NASA Scientists Find Clues That Life Began in Deep Space

[Mr. McD]

"Scientists believe the molecules needed to make a cell’s membrane, and thus for the origin of life, are all over space. This discovery implies that life could be everywhere in the universe," said Dr. Louis Allamandola, the team's leader.

Using simple, everyday chemicals, researchers from Ames' Astrochemistry Laboratory and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have created chemical structures that mimic the membranous structures found in all life forms. "This process happens all the time in the dense molecular clouds of space," Allamandola said.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2001/01_06AR.html

[Caution]

1. but...but...genesis...but

adam and eve...but...
and the heads of Creationists explode.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I've known for a long time this planet IS the thirteenth tribe.

Lost in Space.

[papau]

2. We still can't get spontaneous cell membranes - but cell-like membranes kn

We still can't get spontaneous cell membranes - but cell-like membranes known as vesicles that resemble the membranous structures are found in space - interesting.

Some PHD friends working on this told me a few years ago that they thought they were close - but I have yet to see an announcement (which may well be my fault :-) )

It would be interesting is they truly did get workable cell membranes - even if just similiar and not exactly like ours.

[pmbryant]

4. Long way from "membranous structures" to life

Interstellar molecular clouds are fascinating places, but why presume that life on Earth was supposedly kick-started there?

Is it impossible to form these structures on Earth?

--Peter

[gottaB]

5. that was my first thought-- perhaps it has to do with how planets form

From the study's conclusion:

This paper presents the laboratory simulation of an interstellar ice mixture proven to produce amphiphilic vesicle-forming compounds similar to those found in primitive meteorites, such as the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite. Starting from a very simple, yet astrophysically relevant, ice mixture (water, methanol, ammonia, and carbon monoxide), a very complex mixture of compounds, including amphiphiles and fluorescent molecules, is generated on low temperature photolysis. The ready formation of these insoluble compounds from photolyzed ices comprised of simple molecules suggests not only that this process might be the source of their origin in meteorites, but that the delivery of such compounds by comets, meteorites, and interplanetary dust particles during the late heavy bombardment period may have played an influential role in the origin of life on Earth. Because our experimental conditions for ice photolysis were designed to simulate the environments of dense interstellar molecular clouds (the birth sites of new stars and planetary systems), the delivery of these materials to the surfaces of newly formed planets may be a universal process. The level of extraterrestrial molecular complexity is just now becoming apparent, and the full implications of this chemical input to the early Earth, and by implication to other habitable planets, are likely to be far reaching.

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/98/3/815

Surely somebody will chime in with an argument about chirality. A very interesting topic, but way over my head.

[On the Road]

6. Yes, It's a Long Way to a Cell

but this is one intermediate step. There are lots of others.

I agree more intermediate steps need to be identified. That's one reason that the nannobacteria controversy interests me -- regardles of whether they're really life forms, they are the KIND of intermediate step that should have occured.

[WindRavenX]

7. Nothing new really

We've found amino acids and fragments of RNA on asteroids.