'How (on Earth) did Life Start?' - The biochemistry of getting life started: did it start on Earth, and how plausible is the Panspermia theory?
The areas discussed include:
What is Life? | Definition of life as we know it |
The genome | We've been beguiled by DNA; It's about energy really |
Where and How on Earth can Life Develop? | The early Earth and its environment; The oceans; Black smokers; Alkaline hydrothermal vents; availability of carbon; Simple organic compounds; Proton gradient; Membranes; Tree of Life |
DNA Downwards | The structure of DNA; How it makes amino acids and proteins; What may have preceded DNA; Various RNA forms; Auto-catalysis |
Crossing Space | Survival of spores in space; Radiation; How likely is it? |
Did Life on Earth Come from Mars? | Meteorite ALH84001 and what it tells us; the general case for interplanetary contamination |
Conclusion | It's tricky! But we're getting much nearer to an understanding of how life can start de novo |