credibility

[Kazan]

proteins didn't spontaenously form -- what we were talking about earlier were protein precursors

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Kazan
proteins didn't spontaenously form -- what we were talking about earlier were protein precursors

Missed that.

My post wasn't really a direct response or anything, just a generally supportive, um, thought that occured to me.

[Black Wolf]

Anyone looking for a book on this subject should pick up "The Fifth Miracle" by Paul Davies (Link to Amazon). This book kicks arse, and explains things really well. Another good read is "A Short History of Planet Earth" by Ian Pilmer. This is a geology book at heart, and only spends a chapter or two on biogenesis, but presents something of an opposing view to Davies' book, and is slightly more up to date. The rest of the book's a good read too, so it's worth the cash, either to purchase or for the fuel for a trip to the library.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]I'm surprised that nobody has ventured the possibility that the human race has evolved from consultants, telephone sanitation engineers and hairdressers...
[/color]

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]I'm surprised that nobody has ventured the possibility that the human race has evolved from consultants, telephone sanitation engineers and hairdressers...
[/color]

Then hairdressers, consultants and telephone sanitation engineers would have vanished through natural selection (beat over the head with a mallet), though.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]*sulks*

When the Vogons arrive it won't matter anyhow.
[/color]

[Falcon]

NO! the beginning of earth is all part of teh conspiracy!

[.::Tin Can::.]

God!

I know that by saying this I am prone to extreme flaming, disgust, hatred, etc...

[Falcon]

Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
God!

I know that by saying this I am prone to extreme flaming, disgust, hatred, etc...

No cause I agree with you.......

It was God

and whoever doesn't agree with me get a Bible and read Genesis and the first chapter of the book of John!

[beatspete]

Since i wans't about since the begining of time, I often have trouble imagining how life started.  In general I don't like to think about concepts involving time, as i've only 18 years experience of time passing under my belt.  Indeed, even yestarday seems a long time ago when you think about it.

But enough of my dillusions, given the right sort of elements (both material and conditions like temprature), a bit of time, and a bit of change life could form.  I dont think it would always happen on every planet with earth like conditions, or any conditions capable of life support.  In the end it just comes down to chance.  Life did form on earth, but the smallest atom out of place could have made the difference between me posting this message, and the earth just being a rocky ball with liquid water on it.

[Deepblue]

A force currently unknown to man, because we know practically nothing.

AKA God.

[jdjtcagle]

Of course God is my answer

*hides*

[Kazan]

deepblue and jdtcagle are delusional

[jdjtcagle]

[.::Tin Can::.]

Holy crap 3 people agreed with me on the subject of "God" as the answer. I have newfound respect in you!