2007-01-13 14:46:31 · 7 answers · asked by Zefram 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Most likely it worked in a manner similar to viruses. As opposed to having an extremely complicated homeostasis system, it most likely was a very basic lifeform that would accumulate resources from inanimate things around then, furhter growing. Upon reaching a certain point, it could essentially break in two and still function since the neccessary instructions to continue replicating itself were still intact.
2007-01-13 14:51:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
We don't even know if it was a cell as we know it. Organism implies some level of organization. It may have just been some sort of self-replicating molecules in a "bag". If it got big enough, pieces broke off, and if they had the full set of molecules, the process would continue. Not very efficient, but good enough given the absence of competition.
2007-01-13 15:22:29 · answer #2 · answered by novangelis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maxwell's explanation is best because it makes the fewest assumptions.
Others who assume the (apparently uncreated) existence of some outrageously complex intelligent deity in order to "explain" the first self-replicating molecule is so all-fired idiotic and question-begging it's a wonder how anyone alive today could be so ignorant as to even offer such a non-answer! Those who do sound like mindless robots because that's what they are, simply repeating what their preacher told them without stopping to think about it for themselves - and risk finding out that their preacher ain't so smart after all.
2007-01-13 15:09:40 · answer #3 · answered by hznfrst 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably a nucleic acid chain just happened to bump into the right tri-phosphate nucleotides. Yup, sounds unlikely. Took a billion years. That's a lot of time for a lot of bumping.
2007-01-13 15:16:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
AHA!!! That is THE question. If you believe in chance (like myself) the answer is it just happened that a DNA strand was floating around and bumped into the right molecules. Or you can take the religious approach... either way, it's all a matter of where your faith lies.
2007-01-13 14:52:06 · answer #5 · answered by leblongeezer 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
By the command of the Lord our Creator... "be fruitful and multiply". All things are created by the mighty hand of the Lord.
2007-01-13 14:54:50 · answer #6 · answered by Heatmizer 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋
what came first the chicken or the egg???
2007-01-13 14:55:57 · answer #7 · answered by nathan d 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋