August 26, 2005
DISCERNING THE HAND OF GOD (via Robert Schwartz):
Space radiation may select amino acids for life (Maggie McKee, 24 August 2005, NewScientist.com)
Space radiation preferentially destroys specific forms of amino acids, the most realistic laboratory simulation to date has found. The work suggests the molecular building blocks that form the "left-handed" proteins used by life on Earth took shape in space, bolstering the case that they could have seeded life on other planets.Amino acids are molecules that come in mirror-image right- and left-handed forms. But all the naturally occurring proteins in organisms on Earth use the left-handed forms - a puzzle dubbed the "chirality problem".
"A key question is when this chirality came into play," says Uwe Meierhenrich, a chemist at the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis in France. One theory is that proteins made of both types of amino acids existed on the early Earth but "somehow only the proteins of left-handed amino acids survived", says Meierhenrich.
Meierhenrich and colleagues have a different theory. "We say the molecular building blocks of life were already created in interstellar conditions," he told New Scientist.
The team believes a special type of "handed" space radiation destroyed more right-handed amino acids on the icy dust from which the solar system formed.
It seems increasingly obvious that life and evolution are shaped by the intervention of forces outside Nature. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 26, 2005 3:21 PM
Space radiation is Nature.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at August 26, 2005 5:24 PMNope. Just another random accident. Nothing here. Move along.
Posted by: at August 26, 2005 5:25 PMThis explains nothing. According to the article, exposure to left circular polarized light produces a 2.5% increase in the left hand amino acids, an insignificant difference. Furthermore, most of these organic molecules would not survive re-entry, and those that did would be dispersed across the surface of the planet until they broke down.
At least it only took 50 years for the Urey-Miller scientific myth to be discredited -- although I bet it still appears in biology textbooks as the most creditable explanation.
Posted by: jd watson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://brothersjuddblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 26, 2005 10:48 PM
God is a Leftist? Whoda thunk?
Posted by: Harry Eagar at August 27, 2005 12:04 AMAnyone who read Genesis would know He put too much Left in the recipe--gave us the heave-ho until we develop the Right on our own.
Posted by: oj at August 27, 2005 12:16 AMThe other problem is that even if you had a solution with 2.5% more levero forms than dextroforms, you still would not have a way of sorting the sheep from the goats.
But I am ammused by the idea that they would persue an "It Came From Space." as a scientific explanation.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at August 27, 2005 1:59 AM
Robert:
Are you kidding? Amusing as it may seem, it is only logical. If your hypothetical explanation seems improbable, then just extend it to a more improbable realm where it can not possibly be tested. Such is the state of modern biology.
If it did come from space, that just makes the Fermi Paradox more paradoxical.
Posted by: David Cohen at August 27, 2005 10:45 AMIf it's not super-natural, then it is natural, and therefore part of Nature. Space radiation is not super-natural, unless you believe that Zeus is responsible. You guys don't believe that the gods fly around in outer space, do you?
Posted by: Robert Duquette at August 27, 2005 9:54 PMRobert:
You're confusing nature as in all of creation with nasture as Darwin used it. Natural Selection does not include periodic intervention from outer space as the selecting medium. Anything outside the biosphere is indeed supernatural.
Posted by: oj at August 27, 2005 11:22 PM