Jeber’s

Life’s First Spark Re-Created in the Laboratory

A fundamental but elusive step in the early evolution of life on Earth has been replicated in a laboratory.

Researchers synthesized the basic ingredients of RNA, a molecule from which the simplest self-replicating structures are made. Until now, they couldn’t explain how these ingredients might have formed.

“It’s like molecular choreography, where the molecules choreograph their own behavior,” said organic chemist John Sutherland of the University of Manchester, co-author of a study in Nature Wednesday.

RNA is now found in living cells, where it carries information between genes and protein-manufacturing cellular components. Scientists think RNA existed early in Earth’s history, providing a necessary intermediate platform between pre-biotic chemicals and DNA, its double-stranded, more-stable descendant.

Like other would-be nucleotide synthesizers, Sutherland’s team included phosphate in their mix, but rather than adding it to sugars and nucleobases, they started with an array of even simpler molecules that were probably also in Earth’s primordial ooze.

They mixed the molecules in water, heated the solution, then allowed it to evaporate, leaving behind a residue of hybrid, half-sugar, half-nucleobase molecules. To this residue they again added water, heated it, allowed it evaporate, and then irradiated it.

At each stage of the cycle, the resulting molecules were more complex. At the final stage, Sutherland’s team added phosphate. “Remarkably, it transformed into the ribonucleotide!” said Sutherland.

According to Sutherland, these laboratory conditions resembled those of the life-originating “warm little pond” hypothesized by Charles Darwin if the pond “evaporated, got heated, and then it rained and the sun shone.”

Such conditions are plausible, and Szostak imagined the ongoing cycle of evaporation, heating and condensation providing “a kind of organic snow which could accumulate as a reservoir of material ready for the next step in RNA synthesis.”

Intriguingly, the precursor molecules used by Sutherland’s team have been identified in interstellar dust clouds and on meteorites. (Source-Wired)

It’s a fascinating development. We may not find a practical application of this information that’s acceptable to everyone any time soon, but just knowing that there is a reasonable explanation for the beginning of life is worthwhile.

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Physics discussion ends in skateboard attack

Sometimes we forget that once upon a time philosophers drank poison and submitted themselves to death at the stake, rather harsh criticisms of the philosophical arts. Then something like the following happens and we are once again reminded that philosophy can be dangerous. It seems contemplating physics is an especially risky occupation.

(06-24) 13:20 PDT SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — A homeless man is on trial in San Mateo County on charges that he smacked a fellow transient in the face with a skateboard as the victim was engaged in a conversation about quantum physics, authorities said today.

Jason Everett Keller, 40, allegedly accosted another homeless man, Stephan Fava, on the 200 block of Grand Avenue in South San Francisco at about 1:45 p.m. March 30.

At the time, Fava was chatting with an acquaintance, who is also homeless, about “quantum physics and the splitting of atoms,” according to prosecutors.

Keller joined in the conversation and, for reasons unknown, got upset, authorities said. He picked up his skateboard and hit Fava in the face with it, splitting his lip, prosecutors said.

Fava also fell and broke his ankle, although how this happened wasn’t exactly known, authorities said.

The attack was witnessed by two other people who told police that Fava had done nothing to provoke Keller, authorities said.

Keller is expected to take the stand at his jury trial in the Redwood City courtroom of Superior Court Judge James Ellis.

E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com. (Source-sfgate.com)

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Facebook, thy name is vanity

I can’t believe what a fuss people, well, tech people, ok, geeks, are making over the opportunity to reserve a vanity URL on Facebook tonight. There was a prolonged countdown hours before the window of opportunity opened, then a flood of postings showing off the URLs once obtained. It was near hysteria. People pushing and shoving, knocking the poor geeks glasses all askew. There might have even been a death or two from the crush of Facebookies trying to get through to the magic URL. The screaming of those poor souls being trampled, I’ll hear it in my mind for a long time. It may be muffled by all the other voices I hear in my head, but I’ll hear it, faintly, off in the background.

I just can’t fathom such joy at such a dubious accomplishment. What does it say about the quality of your life when getting to have a personal URL on Facebook is the highlight of your week? How pathetic has your existence become when you feel proud to own a personalized URL on Facebook? What a complete loser you must be to feel compelled to announce to the world that you can now be found at facebook.com/ohlookatme/.

I’ll have more to say on this sad internet meme over on my Facebook page. That would be http://www.facebook.com/jack.carlson.