Atheist, Question about Origin of Life?

Question

I understand the Big Bang theory and I understand Evolution. I get all of that, it makes sense...they are both good theories.

So the Big Bang happened a long time ago, time passed and gases and material came together to form stars and planets. I'm still on board. So sometime down the road, the earth has been created and has cooled enough to form water and solid land....I'm still getting all of this.

But then what? We have, in theory, a universe of non-living matter. What was the "spark" that gave life to non-living matter? Once that spark occurs, sure we get evolution and mutations and we all know the story from there. Is there anything that we know of that can turn non-living matter into living matter?

So what was it that gave the spark of life to non-living matter to convert it into living matter?

Yes, I know what abiogenesis is. It is a more of a hypothesis than a theory. It has about as much observable and testable evidence as does God.

And producing amino acids is not creating life, amino acids are still not living matter.

And when I say "Life" all I mean is the most primitive living cell.

Answer 1

Abiogenesis is still being studied. Nobody knows.

Answer 2

Spark may be too strong a term. There's a period where simple chemicals are reacting and more complex compounds can form. This state is seen on Titan. There is a long period from the time from the first molecule that can catalyze the formation of similar molecules to the point when distinct entities capable of producing addition replicating entities. This process involving numerous steps has no clear point where chemistry becomes biology.

Answer 3

According to the theory of evolution, the Big Bang happened and that was the "spark" that created life. You know how electricity can give revive someone from a heart attack? Well I think that, essentially, that was what happened.

Answer 4

Unknown.

But consider this: After you die, your body will turn to mush. The water content of the mush will slowly evaporate, leaving little flakes. The flakes will crumble to dust, and the dust will finally disintegrate into its constituent atoms -- mostly carbon, with a few trace elements.

In order words: Inorganic matter.

So, we know how the organic-to-inorganic change occurs. We just have to figure out how the reverse process works.

Answer 5

I don't know the answer, but scientists are working on it. A month or so ago I read an article that said people were only a few years away from making life artificially.

Answer 6

Atheists do not believe in gods or any other supernatural critters.

We all have our own theories and beliefs in anything else.

Just because YOU don't know what the 'spark' was is no reason to believe it was a 'god'.
GODDIDIT is not the answer to any mysterious thing.
There are no gods because there is no evidence for their existence.
.

Answer 7

our brains are weak and puny. we are intelligent apes. we don't have all the answers....but we are looking for them.

we haven't stopped looking for the answer like christians simply because we couldn't figure it out. if it was up to christians, we'd still be putting people in jail for thinking the earth might revolve around the sun.

we've made a ton of progress. please stop stifling our children from continuing our research by telling them made up answers!!!


you know what is really cool from reading others answers? we admit the things we don't know. how many times will a christian do that?

Answer 8

Yah. Here's a vid explaining abiogenesis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozbFerzjkz4

Answer 9

Being an atheist does not equate being a scientist.

Answer 10

You guys have had 2,000 years to perfect Christianity. Give us 200 years and we'll perfect Evolution.