[narby]

"Yeah, and iron ore is a precursor to a car. And a car is a lot less complex than DNA."

Actually, a car is much more complex than DNA. Study the methods used in computer image rendering and you'll discover that to define the precise curves of every component of a car would require a nearly infinite amount of information.

Plus, DNA is made up of only 4 components. While a car is made of steel, rubber, glass, plastic of many different forms, leather (if it's a BMW), cloth, carpet, paint, lead, acid. New cars have silicon, doped with various chemicals in various patterns making semiconductors that are quite complex all by themselves, which are then attached via solder to complex multi layered boards we call "circuits".

Should I go on?

The minimum DNA required to start life I suspect would be quite simple. And once life starts, evolution begins, which as demonstrated by Caltech's Digital Life Lab would then add complexity continually.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"The minimum DNA required to start life I suspect would be quite simple. And once life starts, evolution begins, which as demonstrated by Caltech's Digital Life Lab would then add complexity continually."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...............
last I checked we have never produced life from inanimate chemicals so what is "quite simple" here?? DNA- mRNA convey information, what was the source of that information - do precursors found in "space" contain information on how to grow a simple organism?? show me the data to support that..cal tech digital life is mental masturbation.

[Quark2005]

Actually, a car is much more complex than DNA. Study the methods used in computer image rendering and you'll discover that to define the precise curves of every component of a car would require a nearly infinite amount of information.

How many times do we see that fallacious argument? Life is more complicated that a watch/car/computer/airplane, and we don't question that a watch/car/computer/airplane was designed, so life must have been designed.

Watches/cars/computers/airplanes don't reproduce (imperfect) copies of themselves, though!! If they did, one might legitimately call into question whether their original origin was that of design...

[Stultis]

to define the precise curves of every component of a car would require a nearly infinite amount of information

SHUT UP! What if one of the robots in Detroit milling axles or cutting and shaping sheet metal has an Internet connection, reads this, and realizes that what it's doing is impossible? If word gets out to the other robots you could bring the entire automotive industry to a screeching halt!

[Elsie]

The minimum DNA required to start life I suspect would be quite simple.

Narby: you DO have faith!