What Is the RNA World Hypothesis?
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN recommends it as an engaging, brief overview of the RNA world idea.
What it is
Stated Clearly explains the RNA world hypothesis, which resolves the chicken-or-egg problem of genes versus enzymes by proposing that RNA once did both jobs. It outlines how evolution could begin with RNA chains alone.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2016 to 2021.
What Hacker News said
Recommends lawpoop · 2016-12 · on “A New Physics Theory of Life (2014)”
Evolution probably goes back before cells. The first living thing would have to be a self-replicating molecule that uses energy. Different forms of this self-replicating molecule would have different reproductive success. There is a not-unpopular theory that the original form of life on earth was an RNA molecule. RNA is a special molecule, because it can both act as a store of data, and as an enzyme for catalyzing reactions. According to this theory, specialized data storage in the form of DNA evolved later, along with specialized enzymes. Here's a brief overview of the theory that shows how evolution could happen with chains of RNA only: [this video] Jack Szostak at Harvard has a great series of
Recommends joshquin · 2021-12 · on “The RNA World Hypothesis”
Stated Clearly has a great video about the RNA world hypothesis ( [this video] ) if anyone's looking for an engaging overview.
Cites JumpCrisscross · 2017-04 · on “Mimicking an impact on Earth’s early atmosphere yields all 4 RNA bases”
You may be looking for the RNA world hypothesis [1] [2]. In essence, random bits of RNA combine and replicate "in the wild". The bits that replicate better become more prevalent, et cetera, et cetera . This system needs no metabolic process per se . Heating and cooling and/or an oscillating chemical environment , e.g. from the day and night cycle or the tides or a belching vent, could provide the energy to power these cycles. [1] [LINK] [2] [this video]