Open AccessThe Origin of Life on Earth and the Design of Alternative Life Forms
Author(s) -
Jack W. Szostak
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
molecular frontiers journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2529-7333
pISSN - 2529-7325
DOI - 10.1142/s2529732517400132
Subject(s) - abiogenesis , scope (computer science) , astrobiology , earth (classical element) , nucleic acid , chemistry , computational biology , biology , nanotechnology , biochemical engineering , computer science , engineering , biochemistry , physics , materials science , mathematical physics , programming language
To understand the origin of life on Earth, and to evaluate the potential for life on exoplanets, we must understand the pathways that lead from chemistry to biology. Recent experiments suggest that a chemically rich environment that provides the building blocks of membranes, nucleic acids and peptides, along with sources of chemical energy, could result in the emergence of replicating, evolving cells. The broad scope of synthetic chemistry suggests that it may be possible to design and construct artificial life forms based upon a very different biochemistry than that of existing biology.