Why was life only first originally created at one period of time?

Question

So if some scientist think that life on earth first came from lightening striking mud (something like that), chemical evolution, or out of a sludge that oceans were made out of, why aren't these events repeated? Why was life only first originally created at one period of time, and not in a random period of time through out generations? Or is it? So what is preventing life from originating again? Also if life originated once, then doesn't life eventually run a risk of being extinct at some point?


Note: I asked this question in the SM section too, I just wanted to see what type of answers I got here.

"primordial soup" yeah that's the term. I knew someone would say it.

Edit:

I'm not talking about reproduction or different species, but life originating. Maybe I didn't pose the question right, but at least some get my drift.

Anyway, okay the earth is different today, could that be because of pollution and human influence? That still doesn't explain the parts of the world where human influence is at a minimum?

Oh yeah here is the link to the question on RS. No responses yet, they must of been up all night partying or even partying now. Those darn scientists!!!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjaEG3eqantUpO0ZoVrt4SLsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071125001508AATSBgi

Theo the Cloud:

Okay I'll buy that, but why can't those events be recreated in the lab? As I posted before a scientist claimed that he can start a universe in his lab, well if he could do that, whose to say he can't start life in his lab?

Answer 1

There is absolutely no reason why the precursors to life can't be spontaneously generated more than once. They may very well have been but not survived, or perhaps are still in a state of development somewhere between complex but non-living molecular structures and true life forms. Remember though that the "primordial soup" of the young Earth was rich in chemicals, more so than the seas today, so the chance of this occurrence was far greater in Earth's early history.

Answer 2

Deep.
Our problem here is that no-one was around millions of years ago, to make notes or take photographs. Thus, since there is no actual record, we have to rely on assumptions and theories. Science is interested and is trying to fathom out a host of questions as to how this and that began. There are some good answers right now but all are theories. Remember that a theory is a scientific term which does NOT mean a wild guess.
You could suppose that life emerged when the environment suited it to emerge. When the planet had cooled down sufficiently, when certain levels of necessary gases became established, when water was in sufficient quantities, etc.
Thus, there was a period of time that was suitable.
There is nothing against a supposition that new forms of life couldn't emerge tomorrow but there would have to be a change in the environment for that to occur. The chances are, however, that existing life-forms would adapt to any changes and evolution kicks in once more.
Life WILL be extinct at some point. If it isn't a large asteroid hitting us any day now, it will be the sun expanding to consume Mercury and we are third in line. Before that happens, mankind must establish another home base in the distance or it will become extinct along with everything else.
Don't panic, people of the world. it will not be tomorrow or May 12th 2008. Unless you know something that I don't .....

Answer 3

One life arose (not was created), it began duplicating and consuming the available chemical compounds, making the conditions unfavorable for new life to arise. There is nothing to say that life arose only once. What can be said is that every living thing descended from one precursor. We don't know how many false starts there were -- primitive things that qualified as life and replicated a few times before becoming extinct. Life on Earth is unlikely to become completely extinct. There are too many organisms that are well adapted to life in extreme environments.

Your question is not posted in biology.

Answer 4

Life can only begin once. as for spontaneous life happening again and again, perhaps it has, we've just been too busy living to notice it. besides, chances are, life didn't originate in the mud during a storm like some scientists think. there is just as great a chance that it came in on some comet or meteor that hit the earth. And yes, there is a great chance of everything becoming extinct. Eventually, the sun will go nova and destroy the planet, but not for billions of years.

Answer 5

life is created in every period of time.

first life took about 10^9 = 1 billion year to form,
you can not expect that we can actually see how some dead molecules transform magicly into a simple lifeform, yet all ingredients that were then there are still available now so there i see no reason to think that the processes that forms the initial life then are not possible anymore now.

Answer 6

1. we no longer have a reducing atmosphere rich in hydrocarbons. geological processes and life that photosynthesised changed it to the one we have now. so the raw materials for new life are not as readily available.
2. the existing life forms usually find the kind of organic molecules and polymers that life would be based on very yummy. existing life is so pervasive that any new proto life form would only exist long enough to provide a snack for some bacteria.

Answer 7

1 single cell is more complex than a spaceship. There had to be a designer, life is to complicated to form. If your walking down the beach and you see.lines in the sand you could conclude the water did it. If you walk farther in the sand and see john loves marry etched in the sand. you would know someone made that.... It wasn't by chance. Creation needs a creator.

Answer 8

It takes a very, very long time for life to form-- in experiments where they demonstrated that life could form from non-life, they didn't create life or anything close to it, they created what was kind of, sort of like a compound that was very important for life.

Thus, when "lightning strikes mud" or something like that, there's still a long way before the results will be life.

That's the best answer I can give. I look forward to more educated answers.

Answer 9

Science has never claimed that life came into being only once, although it is a complicated issue as to what you consider life, etc.; and, yes, life definitely may become extinct at some point. No one has ever said otherwise.

Answer 10

Im sure once we all are gone from this planet a different type of life will appear. Just like what happened with the Dinosaurs. I seriously think that when the meteor hit the Earth that killed all the Dinosaurs it brought with it they key elements to form humans.