Space rocks that fell to Earth within the last century contain the five bases that store information in DNA and RNA, scientists report April 26 in Nature Communications.

These “nucleobases” — adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil — combine with sugars and phosphates to make up the genetic code of all life on Earth. Whether these basic ingredients for life first came from space or instead formed in a warm soup of earthly chemistry is still not known (SN: 9/24/20). But the discovery adds to evidence that suggests life’s precursors originally came from space, the researchers say.

Scientists have detected bits of adenine, guanine and other organic compounds in meteorites since the 1960s (SN: 8/10/11, SN: 12/4/20). Researchers have also seen hints of uracil, but cytosine and thymine remained elusive, until now.

“We’ve completed the set of all the bases found in DNA and RNA and life on Earth, and they’re present in meteorites,” says astrochemist Daniel Glavin of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

A few years ago, geochemist Yasuhiro Oba of Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, and colleagues came up with a technique to gently extract and separate different chemical compounds in liquified meteorite dust and then analyze them.

“Our detection method has orders of magnitude higher sensitivity than that applied in previous studies,” Oba says. Three years ago, the researchers used this same technique to discover ribose, a sugar needed for life, in three meteorites (SN: 11/22/19).

Anyone who believes the Adam and Eve story needs some scientific education.

Sorry, Lane but your reference is USATODAY, not exactly a recognized scientific source. If you really think human evolution begin 6,000-10,000 years ago, I have no response. And somehow I don’t think a female was “made” from a man’s rib bone…….

It's a well known fact that religion tends to suppress science and facts in general when it conflicts with belief. It's been that way since the Neanderthals inhabited the earth.

Fantasy is preferred by religious zealots. In reality, it's the key to understanding them.

Can't argue with faith, that's the beauty of religion for the folks that subscribe and the folks that can convince them to do so.

I read Lane's article. It's about someone who postulates an Adam and Eve story grafted to the scientific knowledge of human descent from primates. The claim is that evolution-derived humans interbred with Adam and Eve after the two were expelled from the Garden of Eden. The best "evidence" offered is that science cannot disprove the theory.

The author of the article argues that the benefit of the theory is that it allows those who believe in the A&E story to also accept the science of human ancestry. This is a boot-strap argument.

The theory also violates Occam's razor by postulating an additional condition or factor (the Garden of Eden story) that's unnecessary to an explanation of human evolution. There were apparently two creation events, one by the slow process of evolution and another by a snap of God's fingers.

By cobbling together a theory like this one, I could show that science can't disprove the existence of Santa Claus. Or that horses should be vaccinated with bleach.

quote:

By cobbling together a theory like this one, I could show that science can't disprove the existence of Santa Claus. Or that horses should be vaccinated with bleach.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Anyone who believes the Adam and Eve story needs some scientific education.

Bullshit!

The whole purpose of God creating EVE is for Adam's pleasure!

It is written in STONE!

There are 7 levels of hell, and 7 levels of heaven.

Hell is organized as such:

Level 1 for disobedient women.

Level 2 for men who marry more than 4 wives.

Level 3 is for women who cannot bear children.

Level 4 is for lawyers who have never committed any crimes.

Level 5 is for murderers, both men and women.

Level 6 is for politicians.

Level 7 is for anyone who does not believe in any of the above.

Heaven.

Level 1 for women who never got married.

Level 2 for children who had one parent die at birth.

Level 3 for children who had both parents die at birth.

Level 4 for men who have endured marriage to 4 wives.

Level 5 for anyone who has never believed in any religion, including scientology and woke.

Level 6 for general hunters.

Level 7 for hunters who have shot hundreds of dangerous game animals.

And if anyone does not believe me, dig under the Great Pyramid.

Right at the base of it, there is a stone with all these facts on it.

Lost me there…

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Anyone who believes the Adam and Eve story needs some scientific education.

Bullshit!

The whole purpose of God creating EVE is for Adam's pleasure!

It is written in STONE!

There are 7 levels of hell, and 7 levels of heaven.

Hell is organized as such:

Level 1 for disobedient women.

Level 2 for men who marry more than 4 wives.

Level 3 is for women who cannot bear children.

Level 4 is for lawyers who have never committed any crimes.

Level 5 is for murderers, both men and women.

Level 6 is for politicians.

Level 7 is for anyone who does not believe in any of the above.

Heaven.

Level 1 for women who never got married.

Level 2 for children who had one parent die at birth.

Level 3 for children who had both parents die at birth.

Level 4 for men who have endured marriage to 4 wives.

Level 5 for anyone who has never believed in any religion, including scientology and woke.

Level 6 for general hunters.

Level 7 for hunters who have shot hundreds of dangerous game animals.

And if anyone does not believe me, dig under the Great Pyramid.

Right at the base of it, there is a stone with all these facts on it.

Wow. Excellent post.

What about those of us who have endured two marriages?

What is our place in heaven or hell?

Doomed.

quote:

Originally posted by Magine Enigam:
Wow. Excellent post.

What about those of us who have endured two marriages?

What is our place in heaven or hell?

My interpretation of this is we go to level seven of heaven, as I have been married twice too.

And I have no knowledge of anyone on this earth who is more deserving of this final resting place!

Why do the non believers always want to make science and God seperate?????

One does not exclude the other, even Darwin didn't exclude God.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Why do the non believers always want to make science and God seperate?????

One does not exclude the other, even Darwin didn't exclude God.

Now that's an interesting take on it.

Darwin didn't affirm God either. He did affirm evolution which may be taken as God given.

I thought it was the believers who always want to "make science and God separate".

Please excuse me for my mistake and please support your claim.

As far as I know, science cannot affirm nor disaffirm the existence of God. Thus science is agnostic.

The only source of affirmation is in the realm of psychology, as far as I know.

Well kabob, here is an interesting link for ya its not from CNN PR msn bc and has nothing about hating trump or false fascism.

Just remember God created science and biology and in time all will be revealed......

https://bulletin.hds.harvard.e...nd-god-then-and-now/

Fundamentalists on either/any side are suspect.....


.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Why do the non believers always want to make science and God seperate?????

One does not exclude the other, even Darwin didn't exclude God.

I think discussions like this tend towards absolutism that maybe the average participant wouldn't adhere too in reality.

Im.. well... Im not sure what I am. In this discussion I would tend to side with the atheists, depending how im talked too. I try to be an agnostic and I try to have this type of discussion without being offensive to other beliefs.

So my take on your question is that there is room for those who need science and religion combined. its just that there are very few compelling arguments for such that fit current/ historical religious teachings and scriptures.
As science based person, I know that we should not exclude the possibility of the things we can not yet prove do or dont exist or happen. So some type of intelligent design is podssible. But the evidence I see positions such a scenario in a realm different too the one we live and pre big bang surely?

As an aside, determinism should coincide with belief in a god? surely?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpU_e3jh_FY

Me, I think that when a particle becomes part of something living, as opposed too something thrown on a course from the expansion, then that determinism gos out the door.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
All humans may be descended from just TWO people and a catastrophic event almost wiped out ALL species 100,000 years ago,study suggests

Then why is incest illegal?

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Well kabob, here is an interesting link for ya its not from CNN PR msn bc and has nothing about hating trump or false fascism.

Just remember God created science and biology and in time all will be revealed......

https://bulletin.hds.harvard.e...nd-god-then-and-now/

Fundamentalists on either/any side are suspect.....


.

For the first time, as I recall, we have entered the realm of interesting discussion.

I have to give you credit for what's due. I didn't think you could do it.

Quote from your link:

As he once put it: “There will be no scientific evidence of God’s working in nature until naturalists have shown that the whole creation is the expression of thought and not the product of physical agents.”

There's a term for it. Prove there is no Santa clause, for example.

"Just remember God created science and biology and in time all will be revealed......"

What about Man created science and biology and God?

"Fundamentalists on either/any side are suspect..."

Agreed

quote:

I think discussions like this tend towards absolutism that maybe the average participant wouldn't adhere too in reality.

Good point. Like Cormac McCarthy, I believe or don't believe in God depending on which day you ask me.

I actually lean toward Deism. If there is a God, he caused the Big Bang and created gravity, and then sat back to watch what would happen. (The great physicist Stephen Hawking said that only gravity is necessary for life to evolve.) I doubt a moral, ethical God would intervene in human affairs as selectively as portrayed in the Bible, mainly to punish His creations for behaving according to the nature He gave them. The Bible says God created man in His own image, and "image" embraces more than just appearance.

I believe Jesus was a real person, but the tales of his resurrection and divine powers are unlikely to be taken literally.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
All humans may be descended from just TWO people and a catastrophic event almost wiped out ALL species 100,000 years ago,study suggests

I’m simply not buying that the entire human race evolved from the genetic diversity of 2 people. If God created the human race from Adam and Eve and his creations are by definition, perfect, where do genetic, inherited diseases come from? It obviously has nothing to do with free will.

There had to be a cause and effect, and a catalyst or activator. Was it, creation or the big bang, supernatural?

We will never know. Science can't answer it. And religion is an escape IMO.

I'm fine with knowing that it is what it is, beyond awesome, and not understanding it.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:

Me, I think that when a particle becomes part of something living, as opposed too something thrown on a course from the expansion, then that determinism gos out the door.

I presume that you are talking to me, ME.

The Biblical saying "dust to dust" comes to mind.

To reconcile with science - they say we, and all living creatures, are all made of ancient, exploded (supernova) star dust. Imagine that!

Dust to dust. How does star dust transform into life?

And evolve?

And transform again?

And that's just the physical aspect of it.

Some say there's a spiritual aspect too.

Now thats getting confusing. Not particularly talking to you, just giving my opinion and seeing what responses are given back. No matter what the view the ideas people put time into are always interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

I think discussions like this tend towards absolutism that maybe the average participant wouldn't adhere too in reality.

Good point. Like Cormac McCarthy, I believe or don't believe in God depending on which day you ask me.

I actually lean toward Deism. If there is a God, he caused the Big Bang and created gravity, and then sat back to watch what would happen. (The great physicist Stephen Hawking said that only gravity is necessary for life to evolve.) I doubt a moral, ethical God would intervene in human affairs as selectively as portrayed in the Bible, mainly to punish His creations for behaving according to the nature He gave them. The Bible says God created man in His own image, and "image" embraces more than just appearance.

I believe Jesus was a real person, but the tales of his resurrection and divine powers are unlikely to be taken literally.

Yeah I could go along with that too. Its undoubtable Jesus was a real person. and more and more events and places that are recorded in the Bible etc are being found to be correct. If the timeline is taken with a grain of salt. So people back then had some big ideas and wonderful explanations for the happenings they saw. nit that much different from today in some ways.

quote:

(The great physicist Stephen Hawking said that only gravity is necessary for life to evolve.)

Hmmm…there is gravity on many celestial bodies without life. And what exactly is life? People die all the time from correctable physical maladies that are minutes away from repair. As Dr. Dollar well knows…we struggle tenuously to ‘keep them alive’ through the repair. Were life as simple as starting a car…why can’t “we” bring it back? IE: The doctors finish the aortic aneurysm repair (a simple matter of plumbing) 1 min after the patient expires…why can’t we simply fire them back up?

Life is fragile. Life is tenuous. Life is by design and plan.

Now it is George and Harry!

And how much gravity? There is gravity of all levels, what is enough, what is to much?

Was it God that caused the big bang?

A whole lot of people take everything way too literally....


.

I don't know the full background of the Hawking quote in my earlier post, but this is what I think Hawking meant:

Hawking was talking about the existence of gravity itself, that mysterious force that allows two bits of matter to combine into one. Think billions of particles a few seconds into the Big Bang... What happens to them: do they continue to fly apart or do they coalesce? Whoever created gravity provided the answer.

The force that creates planets, and stars, red dwarfs, brown dwarfs, massive stars destined for short lives, neutron stars, and black holes is gravity.

Gravity is the force that powers the universe and holds it together. And we really don't know what it is, or where it came from.

If you want to say God did it, I have no way to contradict you. So long as you don't rely on fables in old books.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Was it God that caused the big bang?

A whole lot of people take everything way too literally....


.

Exactly ^^^!

Hence Roland’s last post.

He never learned to read between the lines. But then again…I am INTJ — thus blessed with the ability.

Roland,
was it Hawkins that said,
"It is not clear that intelligence has any long-term survival value". ?
Even if it wasnt him, it's a favorite of mine.
It means that long after man has gone, the earth will continue on. Well, until the sun burns out.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless: (The great physicist Stephen Hawking said that only gravity is necessary for life to evolve.)

Gravity giveth, and at the edge of the Grand Canyon, gravity taketh away...

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

(The great physicist Stephen Hawking said that only gravity is necessary for life to evolve.)

Hmmm…there is gravity on many celestial bodies without life. And what exactly is life? People die all the time from correctable physical maladies that are minutes away from repair. As Dr. Dollar well knows…we struggle tenuously to ‘keep them alive’ through the repair. Were life as simple as starting a car…why can’t “we” bring it back? IE: The doctors finish the aortic aneurysm repair (a simple matter of plumbing) 1 min after the patient expires…why can’t we simply fire them back up?

Life is fragile. Life is tenuous. Life is by design and plan.

I do beleive Lane, that you just took Stephen Hawking literally.

Is it possible that these space rocks, or some amount of their composition, originated from Earth as well?

Could the asteroid that impacted the Earth 65M years ago have ejected material beyond the atmosphere into space?
Sounds plausible but who knows?


Some things I do know, are, that the Earth just happens to have a particular elemental composition for the existence of life.
At a perfect distance from a ideally sized star.
It also has an atmosphere that largely protects it from space weathering and ionizing radiation.

Earth has the conditions and biodiversity that is unique to known science.

So, in my opinion, if one chooses to believe that God created everything and that Adam and Eve were the progenitors of human life, over the supposition that the entire universe and everything we know or believe is just a huge and incredibly unlikely result of millions of coincidental occurrences, all the better.

The belief in God and that we are part of his creation inherently gives rise to man's morality and ethical stewardship of everything God has given us.
On the other hand, if one genuinely believes that everything including our own existence is simply the result of a few billion years of accidents, then what's the point?

Maybe evolution gives rise to the same morality?

It seems a sensible idea for a species that can, do develop a series of codes which allow it to work cohesively as a species. Dont forget in all that too, that that morality is a very thin veneer. If you take the current war and peoples of high religious probability, yet look what they do to each other. I dont know that you can on one hand claim morality while ignoring the religious propensity to commit violence against others, often historically, in religions name.

As for whats the point? Im not sure that religion answers that question either? Those of us who dont tend towards belief pretty much just have to acknowledge there is no point other than the one we create for ourselves.

quote:

Earth has the conditions and biodiversity that is unique to known science.

Known science is nothing in the scope of the universe.