Jiansen Lu
Could life be evolved from metals?
September 19th 2011 04:24
Is it possible that life in universe can be evolved from metals? Does universe have to need carbon for life? Cronin and his team in a lab at the University of Glasgow, UK try to construct complex functional molecular architectures that are not based on biologically derived building blocks. The new inorganic life building blocks are large "polyoxometalates" made of a range of metal atoms – most recently tungsten – linked to oxygen and phosphorus. These building blocks can lead to membranous inorganic chemical cells iCHELLs. Metal oxide based membranes for containment, growth and division by osmotically driven morphogenesis and information storage in molecular metal oxides will eventually be able to synthesis an inorganic chemical cell capable life-like function.
Polyoxometalate
If Cronin is right, the new search for extraterrestrial life will be widely open. Our understanding of biology and evolution will be changed. We not only search carbon based life, we also look for no-carbon based life. We may be able to synthesis an inorganic metal based live cell on earth in near future.
If life-forms are encoded in universe like physics law based on Molecular Darwinisim, we will discover them one by one as we did in the elements of the chemical periodic table.
Video: Lee Cronin: Making matter come alive
In this video, chemist Lee Cronin attempts to create a fully inorganic cell using a "Lego kit" of inorganic molecules -- no carbon -- that can assemble, replicate and compete.
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