CAFE SCI - DID LIFE BEGIN ON EARTH?
Thank you to Sean Ferguson for his report on the recent Cafe Sci event.
We have recently had this session’s first Café Sci event and I am pleased to announce that it was a considerable success. We invited Laura Allen, a Biology student and former pupil of our school to discuss various scientific theories on how life started on Earth.
The theories covered include Earthly Abiogenesis or the ‘primordial soup’ hypothesis which suggests that life began in a pond or ocean as a result of the combination of chemicals from the atmosphere and some form of energy to make amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, which would then evolve into all the species we see today. This theory proposes that all this occurred around 3.8 billion years ago when the Earth was young and newly formed. Thistheory states that the basic building blocks of life came from simple molecules which formed in the atmosphere without oxygen. These were then energized by lightning and the rain from the atmosphere to create the "organic soup". The first organisms would have been extremely rudimentary.
However an alternative to Earthly Abiogenesis is the hypothesis that primitive life may have originally formed extra terrestrially, either in space or on a nearby planet for instance Mars. Organic compounds are relatively common in space and it would be foolish to totally dismiss this theory. Some believe that life originally started on Mars but was transported here via asteroid impacts. Mars is now incapable of supporting life as it lost its atmosphere due to low volcanism; however billions of years ago it could have easily provided an environment in which evolution could have occurred.
We also discussed more outlandish theories such as the ‘Ancient Astronaut’ theory. Some people believe that billons of years ago an advanced civilization from elsewhere in the Universe visited our young planet and interfered with the evolutionary process or perhaps even started it. However this is merely a theory and there is no evidence to support it; unlike the aforementioned theories.
Finally we discussed the religious side of the debate. We talked about ‘Intelligent Design’ which basically means that we were designed by some sort of higher power for example ‘God’. However like the Ancient Astronaut theory there is no evidence to back this up and it is a faith based issue.
The event was very enjoyable and laidback. Around twenty people attended the event including six members of staff. The atmosphere was pleasant and everyone conversed within their groups after the initial presentation was over. There was a broad representation of people present. For example there were Advanced Higher Biology pupils, Advanced Higher Physics pupils and Higher Religious and Moral Education pupils. There were also some people who did not have a background in any of these subjects. The debate was fair and each theory was respected and considered equally.
Café Sci provides a relaxed setting in which we can talk about the latest thought-provoking scientific/ethical issues. These take place in a non academic environment. You don't have to be a scientist or science student to take part. Café Sci is about the science of life and how it shapes our world. Because of this, everyone is welcome to participate.
Sean Hugh Ferguson