University of Crete (UoC) Department of Chemistry XHM-109 Academic English and Chemistry Terminology A presentation based on the TED talk by Martin Hanczyc, London, Spring 2011: The line between life and not-life Slides created by Antonia Intze (1999)
experiments Non-living systems Living systems Life has: (a) a body move and (b) a metabolism replicate evolve (c) inheritable information
Protocell : chemical model of a living cell; Has lifelike properties. “The synthesis of life, should it ever occur, will not be the sensational discovery which we usually associate with the idea” (Leduc).
Different protocell model: oil droplet with a chemical metabolism inside. The protocell can use energy. This system has a body (oil droplet) and a metabolism, so it can use energy, move and locate food resources.
Protocells A and B appear Protocell Protocell population-level behavior. A B It can vibrate It can fuse Protocell AB (hybrid of protocell’s A and B) is more complex and can replicate itself.
Protocells are probably related to the origin of life on Earth. Uncontrolled chemical reactions produce a diverse mixture of organic compounds. ( primordial ooze ) “Weird life” (Steve Benner, 2007) System need to be: (a) in non-equilibrium state. (b)in liquid form. (c) able to make and break chemical bonds.
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