being_interesting0 t1_j8h01bz wrote on February 14, 2023 at 5:59 AM

Reply to comment by WhoAm_I_AmWho in Is it possible that abiogenesis is still happening right now on earth? by dolekanteel

This is what Nick Lane talks about in his books. Hydrothermal vents were very likely important in abiogenesis but only in an ocean with a different chemical makeup than today

being_interesting0 t1_j8gtbeo wrote on February 14, 2023 at 4:49 AM

Reply to Is it possible that abiogenesis is still happening right now on earth? by dolekanteel

No. 2 reasons.

Life is a winner take all phenomenon. Once life has overtaken and adapted to an ecological niche, it would be very hard for something new to evolve there that was better adapted
There is a hypothesis that the first chemical steps in abiogenesis required an earth with no or low oxygen. Nick Lane talks about this in some of his books (highly recommend)

being_interesting0 t1_j4tyanf wrote on January 18, 2023 at 5:54 AM

Reply to What determines the lifespan of a species? Why do humans have such a long lifespan compared to say a housecat? by Forking_Shorts92

Here is a paper that suggests epigenetics plays a large role. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-54447-w

It is true that mammal size is correlated to heart rate, and both are correlated to lifespan. Most mammals get about 1 billion heart beats. Humans have managed to beat this by being more social (supporting our elders in pre-medicine societies) and then using medical technology to really overcome natural entropy.