New Origin of Life Research Shows Alien Life may be Common with Dr. Steven Benner 

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I like this guy. The depth and diversity of characters you interview is unparalleled, truly an underrated channel, kudos.

"The mistake was that they were too invested in the idea of *not* finding life" This kind of thing is one of the most frustrating things with the larger scientific community. You test for life, get a positive result, then accept whatever rationalization you can think of to say that the result was a mistake. That's not science - that's bias.

I admire your ability to make good questions . Signed. Edgar Castro. Astronomy, Galileo University, Guatemala.

this one is one of the toughest and most technical episode you've done Michael, albeit fascinating....must watch again thank you

Great guest. Very good at explaining his work in a way we can understand. Mostly…

I think this has to be one of the best episodes yet, thank you.

I think interviewing Robin Hanson about his Grabby Aliens theory would be a good idea.

When I hear discussions like this, I can't help but wonder whether we haven't found alien life yet *because* we're so fascinated with it - as paradoxical as that may sound! We're fascinated with the idea, so it became a large part of our (pop) culture, which means that any scientists seriously trying to dig into the question risks being painted into that corner. There are a few courageous ones, like Avi Loeb, but that might not be enough … Ironically, many scientists are probably science fiction nerds, as well, and might even have gone into science because of that. :-/

Love this but at the end did he confirm Covid 19 was a result of human gain of function research?

John that was a brilliant episode knocked it out the park again. Please please tell me that it wasn't just me who thought he sounded a bit like Jeff Goldblum.....was desperate for him to say life finds a way....would have been perfect

Love the topics as always

Thank you for amazing interview. I've personally been looking forward to this interview. Seriously thank you for everything you do and for being an inspiration to people getting into the fields of science or just interested in science in general.

We really just know so little and have such miniscule capabilities.

I don't know if life is 'everywhere' but this kind of thought is one of the things that help me in my attempts to comprehend the sheer mind-buggering scale of the universe..... It's like Supernovae - they're RARE - so much so, in our galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars, we might expect one per century or so, yet there are so many galaxies out there, we can observe several every night if we look in the right places. Similarly if life is so rare only one star per galaxy hosts it (at odds of hundreds of billions-to-one against) there will still be hundreds of billions of examples of life within our observable universe.... I still know I can't intuit the scale of the universe, but thoughts like that help me grasp it just a little.

The guest provides an RNA-centric view. When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. I think this assumes that there is a general molecular fitness landscape across different prebiotic environments and RNA represents some robust global optimum. I think RNA was likely tuned to Earth's specific prebiotic condition, based on available substrate, solvent, temp, raw materials, and input energy stream. If these conditions change does RNA win the Darwinian selection as the champion replicator?

To be even asking that question is to show we have a lot to learn!We are really quite stupid!

Gotta be other life forms out there. Even if the universe is finite, the odds against there not being other life would be unimaginably small

We all are naive to think the entire universe was created just for life on planet earth. " The little blue dot" I believe basic life is everywhere, while intelligent life is also throughout the universe as well.

@11:00 the picture made me think Chromecast dropped the feed. At that moment there was a pause in audio as well. Glad you started talking again.

This was a good guest. He seemed very engaged with the interview.

I was at a Star Trek convention in San Antonio in 1976 when the results of the labeled release experiment was announced. The place went wild!

If not everywhere, most certainly all over the place.

Great discussion. Too bad it comes with those contemptible ads.

Absolutely life all around us. Oxygen, obviously hydrogen and carbon was it noted in early galaxy 350m to 800m years old. The existence of life in our universe came forward by half billion years. At 13.8bn years we’re late to the party. IMO. Keep up the good work. Excellent channel.

What a fantastic and INTERESTING interview. Wow!

He brought up the most difficult question very late - that it is hard to imagine how rna learned to duplicate - assuming that is how life began, because it did happen, the fist step would be to imagine how that happened the only time at least we know it did ? One discussion another RU-vid video had a lecture by a scientists trying to determine this and he said that the structure in the most primitive cells that does this in its most elemental form is so complex and it is essential to any life, that in his mind it could only be a random chance combination of all of these that would be so unlikely that the only way it could have happened is if the universe is infinite, that infinity would mean that it would happen eventually but would take essentially infinity for it to occur - thus life is only possible if the universe is infinite - That is depressing - but in any case trying to figure out some way it happened in some sequence that is not so unlikely would be a first step and that thought experiment seems perhaps the only way to solve this riddle - if it can be solved in some way other than by invoking infinity ?

Another great interview! Thanks!

Great listen thanks again John.

I love this channel. I look forward to getting the notification of a new video. for both channels

Another great episode. I agree we missed a trick with that "false" I.D. of life

on the flooded earth critique: the ocean is not a perfect stirred tank. it has gradients. and in basaltic rock cracks there is interaction that limits difusion too.

Fantastic! Thank you so very much.

Commenting to help with RU-vid's algorithm 🙂

We aren’t thinking of it in terms of when. That’s the issue. Life may not be every where. But it’s certainly everywhen…

I really like his idea of distributing these to high schools. Thats a awesome science experiment for kids.

I really liked the different perspective from someone with a different specialism to the normal physics or astronomy viewpoint.

Dr Steve Benner is great but when you gonna have Dr Steve Brule on the show

Great video and information !

The random destructive enzyme thing raises an interesting possibility: is it possible to create an RNA chain that selectively destroys LH RNA?

If the environment is unchanged then the volcanic rock will favor the constructive RNA and the destructive ones will just make more building blocks for the environment to “try again”. The only statistical outcome would be constructive RNA

Question: you DR Benner mentioned that there are simulations of alternative life based on different base pairs to DNA - is anyone working on a computer simulation that take a proposed crucible for life, with all the elements including the environment that simulates millions of years of chance occurrences for one time that life might develop randomly in this proposed environment ? As a layman thinking about two conditions based upon what I have heard and what you said also about conditions conducive to life, such as Sam all ponds that concentrate the chemicals necessary and environmental inputs so in this environment where RNA is common, can you add a situation where in some circumstance or randomly membranes develop, that on their own when they grow they tend to split into more spherical membranes, and they will do so generally when they grow a certain percentage, and by chance a rna string gets into one of them, and the membrane protects the rna that by chance also duplicates itself, and it takes elements that the membrane allows through its membrane, and uses them to grow (‘food” in essence) and uses them to replicate, as fuel for replication, and this membrane by allows many such nutrients but prohibits rna molecules from permeating theory the membrane - so it becomes a crucible for the chance development of life - can this be run as a simulation that simulates trillions of chance combinations of rna strings, that after trillions of chances, just once an rna develops that is the starting point for life ?

Can you get Nick Lane on the show, fascinating insight into the origins of life

Mules CAN reproduce, contrary to popular belief. It doesn't happen often, but it certainly does happen.

Truly interesting and most enjoyable!

When did you give ANNA olfactory sensors?

If you live in Texas, most definately

Home alone...Do I dare listen alone... I take a chance.... Thanks so much for the video and info/Talk

Top level interview, JMG! NOW GET CHRIS MCKAY ON HERE, THE ASTROBIOLOGIST MISSION PLANNER FROM NASA!!! He can talk Enceladus and titan and Mars for hours! He's been on Discovery channel. I want to hear YOU interview him

What happens when you mix sugars with perchlorate salts and hyperoxides. We know why labeled release tested positive, but it keeps coming back.

"Ribose becomes quite stable in the presence of minerals containing the element boron." That makes sense. As the advertising jingle tells us: "Nobody doesn't like molten boron!"

ALF name is hilarious! Is it even funnier that the under 30 crowd won't get the joke?

Anyone else hear a high pitched ringing noise on this video?

On the point about a random assortment of RNA being more likely to produce sequences that catalyze the destruction of RNA than sequences that self replicate, is it possible to have one that does both at the same time? A sequence that will replicate itself while also destroying anything too different from itself?

These abiogenesis guys crack me up. Always the same thing. It's always simple and easy. Just throw some "RNA" onto a rock with some boron in it.... Where to begin with this charlatan? Lipids, sugars, enzymes, and more are needed (multiple compatible versions of each). Proper ph for each (which conflict with each others requirements). Different temperature and light sensitivity for each (which also conflict). It's all supposed to come together in water--the universal solvent. And it can't just be "RNA"--it must be specifically sequenced or it's meaningless gunk. And no, we have not mastered a process of "evolving DNA" as he claims in the first 15 minutes... Fortunately he was able to get the plug for his book into the first part of the show. Well done.

I think life is likely somewhat common, complex life and complex ecospheres less so, and sapient, technologically capable life may be very, very uncommon.

Great discussion/interview. But, yours always are

This guest sounds so much like Jeff Goldblum

Just wanted to throw out a conversation point... I personally lean towards a multi genesis model, at least in the sense that there was/is a specific, or a few specific chemical pathways to a singular proto cell.. that proto cell would be the same "molecule" wherever it formed as it involves the same chemistry... As far as a biologist would be concerned, they would be "clones" of each other, at least in terms of similarity, even if they aren't directly descended from each other. They are functionally identical... as these proto organisms evolved, it would certainly look like common ancestry, depending on when they are complex enough to start diverging in their chemistry while still retaining the original aspects required for minimal viability... This may, or may not be after the formation of DNA... but this is just speculation on my part. the part that I thought worth commenting on is this idea that we fail to see abiogenesis in our current environment because these early precursor "proto organisms" get eaten as fast as they form is a bit of a flawed concept... there are plenty of molecules (and life forms) that are food for other organisms that form all around us daily, yet nothing on the planet gets consumed with 100% efficiency such that the instant it forms it's eaten. Yes overhunting can lead to extinction, but if we are talking about a chemical reaction, as so long as the conditions exist the reaction will occur... The point I'm making is that it is far more likely that the conditions for abiogenesis no longer exist on earth for one reason or another. Likely the process involves several steps and some limiting resource, for example freely available dissolved phosphorous. If the reaction requires large amounts of some rate limiting reagent that is also in high demand by current living organisms, those living organisms will likely have evolved better and more efficient harvesting mechanisms that allow them to extract that rate limiting resource from the environment even when it is scarce and accumulate it to the levels required for biological reactions. This effectively scrubs the resource from the environment which never lets it climb high enough to create the right conditions for the formation of more "proto organisms"... Phosphorus is a good candidate for this, as is boron and nitrogen.... basically, it's just too difficult to accumulate enough of the right resources in sufficient quantities for abiogenesis to take place because that accumulating resource will attract some resource seeking organism that ends up nipping the process in the butt before anything can take place.

Viking was the yes it was, but apparently not since it could have been something else mission. One would expect there to be a follow up which eliminated the possibility of such an error repeating. I've sat waiting at the door since 1976 on his one, and nobody from Nasa has bothered to open the door on this one.🐱

Somebody fire Noory and give Mr. Godier a call.

Alf. 😎

I for once will cheer up for ALF if mission like this will occure in future!

What an odd random Ad, but pleasant ;)

In my opinion that if NASA found life on Mars they would never admit it. We as a intelligent species of life should be willing accept that, the truth. There are too many concerns about the myriad of religions and how the truth galactic life would affect them and their dogmas.

Excellent.

Life itself is a mere reflection of chemistry upon which every galaxy is a nursery for life by default.

Having observed life and the Universe for 70 years, there are things I won't bet against. And the big one is that the Cosmos doesn't have a cornucopia of surprises. We humans are not worth a crap at predictions, and I think life will surprise us. Being overly confident is the first phase of tripping.

This guy sounds like Jeff goldblum😁

Fantastic

the thing about most molecules destroying RNA immediately stuck out to me. Potential great filter???

Speaking of "cultural phenomena", the Moon Impact Hypothesis is not necessary to explain the similarity of the Earth & Moon They both formed at the same distance from the same star from the same material and so "should" be the same. Back then, the Moon was much closer -- the Earth-Moon double planet formed at the same place around the same star from the same material. Speaking of "reducing atmospheres", without imposing an earth-sterilizing Theia impact, Life could have started, geo-thermally, under H2 rich skies, before the Sun ignited and started blasting away all the hydrogen & helium gas and dust from the planetary ecliptic plane Life could be (a few million years) older than the (fusion ignited) Sun

why do youtube people block user comments

Who's this guy doing a Seth Brundle impersonation?

"And then you're in the man from mars You go out at night eating cars You eat cadillacs, lincolns too Mercurys and subaru And you dont stop, you keep on eatin' cars."

Interesting that he matter factly mentions that Covid 19 was engineered.

OK...a stupid question is an un-asked question....if entangled particles change instantly can't that be used to communicate? like up is dot and down is space....morse code???or am i looking at it wrong??? Can they be changed like that to communicate??? EDIT! i am sure smart people would have done this if thats how it worked...i just wanna know why it s wrong (knowing it is ) so i can understand....ya know another question is i, always heard there is a fine line between genius and insanity,,,,,,,,Do you find youself going nuts occasionally?

Life itself is probably VERY common but... That does NOT mean that life rivaling the intelligence and technology of current era Earth with beings able to send us a radio signal is common. The SETI institute will never find alien life if they are relying on a radio signal.

I hardly see how life's complexity implies an intelligent designer.

I've always thought it strange that NASA seems to go out of its way to NOT look for contemporary life on Mars. It's as though they want to hide something.

Can I make this work?

You can't ask a guy with the name Michael Myers about looking for life.

Well I believe that the genesis is happening all over the universe in some planets at this time

Thanks. Ha! I knew it - even at its dawn, life needed glasses (like me). Nerds forever! tavi.

Does not feel like humans will be able to pass the singularity point! Great potential is not enough!

Surprised google did not censor this for Dr Benner's take on the origins of Covid

I think it was conclusive, for whatever reason we are very threatened by admitting that there is life elswhere. To think that all the billions of planets just in this galaxy that the only life is on earth is preposterous. We are a very egocentric species, the components for life are everywhere we look.

We should work towards seeding life throughout the galaxy rather than focusing on destroying the only life we know for sure exists on earth

Is it just me or does the guest sound a *little* bit like Jeff Goldblum?

Fascinating! Excellent guest

Dr. Benner is giving me strong Jeff Goldblum vibes ... Life... Finds a way ... Not only the subject matter of his Jurassic Park character .. But the whole .. Just the whole thing ... Is ... Goldblum !

Are you related to Bruce Banner?

It is just a disgrace not looking for life on Mars just because we feel we are not the only one! I just cannot believe all the millions of dollars spent on exploration dodging the main essential question if there is life elsewhere than earth…

Well, time to go back to Iceland for some more fresh lava 🙂

Thanks Mr Goldbloom x 😁

NASA doesn't want to find life on Mars because it would prohibit human exploration.

Clever commercial...

UGH horrible commercial I could not stand it

Lost me forever with Covid engineering conspiracies. Unsubscribed.

Thats the weirdest sponsor for this channel lol