Wolfgang Banzhaf and Lidia Yamamoto
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780262029438
- eISBN:
- 9780262329460
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262029438.003.0006
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter briefly explores the potential mechanisms underlying a transition from inanimate matter to life. First of all, the structure of a minimal cell is discussed, according to chemoton theory ...
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This chapter briefly explores the potential mechanisms underlying a transition from inanimate matter to life. First of all, the structure of a minimal cell is discussed, according to chemoton theory and autopoiesis. A summary of current theories about the origin of life on Earth then follows: starting from the formation of organic compounds in a prebiotic world, various hypotheses have been formulated about how these basic building blocks could have been combined into self-replicating and evolving structures that can be considered alive. Three of these hypotheses are covered: RNA World hypothesis, the Iron-Sulfur World, and the Lipid World. The chapter is concluded with an overview of Artificial Chemistries intended to study minimal cells and the origins of life, such as autocatalytic sets and autopoietic protocells.Less
This chapter briefly explores the potential mechanisms underlying a transition from inanimate matter to life. First of all, the structure of a minimal cell is discussed, according to chemoton theory and autopoiesis. A summary of current theories about the origin of life on Earth then follows: starting from the formation of organic compounds in a prebiotic world, various hypotheses have been formulated about how these basic building blocks could have been combined into self-replicating and evolving structures that can be considered alive. Three of these hypotheses are covered: RNA World hypothesis, the Iron-Sulfur World, and the Lipid World. The chapter is concluded with an overview of Artificial Chemistries intended to study minimal cells and the origins of life, such as autocatalytic sets and autopoietic protocells.
