Early Earth Atmosphere Favourable to Life

mathinator writes "A study by researchers at the University of Waterloo indicates that Earth in its infancy probably had substantial quantities of hydrogen in its atmosphere, a surprising finding that may alter the way many scientists think about how life began on the planet. The new study indicates that up to 40 percent of the early atmosphere was hydrogen, implying a more favourable climate for the production of pre-biotic organic compounds like amino acids, and ultimately, life. The paper was authored by doctoral student Feng Tian, Prof. Owen Toon and Research Associate Alexander Pavlov of CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and by Prof. Hans De Sterk of University of Waterloo's Applied Mathematics department. The paper was published in the April 7 issue of Science Express, the online edition of Science Magazine"

Comments

Re:This article contains material on evolution.

[Yolegoman]

If one believes God created us, then one can accept on faith that there are some things which we cannot understand - like how God exists in the first place. We have finite minds, our minds cannot comprehend something always existing, but I know it's true because I'm willing to accept it on faith.

I find it much more reasonable to believe it was created with a snap of the fingers and admit I cannot understand how God could always exist than to believe this Awesome Universe "evolved" exactly the way it did!

Re:Lame troll... but I'll bite

[John Seminal]

Einstein was atheist, sometimes scientist say god, speaking metaphorically. Einstein said: "It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it." And by the way, what purpose will it serve to teach people lies? Even if they are not going to study science, they have to be tought facts, not lies. If you keep a population ignorant, they'll be easilly manipulated. As an example, I'm not a biochemist, I'm a Computer Scientist, but all the Organic Chemsitry I learned in high school has been very helpful in my life, to improve my nutrition, and hormonal profile, as part of my goal to be faster and stronger. It has also been helpful to identify all the crap about nutrition and health popular media barfs.

Einstein did believe in God, you are wrong.

And teaching creationism is not teaching a lie. It is teaching Truth. Chemsitry is not fully understood. God created how the world works, we try and understand it the best we can. But we are not God, and we should not make the mistake to believe we are know-it-all's.

Re:This article contains material on evolution.

[Gilgaron]

Gaia, the Earth, was birthed of Chaos, if I recall correctly. No one made out her dimensions, save perhaps herself. That covers most of all that up through 11.

Most of the animal's traits were given out by Epimetheus, who forgot to leave any for Man, so Prometheus helped them out and gave them fire. He wasn't crucified, but he was bound to a rock by chains and an eagle tore out his entrails every day for quite some time.

Zeus and Poseidon handle most of the weather effects mentioned.

That's a summary of a few of my favorite myths, anyway. Thanks for sharing yours.