Abstract
The evolution of life has been a big enigma despite rapid advancements in the field of astrobiology, microbiology and genetics in recent years. The answer to this puzzle is as mindboggling as the riddle relating to evolution of the universe itself. Despite the fact that panspermia has gained considerable support as a viable explanation for origin of life on the earth and elsewhere in the universe, the issue, however, remains far from a tangible solution. This paper examines the various prevailing hypotheses regarding origin of life-like abiogenesis, RNA world, iron–sulphur world and panspermia, and concludes that delivery of life-bearing organic molecules by the comets in the early epoch of the earth alone possibly was not responsible for kick-starting the process of evolution of life on our planet.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arp, H.C., Burbidge, G., Hoyle, F., Narlikar, J.V., Wickramsinghe, N.C.: Nature 346(807), 807–812 (1990)
Arrhenius, S: Umschau 7, 481 (1903)
Bohler, C., Nielson, P.E., Orgel, L.E.: Nature 376, 578–581 (1995)
Brack, T.D., Madigan, M.T., Martinko, J.M., Parker, J.: Biology of Microorganisms, 7th edn. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1994)
Brock, T.: Thermophile Microorganisms and Life at High Temperatures, pp. 44–46, 313. Springer, New York (1978)
Burlinski, D.: On the Origins of Life. http://www.discovery.org/a/3209 (2006)
Chyba, C., Sagan, C.: Nature 355, 125–132 (1992)
David, P., Authony, P.: Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 9(6), 672–677 (1999)
Ehrenfreund, P., et al.: Rep. Prog. Phys. 65, 1427–1487 (2002)
Extremophiles. Microbiol. Rev. 18(2&3) (1996). Special issue of European Microbiology Societies (FEMC)
Fredrickson, J.K., Onstott, T.C.: Sci. Am. 275, 68–73 (1996)
Gibbons, A.: Science 300(5626), 1641 (2003)
Gilbert, W.: Nature 319, 618 (1986)
Haldane, J.B.S.: What is Life? Boni and Gaer, New York (1947)
Heckman, D.S., et al.: Science 293(5532), 1129–1133 (2001)
Hoyle, F., Wickramsinghe, N.C.: Nature 268, 610 (1977)
Hoyle, F., Wickramsinghe, N.C.: Diseases from Space. Dent, London (1979)
Hoyle, F., et al.: Astrophys. Space Sci. 83, 405 (1982)
Huber, C., Wachtershanser, G.: Science 281, 670–672 (1998)
Is there life on Europa? Astrobiology Magazine, dt. 5 April (2004)
Joyce, G.F.: Nature 418, 214–221 (2002)
Kuan, Y.-J., et al.: Astrophys. J. 593, 848 (2003)
Kvenvolden, K., et al.: Nature 228, 923–926 (1970)
Li, J., Kusky, T.M.: Gondwana Res. 12(1), 84–100 (2007)
Lin, L.-H., et al.: Science 314(5798), 479–482 (2006)
Lorenz, R.D.: Science 319(5870), 1649–1651 (2008)
Ma, Y.-J., et al.: Geophys. Res. Lett. 34(24), L24S10 (2007)
Maddox, J.: Nature 372, 29–32 (1994)
Manning, C.E., Mojzsis, S.J., Harrison, T.M.: Am. J. Sci. 306, 303–306 (2006)
Martin, W., Russel, M.J.: Philos. Trans. R. Soc.: Biol. Sci. 358, 59–85 (2002)
Mckay, D.S., et al.: Science 273(5277), 924–930 (1996)
Miller, S.L.: Science 117, 528–529 (1953)
Miller, S.L., Orgel, L.E.: Origin of Life on Earth. Prentice Hall, New Jersey (1994)
Mojzsis, S.J., et al.: Nature 384, 55–59 (1996)
Mondigan, M.T., Marrs, B.L.: Sci. Am. 276, 82–87 (1997)
Narlikar, J.V., Lloyd, D., Wickramsinghe, N.C.: Astrophys. Space Sci. 285(2), 555–562 (2003)
NASA News Release, A New Form of Life, dt. 30 July (2003)
New organic molecules in space, 28 March 2008, http://www.astronomy.com (2008)
Oparin, A.I.: Macmillan, New York (1938)
Orgel., L.E.: Origin of Life on Earth. http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/2948/orgel.html? (2006)
Orgel, L.E., Crick, F.H.C.: J. Mol. Biol. 7, 238–239 (1968)
Penny, D., Poole, A.: Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 9(6), 672–677 (1999)
Postgate, J.: The Outer Reaches of Life, p. 14. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1994)
Richardson, L.J., et al.: Nature 445, 892–895 (2007)
Rollinson, H.: Early Earth Systems, Blackwell Publications (2006)
Roussel, E.G.: Science 320(5879), 1046 (2008)
Salter, C.J.: Astron. J. 136(1), 389 (2008)
Schopf, J.W., et al.: Nature 416, 73–76 (2002)
Senapathy, P.: Independent Births of Organisms. W.I. Press, Madison (1994)
Shapiro, R.: Sci. Am. 296(6), 46–53 (2007)
Shorpe, M., Pickrell, J.: New Sci., 4 September (2006)
Stofan, et al.: Nature 445, 61–64 (2007)
Stuart, C.: New Sci., dt. 25 September (2002)
Urey, H.C.: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 38, 351 (1952)
Wainwright, M., et al.: FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 218(2) (2002)
Warmflash, D., Weiss, B.: Sci. Am. 293(5), 64–71 (2005)
Wickramsinghe, N.C.: Nature 252, 462–463 (1974)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lal, A.K. Origin of Life. Astrophys Space Sci 317, 267–278 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-008-9876-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-008-9876-6