BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-5066
DTSTART:20190423T170500Z
DTEND:20190423T180000Z
DTSTAMP:20260305T165005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190305T013519Z
LOCATION:4274 Chamberlin (refreshments will be served)
SUMMARY:Energy\, evolution\, and the origins of life?\, Chaos & Comple
 x Systems Seminar\, Terry Allard\, Office of Naval Research and NASA
DESCRIPTION:It’s human nature to look for a deep understanding of wh
 o we are\, where we came from and where we’re going. This presentati
 on will explore a new hypothesis for the evolution of life articulated
  by Professor Nick Lane in his ground-breaking 2015 book\, The Vital Q
 uestion. We will review the timeline of emerging life on earth and the
  evolutionary relationships among the three Kingdoms: Bacteria\, Archa
 ea and Eurkaryotes. All living cells are powered by proton gradients a
 cross membranes and the secret of life is maintaining this disequilibr
 ium through active proton pumps based on energy metabolism. Accelerati
 on of energy production within Eukaryotes can explain the exponential 
 growth in the complexity of life from single cells to whole organisms.
  Proton gradients across membranes at alkaline hydrothermal vents in t
 he early oceans provide an explanation of how inorganic chemistry coul
 d drive organic chemistry\; mechanisms of organic chemistry supporting
  life may have evolved before the emergence of the cell itself. This b
 ioenergetic hypothesis suggests a very specific context for the emerge
 nce of life on earth that could be a critical variable for the search 
 for complex life in the universe.<br>
\n<br>
\nPrimary Source Material
 <br>
\n<br>
\nNick Lane\, The Vital Question: Energy\, Evolution and t
 he Origins of Complex Life (2015). W. W. Norton & Company\, New York C
 ity.<br>
\n<br>
\n<br>
\nSome Discussion Points<br>
\n<br>
\n1) What i
 s life?<br>
\n<br>
\n2) What do the 3 Kingdoms of Life have in common 
 and how do they differ?<br>
\n<br>
\n3) What are the impacts of latera
 l gene transfer on linear descendance and the Tree of Life?<br>
\n<br>
 
\n4) How does the chemistry of the ancient oceans compare to today’
 s oceans?<br>
\n<br>
\n5) How did organic chemistry and cell structure
 s emerge?<br>
\n<br>
\n6) How likely is extraterrestrial life in the u
 niverse? <br>
\n
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=5066
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