Re: [asa] Article re cosmic organic precursors to life?

It's interesting since it affects the probability calculations for
origin life when necessity and selection can play a role. The sooner
these processes come into play, the higher the probabilities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAH_world_hypothesis

<quote>In this self ordering stack, the separation between rings has a
0.34nm separation. This is the same separation of RNA and DNA. Smaller
molecules will naturally attach themselves to the PAH rings. However
PAH rings, while forming, tend to swivel around on one another, which
will tend to dislodge attached compounds that would collide with those
attached to those above and below. Therefore it encourages
preferential attachment of flat molecules such as pyrimidine and
purine bases. These bases are similarly amphiphilic and so also tend
to line up in similar stacks. This ends up making an effective
scaffold for a nucleic acid backbone to form along the bases.</quote>

and an interview with Pascale Ehrenfreund
http://www.astrobio.net/news/article1992.html
and PAH World at http://www.pahworld.com/

Fascinating research. Compare this to what ID contributes to our
knowledge in this area...

On 9/5/07, Jim Armstrong <jarmstro@qwest.net> wrote:
>
> Here is something to ponder.
> This suggests a "natural selection" process in play at a cosmic level that
> selects for (results in the survival of) some particular complex organic
> molecules which were in turn synthesized naturally from atoms.
> It does not really address the matter of a transition from non-life to
> sentient life, but it does rather pose a problem for the "everything runs
> down" perspectives. This clearly is an instance of a natural process that
> moves toward more complexity.
>
> 'Cosmic Cockroaches' Possible Key to Life on Earth
>
> JimA [ Friend of ASA]
>

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Received on Thu Sep 6 12:02:57 2007