The origin of life
‘It is mere rubbish thinking, at present, of the origin of life …’ (Charles Darwin 1863)
This quote comes from a letter written in 1863 by Charles Darwin to his friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, a British geographer and explorer. In the context of the letter, Darwin was expressing his scepticism towards the speculative theories on the origin of life which were prevalent at the time. Darwin expressed his view that there was no scientific evidence to explain the origins of life. In the 163 years since Darwin wrote his letter, has anything changed? Do Darwin’s words still hold true in 2026?
Emeritus Professor Philip James will review Darwin’s 1863 statement in the light of current scientific knowledge, a time when our understanding is being shaped by advances in experimentation, observation and theory.
In this talk Professor James will explore changing definitions of ‘life’ and the implications this has for understanding the origins of life and the search for life on other planets; discuss the genesis of rocky planets and the process that resulted in the Earth becoming habitable; examine how knowledge gained from the analysis of meteorites, samples from Bennu, and interstellar space is shaping our understanding of the precursors to life; and set out the current ideas on the origin of life on earth.
