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What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

quantamagazine.org

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Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#91

Post by philipallstar »

nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

> I like to think of the Earth as a supercomputer running a vast self-interactive chemical computation of unfathomable scale for an unfathomably long amount of time.

Or "I read the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#92

Post by IsTom »

AareyBaba wrote: post #49
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

Yet, there is only one form of life on earth exhibiting cellular metabolism and DNA/RNA replication. That original life form formed as soon as the earth became suitable for life. In the 3+ billion years since, there has been no new life form created that we know of despite the ongoing unfathomable computations.

If there were more they could have been outcompeted early.

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#93

Post by fragmede »

AareyBaba wrote: post #49
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

Yet, there is only one form of life on earth exhibiting cellular metabolism and DNA/RNA replication. That original life form formed as soon as the earth became suitable for life. In the 3+ billion years since, there has been no new life form created that we know of despite the ongoing unfathomable computations.

Is that still the case with the discovery extremophiles that exist on chemical vents deep under the ocean and far away from the sun? Or rather, how sure are we that they're the same form?

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#95

Post by hanjeanwat »

AareyBaba wrote: post #49
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

Yet, there is only one form of life on earth exhibiting cellular metabolism and DNA/RNA replication. That original life form formed as soon as the earth became suitable for life. In the 3+ billion years since, there has been no new life form created that we know of despite the ongoing unfathomable computations.

Or, at least, our form of life outcompeted all others out there. We don’t actually know that life only started the one time.

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#96

Post by [deleted] »

philipallstar wrote: post #91
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

> I like to think of the Earth as a supercomputer running a vast self-interactive chemical computation of unfathomable scale for an unfathomably long amount of time. Or "I read the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

[deleted]

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#98

Post by tardedmeme »

metalman wrote: post #57

soil is a biological construct and only occurs on Earth, the regolith on other planets will not support life without major amendments and modifications. there are orders of magnitude more types of minerals on earth that found in any sample from an extra terestrial source, and while not proven conclusivly there is strong evidence that the bulk of earthly minerals, have biological origins in there creation. what is not…

Supporting life is different from already having life. There are lifeforms that only rely upon soil for structural support and not for nutrients - they could probably grow on regolith as long as it's not too toxic. We could also spray it with needed nutrients.

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#99

Post by [deleted] »

philipallstar wrote: post #91
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

> I like to think of the Earth as a supercomputer running a vast self-interactive chemical computation of unfathomable scale for an unfathomably long amount of time. Or "I read the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

[deleted]

Re: What appear to be biochemical processes may be a natural feature of geology

#100

Post by [deleted] »

AareyBaba wrote: post #49
nilkn wrote: post #41

It's been speculated for at least a decade now that geochemistry spawned biochemistry and life as we know it. This appears to be the latest instance of this pattern. One of the most notable examples is geothermal processes simply creating calm energy gradients that are stable for billions of years (e.g., underwater alkaline vents), which can then essentially "manufacture" organic compounds, which naturally assemble i…

Yet, there is only one form of life on earth exhibiting cellular metabolism and DNA/RNA replication. That original life form formed as soon as the earth became suitable for life. In the 3+ billion years since, there has been no new life form created that we know of despite the ongoing unfathomable computations.

[deleted]
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