What evidence is there for abiogenesis?
1 Answer
The evidences for Abiogenesis are indirect evidences or inferences.
Explanation:
There are geological strata with no evidence of life. Then there are geological strata with evidence of living things. The inference is that life somehow came from non living things. ( Abiogenesis.)
There is no direct empirical evidence for Abiogenesis. The famous Miller Urey Experiment is no longer used as evidence for Abiogenesis. The mathematical odds of accidental formation of life from non-life are astronomical unlikely.
The Miller Urey Experiment was based on assumptions of the composition of the early atmosphere that have been proven to be false. The most accepted theory is now that life started in deep ocean vents where atmospheric oxygen could not destroy the fragile information carrying molecules of DNA or RNA.
Multiplying the estimated age of the universe in seconds times the estimated number of particles in the universe, and the Planck's time constant gives the number of possible opportunities for life to occur by accident.
This is an astronomical number of chances but not as large as the odds of putting together a working enzyme required for life, totally by accidental chance,
which is estimated to be
The odds of abiogenesis occurring on earth by chance are
If indeed everything happened by accidental natural processes, the occurrence of life by abiogenesis was miraculous.
Evolutionary processes such as natural selection can not operate until a functioning reproducing cell is in existence so random accidental combinations of molecules are the only natural forces that can be used to explain the formation of the first cell.
