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"Immortal Molecule" Evolves — How Close To Synthetic Life?

Posted by timothy on from the non-instant-soup dept.

An anonymous reader writes with word of ongoing work at Scripps Research Institute: "Can life arise from nothing but a chaotic assortment of basic molecules? The answer is a lot closer following a series of ingenious experiments that have shown evolution at work in non-living molecules."

7 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. what is a living molecule? by meow27 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "evolution at work in non-living molecules."

    molecules can live?

    ok just making sure :)

    1. Re:what is a living molecule? by John+Hasler · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > molecules can live?

      You are molecules. Do you live?

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      Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
    2. Re:what is a living molecule? by cyborg_zx · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Composition fallacy: the properties of the whole are the same as its parts.

      Example: a watch can keep time therefore a cog can keep time.

    3. Re:what is a living molecule? by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Except for the metabolism bit which viruses also lack.

      At the C2 wiki a mad debate once broke out[1] about the definition of "life". What I've come to conclude based on my participation is the borderline is probably inherently fuzzy. Some things are "half alive". It's not a Boolean concept but rather a continuum, or at least many variables that we as humans have conveniently, and perhaps naively, packaged together into the mental concept called "life".

      [1] I was about to say "lively debate"

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      Table-ized A.I.
    4. Re:what is a living molecule? by MrNaz · · Score: 4, Insightful

      He did also say "while we compute". None the less I actually agree with your point; it is obvious that you have the equivalent amount of computing power as the average iceberg.

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      I hate printers.
  2. Evolution is a Process. by headkase · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Evolution is a process, it applies equally well to many substrates. Organic molecules are one of the classes and many other phenomena can be described in evolutionary terms. If you go to an extreme you can say the all structures in our Universe are evolved with the loosest definition of Evolution as: "Change over time."

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    Shh.
  3. God who is not God. by headkase · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The older I get the more I wonder about the relationships in our Universe. Now, it may just be cognitive cob-webs but who is to actually say that God is not waiting for us beyond the last theorem? Physics is not complete yet so isn't it hubris to proclaim that there is no God without a complete understanding of where our Universe came from? I am finding it more difficult to remain an atheist to the point that I have become an igtheist as I have gained more life experience. Just because most of what the world pushes on you as the concept of "God" is complete crap does not mean that "God" does not exist. The definition is where the meat lies. Perhaps someday physics will be complete assuming the incompletness theorem doesn't prevent that and we will know for sure. Until then, don't be so cock-eyed and smug in your "logical" denial.

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    Shh.