Can chemistry solve the origin of life? Perry Marshall, Denis Noble and Lee Cronin

Can chemistry crack the mystery of the origin of life? Justin is joined by Perry Marshall who has established the $10m Evolution 2.0 Prize for anyone who can show a natural explanation for life.

Lee Cronin of Glasgow University is confident that his experimental research could win it. Denis Noble also joins the conversation as they discuss the nature of life and whether current evolutionary theory can account for its origins.

[RedneckCajun]

At 35:55 Cronin says, "life is not that special." If it's not that special, then why are you having so much difficulty creating it in your lab?

[jaydee]

There is no such thing as a "simple" cell.

[diycraftq]

How is james tour not here speaking to this please have him review the notes from this program asap

[TheMeaningCode]

Looking forward to a discussion between James Tour and Lee Cronin.

[CanadianLoveKnot]

It's difficult to provide a solution or answer to a question, whereby you've decided it must fit inside of a box, which you created. It doesn't allow for answers that exceed the size of the box.

[sanderossi]

Almost 100% anticipation, speculation and story telling. Get James Tour in there asap.

[ivicahorvatic]

Can prof. Cronin please explain what was guiding the process back in the pre-biotic era? Now a whole team of trained chemists are working on it overtime with a clear goal of recreating what he calls a "simple cell." What was a regulator then and how on earth did it know where to go next or what it wants to create?

[jayguison]

Lee- " life is simple " 😂😂 really??? Then why is it so hard to figure it out 😂😂. I hope James Tour do come and debate this guys, that a cheap shot to mischaracterize Jim like that.

[markrutledge]

I notice that Cronin still hasn't received the $10, 000, 000 Evolution 2.0 Prize. Perhaps the challenge of the prize is a bit more than he imagined?

[MMAGUY]

Unbelievable is the best show in the world it truly is there’s no better content then right here

[apeculiargentleman]

12:27 If the probability of the royal flush is already highly improbable verging on impossible, then what can be said of the probability of the royal flush itself producing an entity/assemblage capable of recognising itself? The way he slipped that in without recognising how vast an increase in the orders of magnitude of improbability there are is very concerning. Imagine going from 10^-6 to 10^-6000, these are random figures but to speak without mentioning the great potential chasm between the two numbers is appalling.

[redeemedchannel]

It’s been mentioned before, but it’s really a crying shame the Dr Tour wasn’t a part of the debate. He’s forgotten more chemistry than all of these geniuses know combined.

[beages]

Organic Chemist James Tour has a lecture in Waterloo and Syracuse which SMASHES the idea life just happens from non life

[Buildingenjoyment]

The Evo 2.0 contest for the 10 million is impossible to solve since Perry has set the parameters in such a way that he doesn’t allow for an alternative solution. He is telling the contestants how to solve this problem. Makes absolutely no sense to search for such an important solution and to force the contestants to stick to how Perry wants them to solve them. The way the prize is set up there is no way to solve it!

[brando]

He's saying "the soup gets better at remembering"... am I missing something or is he seemingly attempting to reverse entropy and also attribute features of conscious beings to dead soup?

[Mentat]

Should have had Lee Cronin vs. James Tour.

[mariajurgens]

Interesting discussion. In my opinion there are two possibilities for the emerging of life. First: it is inherent in every atom and needs and looks for ways to emerge in better possibilities of expression of itself. Second: there is a creator who brings life/awareness to the dead matter. Awareness/consciousness is the mysterious moment.

[FirstNameLastName-rsqo]

Guys this wasn't a debate episode. James Tour wasn't on here because that wasn't the format of the discussion. His work was just addressed briefly among other scientists who weren't present.

[blindspot]

but, the real question here is cronin, about "the information" youve mentioned, where does the primordial earth get it from? you?

[ericschissler]

Awesome show! I really appreciate this program.