Darwinian Evolution of Molecules: Physical and Earth-Historical Perspective of the Origin of Life (Advances in Geological Science)

On the basis of thermodynamic considerations and the Earth’s historical processes, this book argues the physical inevitability of life’s generation and evolution, i.e., Why did life generate? Why does life evolve? Following an introduction to the problem, the hypothesis “Darwinian Evolution of Molecules” is proposed, which explains how, when, and where life was instigated through successive chemical reactions and the survival of selected molecules. The individual processes described are all scientifically reasonable, being verifiable by experiment. The hypothesis is supported by extensive reference to the scientific literature published in academic journals, including some experimental reports from the author’s own research group. The readers of this book will learn that the decreasing temperature of the early Earth led to a reduction in its entropy, inducing the Earth’s materials to order, which entailed ordering of the light elements as organic molecules with subsequent further ordering (i.e., evolution) to systems that can be considered alive (i.e., life). Researchers and students, as well as the non-academic audience, interested in the interdisciplinary problem of the origin of life will find suggestions and possible approaches to the scientific and conceptual problems they may be facing. Preface 7 References 10 Acknowledgements 11 Contents 12 1 The Dynamic Earth: A Recent Concept Necessary for the Study of the Origin of Life 14 1.1 Continental Drift Theory in the Early Twentieth Century 15 1.2 Revival of the Continental Drift Theory 17 1.3 Plate Tectonics: A Dynamically Flowing Mantle 18 1.4 Plume Tectonics: A Recent Concept of the Earth 20 References 23 2 Why Did Life Generate? Why Does Life Evolve? Physical Perspective of the Origin of Life 25 2.1 Does the Generation and Evolution of Life Violate a Basic Principle of Physics? 26 2.2 Physical Inevitability of Generation and Evolution of Life 34 References 41 3 What Is the Ultimate Ancestor? Evidence from Fossils and Gene Analyses 42 3.1 The Oldest Fossil of “Life”? 42 3.2 The “Ultimate Ancestor” Explored by Gene Analysis 51 3.3 A Gene Must Be a “Molecule” Governed by Quantum Physics 60 References 63 4 “Miller–Urey Experiment” in the Recent Picture of the Early Earth 66 4.1 Traditional Hypotheses for the Origin of Bioorganic Molecules 66 4.2 An Overview: Cooling History of the Hadean and Archean Earth 70 4.3 At 4.0 sim 3.8 b.y.a., Reductive Atmosphere Occurred Locally and Temporarily! 75 4.4 Evaporation of Minerals by Meteorite Collisions with Ocean: An Experimental Simulation 76 4.5 Hypothesis: Mass Production of Ammonia During Meteorite–Ocean Collisions on the Early Earth 80 References 82 5 Origin of Organic Molecules and Natural Selection of Bioorganic Molecules 85 5.1 “The Big-Bang” of Organic Molecules 85 5.2 Experimental Confirmation of the Hypothesis, “The Big-Bang” of Organic Molecules 89 5.3 Natural Selection of “Bioorganic Molecules” 93 References 97 6 Molecular Evolution in Deep Subterranean Regions 99 6.1 Dispelling the Myth that “An Ancient Sea Was the Mother of Life” 101 6.2 A Hypothesis, “Molecular Evolution in Deep Subterranean Regions” 105 6.3 Experimental Confirmation of the Hypothesis, “Molecular Evolution in Deep Subterranean Regions” 109 6.4 Homochirality of Bioorganic Molecules, from the View of Natural Selection of Molecules 114 References 123 7 The Last Stage of Molecular Evolution to the Birth of Life: Individuals, Metabolism, and Heredity 126 7.1 Geological Situation of Tectonic Plate Edges at About 4.0 b.y.a 126 7.2 Appearance of “Individuals” and Vesicle Fusion 128 7.3 The Final Stage Leading to the Birth of Life: “The Origin of Species” that C. Darwin Did not Know 132 7.4 On the Genetic Takeover Hypothesis and the Fe-S World Hypothesis 135 References 140 8 Summary: The Evolutionary Phylogenetic Tree of the Earth’s Light Elements 141 8.1 Introduction 141 8.2 Life Occurred in Subterranean Regions and Underwent Adaptive Radiation in Ocean 142 8.3 Earth, the Watery Planet Where Life Generated and Evolves 147 References 148 Index 149 Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv The Dynamic Earth: A Recent Concept Necessary for the Study of the Origin of Life (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 1-11 Why Did Life Generate? Why Does Life Evolve? Physical Perspective of the Origin of Life (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 13-29 What Is the Ultimate Ancestor? Evidence from Fossils and Gene Analyses (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 31-54 “Miller–Urey Experiment” in the Recent Picture of the Early Earth (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 55-73 Origin of Organic Molecules and Natural Selection of Bioorganic Molecules (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 75-88 Molecular Evolution in Deep Subterranean Regions (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 89-115 The Last Stage of Molecular Evolution to the Birth of Life: Individuals, Metabolism, and Heredity (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 117-131 Summary: The Evolutionary Phylogenetic Tree of the Earth’s Light Elements (Hiromoto Nakazawa)....Pages 133-140 Back Matter ....Pages 141-143