Seven Clues to the Origin of Life: A Scientific Detective Story (Canto)

This book addresses the question of how life may have arisen on earth, in the spirit of an intriguing detective story. It relies on the methods of Sherlock Holmes, in particular his principle that one should use the most paradoxical features of a case to crack it. This approach to the essential biological problems is not merely light-hearted, but a fascinating scrutiny of some very fundamental questions. 'I know of no other book that succeeds as well as this one in maintaining the central question in focus throughout. It is a summary of the best evolutionary thinking as applied to the origins of life in which the important issues are addressed pertinently, economically and with a happy recourse to creative analogies.' Nature '... a splendid story - and a much more convincing one than the molecular biologists can offer as an alternative. Cairns-Smith has argued his case before in the technical scientific literature, here he sets it out in a way from which anyone - even those whose chemistry and biology stopped at sixteen - can learn.' New Statesman Front Cover ......Page 1 Title Page ......Page 4 Copyright ......Page 6 Dedication ......Page 8 Contents ......Page 9 Preface ......Page 10 Sources of Quotations......Page 12 1. Inquest......Page 14 2. Messages, Messages......Page 22 3. Build Your Own E. coli......Page 29 4. The Inner Machinery......Page 35 5. A Garden Path?......Page 44 6. Look More Closely at the Signposts......Page 51 7. A Clue in a Chinese Box......Page 63 8. Missing Pieces......Page 71 9. The Trouble with Molecules......Page 78 10. Crystals......Page 87 11. The Clay-Making Machine......Page 93 12. Gene-1......Page 100 13. Evolving by Direct Action......Page 111 14. Takeover......Page 120 15. Summing-up: The Seven Clues......Page 127 Appendix 1......Page 130 Appendix 2......Page 133 Glossary......Page 138 Index......Page 141 Back Cover ......Page 145 Blank Page......Page 3 Blank Page......Page 5 Blank Page......Page 7 This volume addresses the question of how life may have arisen on earth, in the spirit of an intriguing detective story. It relies on the methods of Sherlock Holmes, in particular his principle that one should use the most paradoxical features of a case to crack it. This approach to the essential biological problems is not merely light-hearted, but a fascinating scrutiny of some very fundamental questions. The reader is introduced to organic chemistry and the workings of an E. coli, to show how difficult it is to get chemical systems to produce products such as RNA or DNA, and yet, how very complex a simple cell is Follow Graham Cairns-Smith's journey back in time, breaking down the building blocks of life into ever smaller units. Is there a link between inorganic and organic material? Could life, as we know it, have evolved from crystals? It sounds crazy but keep reading and you may begin to doubt everything you thought you knew about evolution! A great, easy read with some lovely real-life examples.