Purchase Solution

Why you believe that life could or could not spontaneously arise on this Earth today

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

In 1953 Stanley Miller shattered the vitalism belief by replicating the conditions on a primitive Earth and thereby beginning the belief in mechanism.

OK- if I were to suppose that all life on Earth was totally destroyed today - everything - even the organic molecules that make up life such as sugar, proteins, cellulose, etc., were destroyed. In other words, today's Earth would have just the inorganic compounds that exist on all planets - most likely spinning around all stars - salts, gases such as ammonia, carbon dioxide, water, etc. There would be no organic compounds on Earth - just rock, water, sand, minerals - much like the nature of Earth several billions of years ago. now assuming that would happen, explain in detail why you believe that life could or could not spontaneously arise on this Earth today as opposed to what happened several billions of years ago on Earth, according to mechanism.

Purchase this Solution

Solution Preview

Living organisms did arise from an environment of inorganic compounds, so I don't know why it can't happen today under similar conditions. Of course, it all took billions of years to evolve.

According to the current model, it is believed that the basic chemicals from which life was thought to have formed are methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), water (H2O), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon monoxide (CO), and phosphate (PO43-). Therefore, as long as these initial chemical reactions can take place from the available inorganic compounds, then the foundation of life is set for the formation of living organisms. Let's not forget that all compounds, whether organic or inorganic, are composed of the same elements, and chemistry is something that happens all the time. Inorganic ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
The Heart

This quiz test the understanding of the heart and some of its parts. It is important to understand how the heart functions and what makes it function.

Basic Immunology Quiz

Intro to immuno quiz. Covers the basics of immunology and recognition of foreign substances by the body.

Light and Sight Vocabulary

This quiz introduces basic definitions of vocabulary related to light and how human eyes. This information is important for an understanding of sight.

Labor Comfort Measures

Do you know how to comfort someone in labor?

Breast Milk and Breastfeeding

How much do you know about breast milk and breastfeeding? Double check your knowledge level with this quiz!