Theoretical origin of life; another odds against paper (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 16:34 (1670 days ago) @ David Turell

Like Koonen, (see here: 2015-02-21, 15:06) author using RNA world basis:

https://www.space.com/origin-of-life-rna-universe-model.html

"Totani's study looks at a leading hypothesis for abiogenesis, that life as we know it began in what researchers call an RNA world. This hypothesis suggests that before the evolution of proteins and the double-stranded genetic molecule called DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid — which today provides the instructions for life on Earth — the world was dominated by similar but less efficient molecules called RNA, or ribonucleic acid.

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"Although primitive, RNA is made up of many chemicals called monomers that link together to form a polymer. Particularly, RNA is made up of a chain of nitrogen-based molecules called nucleotides. Researchers think that in order for RNA to perform its essential function of copying itself, it needs to be composed of a chain of nucleotides longer than 40 to 60 nucleotides.

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"Totani's model uses the most conservative method of RNA polymerization, where each monomer is attached randomly one-by-one until a chain of monomers is formed. Scientists have suggested that polymers (each made up of multiple monomers) could attach to each other to speed up the process, but Totani said such a process is "highly speculative and hypothetical."

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"Scientists think life emerged on Earth around 500 million years after the planet formed. Given that there are an estimated 10 sextillion (10^22) stars in the observable universe, it may seem that the odds of life popping up in the universe should be good. But researchers have found that the random formation of RNA with a length greater than 40 is incredibly unlikely given the number of stars — with habitable planets — in our cosmic neighborhood. There are too few stars with habitable planets in the observable universe for abiogenesis to occur within the timeframe of life emerging on Earth.

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"It is estimated that the whole universe could contain more than 1 googol (10^100) stars. When Totani factored in this new abundance of stars, he found that the emergence of life was no longer improbable, but very likely.

"This may be good news for the RNA world hypothesis, though it could also mean that the search for life in the universe is a hopeless pursuit.

If life first got its start in RNA, "life on Earth was created by a very rare chance of producing a long RNA polymer," said Totani. "Most likely, Earth is the only planet harboring life in the observable universe. I predict that future observations or explorations of extraterrestrial life will yield no positive results.

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"Totani's work is far from an answer to one of science's most existential questions but it may guide further research on the origins of life. Whether we are alone in the universe still remains unanswered, but if Totani's numbers tell us anything, you shouldn't bet on it."

Comment: Highly theoretical fun. The first assumption about an RNA world is itself problematic. Further remember my recent comment about DNA/RNA simply supplying ingredients, not all the necessary reactions between controlling protein molecules:

RNA naturally appearing on is own without all the other surrounding layers is poppycock. All of this integration of molecules influencing each other, some 'mastering' each other, cannot naturally be added layer by layer in a chance fashion to end up with life as we know it. This requires precise design by a designer. The existence of a designer cannot be denied no matter how that designer is named or not named. This is the ID position. (Saturday, April 25, 2020, 17:27)