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Old Materials Resurface For "Prebiotic Soup"
AliasMarlowe writes "Stanley Miller performed the famous experiments in the 1950s showing that amino acids and other building blocks for biomolecules could be produced by passing lightning through a mix of simple hydrocarbons, water vapor, and ammonia (thought at the time to approximate the Earth's early atmosphere). Other experiments approximated the environment around volcanic eruptions, but those results were not published. Following his death last year, a former student discovered the materials from those experiments, in labelled vials. Analysis of this material indicates that the conditions around volcanic eruptions (still thought to be representative of such events in the early Earth) resulted in a higher yield of amino acids than the simple lightning experiments, and resulted in a greater variety of amino acids." Pharyngula has a discussion of the Science paper, including a graph of the amino acids produced.
Just add volcano.
Great, just add more fuel to the Scientology fire.
And I am considered a single organism.
You know what else gives a higher yield of amino acids? 1 egg, 1 sperm, and 9 months.
As a 60-a-day Marlboro man I regret the half hour lost to smoking every time I go for a swim, so you can image the excitement with which I opened your post. Only to be confronted with something about soup. God, I need a smoke.
Following his death last year, a former student discovered the materials from those experiments
How did he discover the materials after his death?
Exactly. Remember kids - evolution doesn't require elegance. It doesn't require efficiency. It doesn't require cleverness. It just requires that your offspring do slightly better that other critter's offspring in your particular environment.
Oh, and Slashdotters - remember the 'offspring' part. That's important.
You're doomed.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
dude you win, the entire internet officially doesn't know wtf IAANAMB means.
Following his death last year, a former student discovered the materials from those experiments, in labelled vials.
So the former student died, was placed in labeled vials and then made this discovery? That is simply astounding.