Rare earth

Oh ... actually ... I did a short 10 minute talk on this a while ago for a competition for science communication and I got second prize for it so it can't have been total rubbish! The slides are here: www.bartbusschots.ie/downloads/050330UniqueEarth.pdf

As it's only a 10 minute talk there's only about 10 slides so it's easy going

The emergence of the self-replicating DNA molecule (life) is still a total mystery.

One of the greatest scientific challanges is to figure out how that happened.

Anything that is said about it is guesswork still.

This much is scientifically true though:
"People are DNA's way of making more DNA".......Edward O. Wilson biologist.

Is life that great a mystery?
What is 'scientifically true' and is it better that alternative truth?
Could it actually be that DNA is peoples way of making more people.
(Perhaps he was only guessing!)

Socratically Yours

JMP

I like this quote from Carl Sagan:

"Some people think that if your granny feels uncomfortable there then life must be impossible."

Your slide show was actually saying that it must be like the Earth.

We really dont know if that is true.

Thanks for the responses, I am about half way through the book and TBH I find some of the authors reasoning a bit of a stretch, too many if's for my liking and not enough solid evidence.

But, I guess there is no proof no matter what side of this particular arguement you come down on.

"All living things are robots built for the regeneration and propagation of the DMA molecule."

"Reproduce the genes,the DNA" is the rule of all life.

That is the CORNERSTONE of all modern biology since Crick and Watson deciphered the double helix structure in 1953.

You were dragged into existance for that purpose,and when the DNA molecules have done with you you will die.
Know anybody over 150 ?

Life (DNA self-replicating molecules) was on the Earth less than 500 million years after the crust cooled.
It may be everywhere in the Galaxy.

We dont know, and your guess is as good as anybody elses.

DNA will figure large in discussions about getting to Mars and elsewhere.
Cosmic Rays cuts DNA to pieces.

There is no protection from Cosmic rays half way between here and Mars !

Where's Gondwaland?