Something of an old chestnut this one, despite NS's focus on it last week. I note that meteorites are now the Earth's preferred postal service. How long before our wonderful entrepreneurs offer up 'ATP Supplements - to freshen up your tired life-batteries'? Or maybe the cigarette manufacturers will be able to recommend we take it up again, as long as we use matches to light up (for the 'healthy' phosphorous content)?
I agree on the possible clues on what "we" are Bill (or 'where from'). Intelligent design claims have long been in the hands of idiots since Darwin and far too easily connected with specific gods. I have never been able to get past wondering why super-omnipotence can't see its way to let us know what we are, what we should do and such. If science is more or less right, then "we" at least come long after "something else", and we could do with more practice in hen and egg questions. Even as a chemist I could only wonder at what pre- caused or organised what went on in my experiments that was clearly beyond any influence I could have. Sometimes even the type of glass was a key, but I mean something beyond even surface effects or catalysis. I would actually like a version or two of modern scripture not requiring me to believe in blue and white striped rabbits. You have introduced me to some. My thanks are duly given. On 26 May, 17:42, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > One more probable step in piecing together what ‘we’ are from the > scientific community. > > orn. > > 'Nature's Batteries' May Have Helped Power Early Lifeforms > > ScienceDaily (May 25, 2010) — Researchers at the University of Leeds > have uncovered new clues to the origins of life on Earth. > > The team found that a compound known as pyrophosphite may have been an > important energy source for primitive lifeforms. > > There are several conflicting theories of how life on Earth emerged > from inanimate matter billions of years ago -- a process known as > abiogenesis. > > "It's a chicken and egg question," said Dr Terry Kee of the University > of Leeds, who led the research. "Scientists are in disagreement over > what came first -- replication, or metabolism. But there is a third > part to the equation -- and that is energy." > > All living things require a continual supply of energy in order to > function. This energy is carried around our bodies within certain > molecules, one of the best known being ATP (adenosine triphosphate), > which converts heat from the sun into a useable form for animals and > plants. > > At any one time, the human body contains just 250g of ATP -- this > provides roughly the same amount of energy as a single AA battery. > This ATP store is being constantly used and regenerated in cells via a > process known as respiration, which is driven by natural catalysts > called enzymes. > > "You need enzymes to make ATP and you need ATP to make enzymes," > explained Dr Kee. "The question is: where did energy come from before > either of these two things existed? We think that the answer may lie > in simple molecules such as pyrophosphite which is chemically very > similar to ATP, but has the potential to transfer energy without > enzymes." > > The key to the battery-like properties of both ATP and pyrophosphite > is an element called phosphorus, which is essential for all living > things. Not only is phosphorus the active component of ATP, it also > forms the backbone of DNA and is important in the structure of cell > walls. > > But despite its importance to life, it is not fully understood how > phosphorus first appeared in our atmosphere. One theory is that it was > contained within the many meteorites that collided with the Earth > billions of years ago. > > "Phosphorus is present within several meteoritic minerals and it is > possible that this reacted to form pyrophosphite under the acidic, > volcanic conditions of early Earth," added Dr Kee. > > The findings, published in the journal Chemical Communications, are > the first to suggest that pyrophosphite may have been relevant in the > shift from basic chemistry to complex biology when life on earth > began. Since completing this research, Dr Kee and his team have found > even further evidence for the importance of this molecule and now hope > to team up with collaborators from NASA to investigate its role in > abiogenesis. > > The study was funded by the STFC and the Engineering and Physical > Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100525094906.htm
