A Question On The Origin Of Life


I have a question about the beginning of life that just occured to me,
and I've never seen it addressed:

If life began on earth spontaneously, starting with a simple form and
evolving into more and more complexity, then why haven't entirely new
branches of life periodically started multiple times in the last four
billion years? If I remember correctly, the current theory is that
life appeared a few hundred million years after the formation of the
planet, so it would seem that entirely new and fundamentally different
"life origins" should have started around 20 times in the last four
billion years. (Once every two hundred million years.)

Am I right in assuming that all life has evolved from that initial
spark? Then if so, why have there not been other "sparks" in so long a
time?


Jon Croft


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Life on other planets?
    ... Rodney Kelp wrote: ... > In addition to my last message, life can spark out just as fast it sparks ... > life that has or ever will evolve. ... Civilizations must overcome it's fears ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Life on other planets?
    ... In addition to my last message, life can spark out just as fast it sparks ... We could just as easily go extinct before we do any significant space ... and superstitions and give up it's greed or it will tear itself apart. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Evolution
    ... mix exposed to an energy source provided the spark for life? ... No joy ... with RNA, so have efforts shifted to an attempt to reproduce organic ...
    (uk.religion.christian)
  • Re: The Gospel Is Mush
    ... some visits from Jesus as they struggle with their daily lives. ... The show needs something to spark some life into it. ...
    (rec.arts.tv)
  • Re: A Question On The Origin Of Life
    ... successful replicator eats up any following replicator before it can ... It is like being the first candy store on ... If you want life to start over on the planet you have to wipe it clean ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)