[ExI] Abiogenesis under extremes of pressure

[Dan]

On Saturday, June 9, 2012 11:47 AM BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote
On Sat, Jun 9, 2012 at 3:58 PM, Dan wrote:
>> Only a very casual observer of the origins of life field, but I wonder if
>> any work is being carried out to see if biologicals can be produced under
>> extremely high or low pressures. Proteins and other organic compounds (and,
>> heck, lots of things) behave differently under very high or very low
>> pressure. I'm not saying this will be the magic bullet -- squeeze some amino
>> acids, lipids, and other goodies under a hundred atmospheres for a few days
>> and out will crawl something we'll all recognize as alive -- but I'm
>> wondering if anyone is pursuing this approach.
>
> Lots of life in the deep ocean at up to 1000 atm pressure.
> See:
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ocean>
> also
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_vents>


I'm not sure how my point could be misunderstood, but I was talking about the origin of life NOT whether life currently exists under these conditions. Yes, there is life there now -- just like therr's life in the dirt outside my window and, heck, on the my window -- but I was wondering whether anyone has done any sort of abiogenesis* experiments (or even serious theorizing) under extreme pressures to see if that's a factor in the origin of life. (This research can be pursued on either end of the spectrum too: very high pressures or very low ones. Maybe, as chemical reactions are impacted, this might lead to some progress, such as, perhaps, finding that high pressure lead to the formation of more complicated precursors or to life itself.)

(And, regarding hydrothermal vents as places for life to originate, I've not read or heard anything about anyone paying particular attention to the high pressures themselves being a factor -- just as the source of energy and chemicals and gradients. I was specifically focusing on extremes of pressure maybe having a decisive impact on the origin of life.)


Regards,

Dan

* That is, how biological life might arise from inorganic matter through natural processes.