Two Thoughts on the Origins of Life, Inspired by Reading about Science and Talking to My Ladyfriend

1. [On the difficulties of explaining the origins of life:] Skilled chemists have prepared nucleotides in well-equipped laboratories, and linked them to form RNA, but neither chemists nor laboratories were present when life began on the early Earth.

   Or were they? I propose that the easiest way to solve this problem is to invoke my favorite time-travel paradox. Life began when chemists travelled back in time, synthesized some nucleotides, dropped them in the ocean, and returned to their homes. Then, millions of years later, humans evolved, time travel was invented, and chemists travelled back in time, synthesized some nucleotides…

2. They [religious types and RNA World believers, mostly] would not be pleased if Freeman Dyson's description proved to be correct: "life began with little bags, the precursors of cells, enclosing small volumes of dirty water containing miscellaneous garbage."

   Quote the ladyfriend: "ewww, life is gross!"