Do we know WHERE life began on Earth?

[Backdrifter]

We know there are theories about HOW life began but has there ever been any attempt to work out where? So that we can say, just behind that palm tree, or under that Tesco's parking space, or next to that drain, is where the first RNA stirred into life?

Almost a spooky thought isn't it.

[johne1892]

Sorry backdrifter.....but your question also had humour about life being found in a Tesco parking space. Maybe's ask it in a serious tone next time and you might get serious answers.

[Backdrifter]

@johne1892 - in some ways a fair point, but you are wrong because no matter how serious a tone a question is asked in, the answers will always be hijacked by jokers. I knew it would happen, I was simply acknowledging we had reached that point. Although I was heartened to see some serious responses still coming in after that so I did everyone a disservice.

Wherever, whenever, however life began, odds on that as soon as the second microbe splurged into life, one of them made a lame joke to the other.

[DTCwordfan]

Well said johne

Backdrifter you may get prosecuted if you take RNA out of a Tesco's supermarket without playing, certainly if you live in Essex....

[Backdrifter]

@MarkRae - "Q took Picard back to it... " - yes, I remember! I liked that notion. I did squint at the background to see if it was identifiable as anywhere in particular but alas it was your average Star Trek studio planetscape.

[DTCwordfan]

without paying, sorry

[DTCwordfan]

such as the organism turned to the new one and said - are you my organism or my orgasm.....

[NazNomad]

http://4.bp.blogspot..../s1600/000_souper.bmp

[DTCwordfan]

I beieve it would be virtually impossible to say - there is some evidence/theory now that the first life forms could have been arsenic based, not exactly easy to date as to techniques like carbon dating.....and certainly it could well have been in a S rich environment.....

[DTCwordfan]

reference as a starting point -

http://news.nationalg...o-lake-science-space/

[johne1892]

@Backdrifter, no problem but you are asking a very thought provoking question.

Wasn't there a program on TV last year about the origins of life (possibly just human life) showing how they moved around the world over the past 000's of years (I think it was hosted by the biologist woman with the red hair, sorry can't remember her name)

I'm sure most of that pointed towards Africa (as it is now) but that could be the opposite side of the world to where life was formed.

I presume that you would have to have the so called 'Goldilocks' conditions so it was just the right conditions, warmth, food, energy. I'd be tempted to say in the depths of some Ocean somewhere where we still find microbes living in extreme condidtions.

[Jonathan-Joe]

Backdrifter said "But we can identify existing places that were once elsewhere before continental drift moved them." But in the two or threee billion years since life first appeared, all material from the earth's surface (land or seabed) has been moved by tectonic forces to the interior of the earth where heat and pressure have changed it so much, that nothing of the original is recognisable.

[TTG]

http://brianlean.file...bite1.jpg?w=300&h=225

Great great great great (x 10,000) grandad!

[nightmare]

TTG
Nah, definitely great great........etc. grandMA, by the look of it
P.S. you should probably add another 3 or so zeroes into the brackets

[mrs_overall]

It is believed that life began in the sea but which sea or ocean is anyone's guess.
The oldest living organisms are called stromolites and if I am right there is only one clump of the stuff still in existence - I think it is off the east coast of Australia.
(I have a degree in marine biology but it is, ahem, a few years since I was at Uni and my memory isnt what it was)

[Backdrifter]

Maybe so mrs overall re your higher education time lapse but all the same, interesting point about the stromolites - not a late 70s new wave act then? - I'm off to have a nose around.

[mrs_overall]

lol no, but it would make a great name for a retro band

I think the place in Australia is called (or near) Shark Bay

Have a google

[nightmare]

mrs O
you will have a much better chance if you google stromatolites

[mrs_overall]

thanks nightmare - I have a dyslexic keyboard as well as a shocking memory

[jomifl]

DT.. not much screwing (of anything) went on (in fact almost certainly none) when life evolved.
Jake.I think it is most likely that viruses evolved alongside the orgnisms that became their hosts and probably had a common ancestor( hence the compatability of the cell chemistry). There was probably a lot of cell hijacking and viruses may have started as a cell that got injested by something like an amoeba and then took over control. The forebears of viruses may have been capable of movement and even hunted their hosts,

[jomifl]

google 'stromatolites'