Posted: Apr 13, 2010 1:24 pm
rainbow wrote:Rumraket wrote:rainbow wrote:Rumraket wrote:
You are setting an almost impossible standard. Whatever direct evidence of abiogenesis there was is surely lost now. I can't even begin to imagine the circumstances required to fossilize and preserve protocellular material for >3500 million years in the earth's ever changing crust.
Not 'almost'. It is impossible to find evidence that isn't there.
All the evidence that we have is for a Biotic Period, abeit a very early Biotic Period.
According to the Postulate, there was a period of 100-500 million years wherein life arose from the 'Prebiotic Soup' - but there is no evidence of the broth, not a noodle.
So you actually agree that you have set an impossible standard in asking for direct evidence for abiogenesis?
Yep.
How about indirect evidence, like for the 'Primordial Soup'?
Before we can try and look for indirect evidence, we must first define what that would be. In the case of Primordial Soup, what is that, specifically?
This is where many of these papers become relevant. Some of them deal with possible abiotic synthesis of various relevant monomers, others talk about actual findings in meteors, rocks, hydrothermal vents etc.