by Richard William Nelson | Oct 10, 2013
Scientists have long known that extremely low levels of free oxygen [< 10-5] atmosphere on early Earth are critical for any viable origin of life model of evolution.
The controversy surrounding the atmospheric concentration of oxygen in the origin of life stems from the laws of organic chemistry.
The autonomous assembly of complex organic molecules has only been observed in an oxygen-free atmosphere.
However, the evidence for an oxygen-free Earth atmosphere has a checkered history.
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by Richard William Nelson | Apr 13, 2013
A research team led by Michael Blaber of Florida State University College of Medicine recently reported a solution to a problem with the “protein-first,” also known as the protein self-assembly origin of life theory. The issue involves protein folding.
Biologically active proteins are only functional when folded into specific molecular structures.
Proteins’ ability to fold into specific structures is essential to performing cellular functions. While the team’s approach aligns with Charles Darwin’s theory, the protein self-assembly origin of life competes with the popular “RNA-first” origin of life theory.
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by Richard William Nelson | Feb 19, 2013
“The origin of life on Earth is a scientific problem,” according to WIKIPEDIA, “which is not yet solved. There are many ideas but few clear facts.”
In 2013, Princeton University hosted an international Origin of Life conference to address this issue.
In the nineteenth century, the “spontaneous generation” theory had long been the prevailing natural explanation for the origin of life, dating back to Greek philosophy. Even Charles Darwin, centuries later, endorsed the theory in The Origin of Species (1859).
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by Richard William Nelson | Jan 24, 2013
Origin of life researchers collected “new insights” from a new paper entitled “The origin of membrane biogenetics,” published in the December issue of the journal Cell. The media elevated the hype into an origin-of-life sea saga spectacle.
The journal Nature covered the paper in an article entitled “How life emerged from deep-sea rocks” by Ed Yong. The subtitle. “The origin of ion-pumping proteins could explain how life began in and escaped from undersea thermal vents,” seemed to seal the deal.
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by Richard William Nelson | Nov 20, 2012
Life originated in “a warm little pond,” Charles Darwin wrote to Joseph J. Hooker, the founder of geographical botany within Darwin’s circle of colleagues. How, where, and when the first species got started, however, completely escaped Darwin.
In contemplating the origin of life dilemma, Darwin noted in his autobiography –
“The mystery of the beginning of all things is insoluble by us, and I, for one, must be content to remain an agnostic.”
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Scientists have long known that extremely low levels of free oxygen [< 10-5] atmosphere on early Earth are critical for any viable origin of life model of evolution.
“The origin of life on 
Origin of life researchers collected “new insights” from a new paper entitled “
Life originated in “a warm little pond,” 