Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site digi-g.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!stolaf!umn-cs!digi-g!brian
From: brian@digi-g.UUCP (Brian Westley)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: The Probability of Life from Non-life
Message-ID: <120@digi-g.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Jan-84 13:40:43 EST
Article-I.D.: digi-g.120
Posted: Mon Jan 30 13:40:43 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Feb-84 14:29:18 EST
References: <1582@cbscc.UUCP>
Organization: DigiGraphic Systems Corp., Mpls.  MN
Lines: 19


	Just to point out some of the logical errors in the argument against
life developing from inorganic chemicals...You claim that:
1) since L & D amino acids, when synthesized, form a 50/50 mix, and
2) since the simplest form of life needs approx. 410 acids, and
3) since almost all life uses L acids, that
4) the probability of this arising by chance is 2^410?!?
	This is just plain stupid.  When amino acids were first discovered,
only the natural ones were known.  When later they (and new ones) were
synthesized in the lab, the left & right handedness cropped up, so the L
and D modifiers were added.  All the known natural acids were arbitrarily
dubbed L to make it easier on future biology students.  Also, you stated that:
1) free water hasn't been detected anywhere else in the universe, therefore
2) Earth is the only place in the universe with free water.
	Go to Alpha Centari and see if you can detect free water in THIS
system.  Unexcited free water is hard to detect over a distance of many
parsecs, and excited water doesn't stay water very long if anything else
is around.
						(signed) Merlyn Leroy