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.
Good happy Friday Eve! It’s nice to see you’re still among the living.
Be sure to listen to your body and try not to do too much “mind over matter” stuff. This is a time when your mind needs to sit down, shut up and let you recuperate.
</lecture
I know there are a few degrees between 6° and 19°, and even between them and 70°, but cold is cold and there comes a point when all one wants is to be warm again. So I brought out the longjohns again!
I hope Tyson has a coat. If not, send me his girth at the widest point and the length from his collar to his haunches and I’ll make him something. In his favorite color, of course — dog food brown. (Just joking about the color!)
Good Morning!
Not as much ice accumulated overnight as expected, always a good thing!
“Caffeine withdrawal” headaches can be annoying... and there is usually a reason why you didn’t have your regular coffee/tea... so getting rid of them can be a trial....
w000t!
Thanks! It was just sitting there, and no one was around, so....
;o]
I’ve been informed we’re finally up to double digits outside the nully nest. 10° yay!
It’s cold enough in here that even with longjohns, I had to put leg warmers back on and put the clogs on my feet to keep the cold of the tile from coming through the “fur”-lined Crocs wannabes.
Now I’m going to sort pills and with any luck, I may get the spice turntable put in the cupboard.
I’ve decided to buy some turntables for the “pantry” cupboard, and since the black crates for the bedroom never came, I have to re-order them so I can get the bookcase out of there. Not sure whether to use it out here, but I want a linen “closet.”
Whoa! Be still my heart! Heat wave!
Tyson really needs to be warm in those Sierra winters! (I’m so glad he has you!)
If your daughter lived in Ukraine, being worried would be practical. Otherwise, no.
I have my hiking boots on to keep my feet warm.
In this case the reason was not wanting to give the coffee just drunk back in a less-than-savory manner.
Yes, I figured that was the case!
Very tough Wordle sledding for me today:
Wordle 250 6/6
🟨🟨⬛⬛⬛
⬛🟨⬛🟨🟨
⬛⬛🟩🟨🟩
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Exactly. I’m sure, if we still lived in Vegas Valley, she would have been at my door last night, rather than just texting me. Worrying does nothing, and I told her so. It won’t change a thing. She either has to accept things as they are or end up in an early grave. I refuse to worry about something I can’t change, and with her in AA, one would think she could apply that to all aspects of her life.
I sorted pills and just took a pain pill because I need to do something about the “pantry” cupboard. The one cupboard next to the stove needs rearranging as well and it may be that things are switched around, before I can even get the lazy susans ordered. I need them desperately, but their cost is more than I can handle at the moment.
I just get so frustrated at the lack of space and my inability to put my hands on what I need when I need it, so I’m on a search and destroy mission. I. Want. To. BAKE THINGS!!!
I managed to get it in five, but it was a real challenge to find the right order! The man who designed this is an evil genius. ;o]
This was one with a bit of a UK flavor to it...
You’ve been busy. I had a lie-down with Jake. Maybe I was asleep a bit.
It should, since it was originally designed by a Brit! LOL!
;o]
Well, I was actually very busy. I managed to get two cupboards squared away, and most of a third. Tomorrow I’ll work on the spice cupboard.
My flours are mostly history, so I’ll be weeding out the stuff in the canisters and getting them ready for the next batch. I have to make diabetic-friendly breads, because. Anyway, I’m done for the day.
The frame for the sofa/futon may or may not be here today, and in view of the freezing rain, I won’t expect it until tomorrow. It’s coming from Memphis, (120+ miles) which is the last leg of its journey from MN, but I suspect I-40 is a total mess with this band of ice that just keeps falling. We won’t be above 30° today.
Kathleen has a riding lesson this afternoon. I need to go dress warmly in long pants and get my boots back on. The thermostat says 73 Fs, but I’m freezing!
Yes, please! If you need to, wear leggings under your long pants. It might help!
Anything less than 95 Fs is cold. (Suddenly, I can’t use the formula for degrees. It gives me a new page! GAH!)
We’re supposed to have a major winter storm tomorrow. Most of the snow here is melted so it will be replenished, I guess.
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