Origins of life (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)
Aug 20, 2026 · 54m
Summary
Daniel, Kelly, and guest Katrina Whiteson explore the origins of life, debating definitions and the "RNA world" hypothesis. They examine early Earth conditions, stromatolite fossils, and the Miller-Urey experiment to understand how life emerged from chemistry. The episode also addresses panspermia and the timeline of life's appearance on our planet.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and Intro
Welcome and Guest Introduction
Defining Life and Viruses
Schrodinger and Koshland's Definitions
Moving Forward Without a Definition
Early Earth Fossils and Stromatolites
Hadean Earth and Late Heavy Bombardment
Building Blocks and Panspermia
Miller-Urey and Hydrothermal Vents
RNA World and Conclusion
Outro and Sponsors
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