by Charles Baum
Cobalt sulfides, 118, 207
D:L ratios, 167, 170–171, 177–178,
Cody, George, 7, 8, 9, 69, 70, 107, 109,
181–182, 184, 277
126, 211, 212, 223, 229
local symmetry breaking and, 168,
Coenzymes, 218, 285
169–172, 278
Cold. See Ultracold vacuum experiments
magnetic fields and, 223, 278
Collagen, 116, 269
on mineral surfaces, 171–186
Comets, x, 31–32, 36, 270
and pharmaceutical properties, 168–
Competition, 235–240. See also
169, 185
Evolution; Molecular evolution
polymers, 171
autocatalytic networks, 16, 197–198,
racemization and, 181
280
selection experiments, 174–186
Complex emergent systems. See also
selection process, 168
Metabolic protolife
separating left- and right-handed
biomolecules, 81–127
molecules, 173–174
chemical, 16, 28, 192
sugars, 167, 168
climate and, 91–92
Cholesterol, 63, 64
competition and, 249
Chromium, 159
concentration of agents, 17–19, 22,
Chromosome synthesis, 237, 289
142, 198, 250–251
Chyba, Christopher, 30
consciousness, 12, 15, 19, 20–21, 291
Citrate, 218
cycling of energy flows, 21–23, 64,
Citric acid cycle, 64, 141, 192, 208, 209,
141, 157, 192, 198, 200, 251–252,
216, 218, 219, 283
289
Clay
describing, 13–14, 249
amino acid polymerization on, 157,
development, 249
165, 276
energy flows through, 12–13, 14–15,
as catalyst, 239, 286
20–21, 93, 248, 251–252
chemical composition, 162
evolution, 249
experiments, 157–158, 276
examples, 12–14, 15, 251
RNA encapsulation, 158, 276
interconnectivity of agents, 13, 19–
as scaffolds for organic compounds,
20, 22, 251
155, 157–158, 161, 163–164, 286
mathematical modeling, 14–16, 22–
self-replication, 162–163, 165
23
surface electrostatic charge, 157, 161,
and natural laws, 80
163
nonextensive entropy, 16
INDEX
327
patterns of behavior in, 13, 14, 16–
Deep hot biosphere, 102–105
22, 201, 248, 249, 251
Deep life, 96–106. See also
predictability, 245
Hydrothermal-origins
self-criticality, 16
hypothesis; Undersea volcanic
simulations, 15
vents
Consciousness, emergence of, 12, 15, 19,
discovery of, 95
20–21, 291
groundwater ecosystems, 101–102
Conservation of energy, law of, 11
reproduction and growth rates, 102
Contamination
Defining life
in chiral-selection experiments, 176,
bottom-up approach, 26–27, 49, 76
179
emergence and, 28–31
of meteorites, 36–37, 72
ethical issues, 26
tracers, for rock samples, 66
experimental strategy, 31–32
ubiquitousness of, 126, 176, 272
fundamental attributes, 189
ultraclean-facility precautions, 179–
NASA’s working definition, 27
188
scientific efforts, 25, 26–28
Continuity, principle of, 113, 199, 200,
subjectiveness in, 29
216, 280
theological and philosophical
Copper sulfides, 118
debates, 25–26, 27
Corliss, Jack, 1, 2, 96–99, 263
top-down approach, 26, 37, 49, 64,
Cornell University, 102, 103
67, 216, 219, 252
Creationism, 77, 78, 80, 233
water characterization analogy, 30
Crick, Francis, 194, 196
Dembski, William, 80
Crystals
Deoxyribose, 64, 135. See also DNA
attraction of chiral molecules to
Department of Energy (U.S.), 100
chiral surfaces, 174–186
Deuterium, 261
formation process, 170
Development, 249
Cyanic acid, 134
DNA, 75
Cyanobacteria, 39, 40, 42, 44, 67, 256,
biosynthesis pathways, 64, 91
259
evolution, 216
Cyclical processes, 21–22, 92, 142, 157,
highly conserved sequences, 137
199–200, 234, 236, 238, 251, 289
palindromic strands, 195–196
Cytosine, 195
protein interdependence, 216
replication, 217
self-complementary strands, 194–
D
197
structure, 135, 136, 160, 194–195
Dala Deep Gas, 104
swapping by microbes, 141
Dana, Edward, 174
Dobson, Christopher, 151–153
Darwin, Charles, 77–78, 85, 86, 152,
Doudna, Jennifer, 237, 289–290
260, 282
Drug design, 168–169, 185, 194
Davies, Paul C. W., 251
Dual-origins model, 243, 291
de Duve, Christian, 201–203, 216
Dunham, Rachel, 70
Deamer, David, 143, 146–151, 152, 193,
Dyson, Freeman, 191
228, 231, 232, 239, 274–275, 289,
290
328
INDEX
E
Equilibrium, 13
Eschenmoser, Albert, 171, 221, 287
Earth, prebiotic, x, 70, 87–90
Escherichia coli, 235–236, 272
atmosphere, 67, 87, 92–93, 189, 261,
Eukaryotes, 139, 140
262–263
Europa (moon), 106
climate, 91–92, 188
Evolution, clay, 160–161, 163, 164
formation, 38
and metabolic protolife, 199, 200,
Evolution by natural selection, 27, 28.
201
See also Molecular evolution
meteorite/asteroid impacts, 99, 104,
at cellular level, 290
105, 139, 189, 253, 255, 271
last common ancestor, 139, 273, 274
ocean, 93, 98–99, 141–142, 275
missing links, 77–80, 259–260
reverse cytric acid cycle, 210
opposition to theory of, 77, 78, 80,
East Driefontein Mine, 101–102
233, 289
East Pacific Rise, 97
pace of, 189
Eciton burchelli (army ant), 19
random variation, 280
Emergence
Extraterrestrial life, 27
of biomolecules, 81–127
abiomarkers, 31, 67, 68
common characteristics, 14–15
alternative biochemistry for, 261
of complexity; see Complex
emergence of, 31–32, 105–106
emergent systems
Extremophiles, 97–98, 99, 139, 264–265,
concept, ix–x
266, 273
crystal nucleation analogy, 170
“law of,” 11–23
and or
igin of life, xi, 28–31, 38
F
sequence of events, 28–29, 31
vesicles, ix–x, xi, 143–151, 238–240
Fatty acid synthase, 62
Energy sources, life-triggering
Fedo, Christopher, 60
asteroid impacts, 85
Feldspars, 156
chemical, 85, 91, 107, 198, 201–202,
Ferris, James, 157–158, 159, 171, 222,
206
239, 262, 275, 276
extremophile microbes as producers,
Ferrodoxins, 284
97
Filley, Rose, 177, 178, 179
geothermal, 85, 191
Filley, Tim, 176, 177, 178, 179
lightning, 81, 85, 87–89, 93, 105,
Finding Nemo (film), 15
107, 112, 273
Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, 43, 118, 258,
mineral surfaces, 105, 111, 112, 113
269
photosynthesis, 96, 112, 198
Flat life, 28, 191, 213–214, 284
solar radiation, 81, 85, 86, 91, 93, 95,
Fogel, Marilyn, 56, 58, 223
96, 105, 112, 191, 198
Food and Drug Administration, 168
Enspel Shale, 70, 73
Formaldehyde, 91, 285
Entropy
Formic acid, 206, 284
nonextensive, 16
Formose reaction, 285
thermodynamic law of, 11–12, 14,
Fossils
21, 246
Allan Hills meteorite, 33–37
Enzymes, 210
amino acid D:L ratio, 181
INDEX
329
antibody tests for, 74–75
critcisms of, 216
Apex Chert controversy, xi, 37-45,
encapsulation, 158, 242
255
molecular phylogeny and, 141
atoms, 47–53
precursors, xi, 191, 221–222, 287; see biochemical pathways as, 192, 198
also PAH World
bones, 116, 181, 268, 269
and reproduction, 191, 215
Burgess Shale, 54
RNA World, 27, 112, 141, 216–218,
carbon isotope analysis, 53–59
242
carbon mapping, 50–53
self-replicating peptide, 194, 215,
coal, 54
232
contamination of, 66
test of, 242
electron microprobe analysis, 49–53,
Genetics. See also DNA; RNA
257
defined, 191
field testing for, 74–75
metabolism linked to, 191–192, 197,
hydrothermal sites, 41
200–201, 217, 218–219, 290–291
Isuaphaera, 258
synthetic molecules, 221–222
Laser-Raman imaging, 41–42
Geophysical Laboratory. See Carnegie
microbes, 35, 36, 37-45, 48–49, 65,
Institution
72, 74–75, 98, 257
George Mason University, 1, 3, 208
oldest, 38, 39-45, 55, 59–60, 255,
George Washington University, 60, 180,
256, 258
181, 182–183
Rhynie, Scotland plants, 51
Ghadiri, Reza, 194
sample extraction, 58, 66
Giant gas gun experiments, 123–124
three-dimensional imaging, 40–41
Gilbert, Walter, 285
Fox, Sidney, 199–201, 280, 281
Gish, Duane, 260
Freund, Friedemann, 124–126, 271–272
Glucose, 3, 64, 135
Friese, Mark, 73
Glutamic acid, 185
Fructose, 135
Glycine, 89, 117, 262
Fujikawa, Shelly, 239
Glycolysis, 64
God, 77–80, 85, 93, 129
Gold, Thomas, 102–105, 107, 118, 127,
G
130, 265
Goldschmidt, Victor M., 167, 276
Galap‡gos Islands, 97
Goodfriend, Glenn, 180–185, 186, 278–
Gamow, George, 286
279
Garnet, 174
Gordon Research Conferences, 48, 49
Gas chromatography, 7, 124
Gould, Stephen J., xi, xii, 54, 181–182,
Gee, Harry, 42
185–186, 279
Gell-Mann, Murray, 16
“Grand Unified Theory of Biology,” 209
Genetic engineering, 136–137
Graphite, 229
Genetic protolife, 112, 192
Gravity, 12, 251
amino acids and, 215–216
Greenberg, Mayo, 270
catalyst, 216–217
Greenland, Akilia rock formation, 59–
Clay World and, 158, 242
60
competition, 232
Greigite, 284
continuity in, 216
Guanine, 91, 195, 231
330
INDEX
H
Humpane, 7–8, 248
Huntress, Wes, 73, 124
Hadean eon, 38, 255
Hydrocarbons. See also individual
Hadidiacos, Christos, 50–51, 52
compounds
Haldane, J. B. S., 86, 261, 282
biomolecules, 61–62, 64
Hall, Allan, 213, 284
from living cells vs. nonbiological
Hanczyk, Martin, 239
processes, 61–62
Hansen, Jonas Lundbek, 21
membrane-forming, 91
Hanson, R. Brooks, 254
primordial, 103, 131
Hare, Ed, 278–279
and zeolite channels, 160
Harvard University, 48, 49, 158, 181,
Hydrogen cyanide, 91, 92, 262
237
Hydrogen gas, 87, 89, 92, 113, 206, 207,
Haywood, Alan, 77
262
Heinen, Wolfgang, 207
Hydrogen sulfide, 205, 206, 207, 210,
Helium, 103
211, 212, 242
Heterotrophic life, 112, 141, 202, 205,
Hydrothermal-origins hypothesis
281–282
amino acid stability, 98, 108–109,
Hexabenzocoronene, 230, 288
110, 115, 117
High-resolution transmission electron
and biomolecule range, 110
microscopy, 165
carbon fixation, 8, 117–119
High temperature, high pressure
credit for, 98
environments. See also
criticisms of, 109–110, 115
Hydrothermal-origins
energy source, 97, 105, 111, 114,
hypothesis
115–117
amino acid stability in, 109–111, 117
experiments, 4–6, 108–111, 115–
carbon deposits, 60
117, 118
citric acid degradation in, 211–212
and extraterrestrial life, 105–106
flat life in, 213–214
Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, 118
gold-bag experiments, 116–117
iron–sulfur minerals and, 111, 114,
gold-tube experiments, 4–6, 108,
118–119
118, 207, 211
lipid self-organization, 149–151
iron sulfide experiments, 207
and macromolecular formation, 93,
minerals as catalysts, 118–119, 207
98, 105, 118, 139
thioesters, 281
pyruvate experiments, 3–8, 108, 110,
Hoffman, Sarah, 98, 99, 263–264
149–151
Hofmeister, Anne, 125, 126
Hydroxides, 158, 159–160
Holland, John, 11, 15
Hydroxyapatite, 268, 276
Homochirality, 167, 170, 185, 223. See a
lso Chirality and chiral
molecules
I
Hooker, Joseph, 85
Hopanes
Igneous rock, as biomolecule source,
antibodies, 74–75
124–126
biosignatures, 65–67, 68, 70
Imidazole, 157
discovery, 259
Imide, 194
Howe, Christopher, 137
Impacts, 33, 38, 104, 123–124, 141, 271
INDEX
331
Institute of Molecular Evolution, 200
L
Intelligent design, 80, 233
Interstellar clouds, 122–123, 269–270
Lahav, Noam, 61, 157, 267
Iron carbonate, 258
Lauwers, Anne Marie, 207
Iron complexes, 119, 159, 162, 282
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
Iron sulfides, 111, 113, 118, 206, 207
123
Iron–Sulfur World, 203
Lazcano, Antonio, 113
assumptions, 112–113
Lemke, Kono, 116, 117
autotrophic metabolism, 205–206,
Lerman, Louis, 152, 275
241, 281–282
Leucine, 115
criticisms of, 113–114, 215, 284
Lévi-Strauss, Claude, 28, 253
energy source, 112, 114, 206–207
Life. See also Defining life;
experimental verification, 207, 211–
Extraterrestrial life; Flat life;
212, 267, 284
Synthetic life
flat life, 213–214, 284
antiquity of, 37–45, 59, 66–67, 253,
hydrothermal vent minerals and,
258
206–207, 283
carbon isotope signature, 54, 57, 58
Popperian philosophy and, 111,
as chance event vs. cosmic
266–267
imperative, xiii, 191, 247, 257
rate of emergent process, 113, 267
characteristics of, 28–29
reverse citric acid cycle, 208–211,
chemical interactions, 20
242, 268, 283
complexity, 12, 20
testability, 113, 114
first life-form on Earth, 27–28, 239
Isoprene, 63–64
meaning and value of, 246
Isotopes, 53–59, 257, 258
raw materials for, 81, 85
Isua rocks, 258
standards of proof, 34–36, 39, 257,
279
temperature limits, 41
J
window for emergence, 38, 253
Lightman, Alan, 33
Johnson Space Center, 72, 73
Lightning, 81, 85, 112, 127, 155, 157,
Joyce, Gerald, 27, 215, 230
273
Jurassic Park (film), 15
Limestone, 54
Limonene, 168
Lindsay, John, 41, 256
K
Lipid World scenario, 144–145, 239
Kauffman, Stuart, 16, 25, 196–198, 241,
Lipids, amphiphilic, 135, 213
280
aerosol life, 151–153
Kerogen, 274
bilayer structure, 144, 145, 148, 150,
Kessler, Mark, 22
152, 156
Knoll, Andrew, 48–49, 51, 55, 230
building blocks, 208
Korenowski, Gerry, 232
coenzymes and, 218
extraction and analytical
procedures, 147–148, 150