A huge breakthrough was announced today. Two essential elements of RNA have been made from scratch in a “primordial soup”. This is an interesting feat for science and potentially understanding how we got here.
Quoting the article:
“By changing the way we mix the ingredients together, we managed to make ribonucleotides,” said Sutherland. “The chemistry works very effectively from simple precursors, and the conditions required are not distinct from what one might imagine took place on the early Earth.”
In other words, while we cannot guarantee that this is the way that we got on the path of forming RNA, it gives a scientifically tested theory as to how that might have occurred. This is a huge deal because provides us the empirical evidence to show that our theories about abiogenesis are possible, and we do not need a god to give rise to life.
The conclusion of the article is a great quote:
“Ribonucleotides are simply an expression of the fundamental principles of organic chemistry,” said Sutherland. “They’re doing it unwittingly. The instructions for them to do it are inherent in the structure of the precursor materials. And if they can self-assemble so easily, perhaps they shouldn’t be viewed as complicated.”
I love science.
