Posted on 12/29/2021 5:57:37 AM PST by Red Badger
A summary of decades of research on a rather 'out-there' idea involving viruses from space raises questions on just how scientific we can be when it comes to speculating on the history of life on Earth.
It's easy to throw around words like crackpot, rogue, and maverick in describing the scientific fringe, but then papers like this one, from 2018, come along and leave us blinking owlishly, unsure of where to even begin.
A total of 33 names were listed as authors on this review, which was published by Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology back in August 2018. The journal is peer reviewed and fairly well cited. So it's not exactly small, or a niche pay-for-publish source.
Science writer Stephen Fleischfresser goes into depth on the background of two of the better known scientists involved: Edward Steele and Chandra Wickramasinghe. It's well worth a read.
For a tl;dr version, Steele is an immunologist who has a fringe reputation for his views on evolution that relies on acquiring gene changes determined by the influence of the environment rather than random mutations, in what he calls meta-Lamarckism.
Wickramasinghe, on the other hand, has had a somewhat less controversial career, recognized for empirically confirming Sir Fred Hoyle's hypothesis describing the production of complex carbon molecules on interstellar dust.
Wickramasinghe and Hoyle also happened to be responsible for another space biology thesis. Only this one is based on more than just the origins of organic chemistry.
The Hoyle Wickramasinghe (H-W) thesis of Cometary (Cosmic) Biology makes the rather simple claim that the direction of evolution has been significantly affected by biochemistry that didn't start on our planet.
In Wickramasinghe's own words, "Comets are the carriers and distributors of life in the cosmos, and life on Earth arose and developed as a result of cometary inputs."
Those inputs, Wickramasinghe argued, aren't limited to a generous sprinkling of space-baked amino acids, either.
Rather, they include viruses that insert themselves into organisms, pushing their evolution into whole new directions.
The report, titled "Cause of Cambrian Explosion – Terrestrial or Cosmic?", pulls on existing research to conclude that a rain of extra-terrestrial retroviruses played a key role in the diversification of life in our oceans roughly half a billion years ago.
"Thus retroviruses and other viruses hypothesized to be liberated in cometary debris trails both can potentially add new DNA sequences to terrestrial genomes and drive further mutagenic change within somatic and germline genomes," the authors wrote.
Let that sink in for a moment. And take a deep breath before continuing, because that was the tame part.
It was during this period that a group of mollusks known as cephalopods first stretched out their tentacles from beneath their shells, branching into a stunning array of sizes and shapes in what seemed like a remarkably short time frame.
The genetics of these organisms, which today include octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, are as weird as the animals themselves, due in part to their ability to edit their DNA on the fly.
The authors of the paper make the rather audacious claim that these genetic oddities might be a sign of life from space.
Not of space viruses this time, but the arrival of whole genomes frozen in stasis before thawing out in our tepid waters.
"Thus the possibility that cryopreserved squid and/or octopus eggs, arrived in icy bolides several hundred million years ago should not be discounted," they wrote.
In his review of the paper, medical researcher Keith Baverstock from the University of Eastern Finland conceded that there's a lot of evidence that plausibly aligns with the H-W thesis, such as the curious timeline of the appearance of viruses.
But that's just not how science advances.
"I believe this paper justifies skepticism of the scientific value of stand alone theories of the origin of life," Baverstock argued at the time.
"The weight of plausible, but non-definitive, evidence, great though that might be, is not the point."
While the idea is as novel and exciting as it is provocative, nothing in the summary helps us better understand the history of life on Earth any better than existing conjectures, adding little of value to our model of evolution.
Still, with solid caveats in place, maybe science can cope with a generous dose of crazy every now and then.
Journal editor Denis Noble concedes that 'further research is needed', which is a bit of an understatement.
But given the developments regarding space-based organic chemistry in recent years, there's room for discussion.
"As space chemistry and biology grows in importance it is appropriate for a journal devoted to the interface between physics and biology to encourage the debates," said Noble.
"In the future, the ideas will surely become testable."
Just in case those tests confirm speculations, we recommend being well prepared for the return of our cephalopod overlords. Who knows when they'll want those eggs back?
This research was published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
A version of this article was first published in August 2018.
Sounds like it was a great day yesterday, hoping for the same today!
A rushed Wordle (using two elimination words to start) yielded:
Wordle 231 5/6
⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛
⬛🟨⬛🟨⬛
⬛🟨🟨⬛🟩
⬛🟩🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
You should join us in the Wordle... it helps to clear morning brain...
I never give up on people. I become indifferent, and that’s much worse.
Anyway, they threw me a curve ball this morning and said they were “leaving in a few,” and did I want my “usual from Sonic?” OK and yes. That was almost 40 minutes ago.
Seems they just left the house a few minutes ago and there’s a train stopped on the tracks so they have to “take the long way around,” but are still stopping at Sonic. I need to ask them their definition of “a few minutes.” To me, it means ready to head out the door as soon as I get my jacket, keys, etc.
Anyway, I’ll write more when I get back from Walmart.
I got yesterday’s in four. I don’t know if I’ll do today’s this morning or wait for this evening. I’m testing to see if I do better at the start of the day or the end of it, when my mind is letting go of the day’s garbage.
What a pretty cali!
I hope your night was restful. Mine was a little lop-sided, and as a result, I slept in until 0700.
I got the filing almost done so I could use the printer for the article when I got the text about Walmart. Waiting for them and their “few minutes” cost me an hour’s worth of work.
At any rate, I love the way things are looking, now, and maybe that’s the incentive I need to get busy on the rest of the place.
I was looking at sofas last night and have decided that about the only way I’ll get one is rent-to-own and it’s hideous over-pricing. I thought I was done with them, but evidently, I’m not.
Sounds kind of like planning anything regarding Bill the Son.
Choir is finished, and next I’m going to the library and taking Sally to Goodwill with some donations.
I didn’t pin them down about their “few minutes,” but there’s always tomorrow.
I’ve started another bag of donations, but it may take me longer to fill this one. At any rate, I liked yesterday’s progress.
So I got stuck with the filing, but the important part of that is done. The personal filing is all that’s left, and it may just be bunched together to be sorted out later.
I’m really looking forward to having my own wheels, but it looks as though that’s getting farther away than closer. FS now seems frustrated by it and is considering taking it “elsewhere.” I wonder if he feels guilt because it was his choice and not mine...?
Could be. I had a nap and then started reading “Lost in the Taiga,” which I got on Interlibrary Loan. It’s about a Russian family that lived alone in Siberia for more than 40 years.
Some of their survival strategies were similar to the American Indians in the books I’m reading to Kathleen, especially the use of birch bark.
“Lost In the Taiga” sounds like another interesting read! I’ll have to find my map of Russia before I could tackle it, though!
As I understand it, birch bark was almost as useful and versatile as the American bison. And to think early white man thought American Indians were “savages.” Fear does terrible things to men.
I considered buying the book, but the cheapest used copy was over $70. Interlibrary loan was $2.
Wow. I always check the used book sites, first. My track record for reading something in the two-to-three weeks allowed by most libraries is not very good, these days. If I don’t like it after I’ve bought it, I can either give it to a friend or donate it!
The library here has a storm shelter so maybe I should get acquainted. I’m sure there’s plenty to read down there! Not to mention a generator for lights to read by. ;o]
Good idea. Interlibrary Loan is three weeks with one renewal, but I’ll probably be done with Lost in the Taiga by Monday. They weren’t really “lost”: they knew where they were.
Yes, but putting “Lost” in the title gives it an aura of adventure, while “Living” or “Residing” makes it seem boring.
Thriftbooks has it for $22.09. Hardcover, even!
The title is even more exciting in German: Die Vergessenen der Taiga. Yeah! There’s a title to sink your teeth into!
That’s a lot for a book. Here’s a magazine article:
Wow!
Very interesting!
Now, I think I need to take my silly self to bed. Last night was rough, and I need to make sure I sleep well tonight.
Take care of you, and I’ll see you in the morning!
Seeya! Kathleen and I are going to the Presbyterian Church with the Cub Scouts in the morning and then to ours in the afternoon.
What a gorgeous little kitteh!
Good morning. Did you sleep well?
I had a hard time falling asleep, but in the end, I got there!
FS was feeling bad enough last night that they got a Covid test kit. The results were negative, so he was excited about being able to go to church. It takes a lot to keep him away. Now the day won’t be so bad!
I ran out of hot water on Friday, and I really don’t want to do it today. The plumbing in this place is slipshod, and I have no idea how it passed inspection. I think the valve in the shower line doesn’t connect the cold line with the hot like it should so when the faucet is turned to add more cold water, all it does is lessen the flow. “This Old House” needs to send someone to fix it!
One would think, being in the south, that winters would be fairly mild, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a cold winter. All I want is long skirts and high boots and thick sweaters!
You didn’t say what time you would be going to the Presbyterian Church this morning, but I figure “early,” so you have a little rest between services.
I shredded a bagful of stuff recently, but one would never know to see the pile of papers still to be shredded. Maybe this week!
Do I dare?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.