Study suggests life sprang from clay: CNN

In summary, a team at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital have discovered that materials in clay played a crucial role in the initial processes of forming life. This hypothesis was first proposed by a Scottish scientist decades ago and has been supported by the recent findings. The clay provides a matrix for the chemicals to develop in, allowing them to combine and form complex molecules. This theory counters the idea of "tide pools" being the source of protolife in the 1950s, and was mentioned by biologist Richard Dawkins in his book "The Blind Watchmaker."
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  • #2
Interesting that the story hypes the religion angle (inanely) and doesn't mention that the clay hypothesis is decades old. It was a Scottish scientist who proposed it, for the same sort of reasons that the scientists here cite.

It is easy to show how chemicals in the sea could combine to make the complex molecules of protolife, but they disassociate just as readily there. So you need some way to get your new molecule away from all that water. In the 1950's it was "tide pools" (requiring a just-right moon). Then in the 70s or 80s came this clay theory: the chemicals get washed up on a clay bank and it makes a matrix for them to develop in.
 
  • #3
yeah, Dawkins mentioned it in the Blind Watchmaker
 

1. How did the study suggest that life originated from clay?

The study proposed that certain clay minerals may have acted as a catalyst for the chemical reactions that led to the formation of the first living organisms.

2. What evidence was presented in the study to support this theory?

The researchers conducted experiments that showed how clay minerals could have facilitated the assembly of complex molecules, such as RNA, which is a key component of living cells.

3. Is this the first time that clay has been suggested as a possible origin for life?

No, there have been previous studies that have proposed a role for clay in the emergence of life. However, this study provides new evidence and insights into how this process may have occurred.

4. How does this theory fit in with other theories of the origin of life?

This theory is one of many that attempt to explain how life may have first emerged on Earth. It is believed that a combination of various factors, including energy sources, chemical reactions, and environmental conditions, contributed to the development of living organisms.

5. What are the potential implications of this study?

If further research supports the idea that clay played a role in the origin of life, it could have significant implications for our understanding of the early Earth and the conditions that led to the development of life. It could also have implications for the search for life on other planets.

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