Sludge In Flask Gives Clues To Origin of Life

sciencehabit writes "In the 1950s, scientist Stanley Miller conducted a series of experiments in which he zapped gas-filled flasks with electricity. The most famous of these, published in 1952, showed that such a process could give rise to amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. But a later experiment, conducted in 1958, sat on the shelf--never analyzed by Miller. Now, scientists have gone back and analyzed the sludge at the bottom of this flask and found even more amino acids than before--and better evidence that lightning and volcanic gasses may have helped create life on Earth."

Comments

Twinkie

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't he leave a Twinkie sitting on the shelf too? (And scientists found fewer amino acids than ever before!)

Re:Earth is BIG

[Locke2005]

But how is it that lightning formed amino acids found they're way deep among the deep ocean floor, and in large enough quantities for life to have formed and survive?

Two words: shit sinks

Just imagine

[Locke2005]

If examining sludge in a 50-year old flask can give clues to the origin of life, just imagine what scientists could learn by examining the inside of my fridge!

Re:No Repeats?

[sdguero]

Biology is not my area of expertise, but I have to wonder why we haven't managed to "create life" yet (or have we?).

I create life every morning. Unfortunately it usually goes swirling down the shower drain.

Re:Who will all just plug their ears

[ColdWetDog]

Have you tried hanging out with some furries? You might at least get the tail part.

Re:No Repeats?

[SETIGuy]

They don't meet some of the criteria of the common definition(s) of life.

I know some biologists that don't meet some of the criteria. It's usually in the "reproduction" area where they have problems.

Actual evidence of the FSM

[Fujisawa Sensei]

Perhaps this so called 'sludge' is not really sludge at all. I believe that is is actually sauce, sauce from the Flying Spaghetti Monster itself. And being a sauce, this gives us believers in the FSM more actual evidence for its existence, than the magic man in the sky.

Glory to the Flying Spaghetti Monster!