The Genetic Code

Duration: 1 hour 13 mins
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Description: Talk given by Prof Stephen Freeland as part of short course 34 (Biology and Belief)
 
Created: 2016-02-17 12:30
Collection: Faraday Institute Lectures
Publisher: University of Cambridge
Copyright: Dr Z Binns
Language: eng (English)
Keywords: Faraday; science; religion; Freeland; genetics; evolution; chance; exoplanet;
 
Abstract: Evidence is accumulating that life emerged on our planet quicker and easier than was once thought. This highlights the importance of another, emerging evolutionary debate: to what extent does biological evolution produce predictable results? A universe in which this (and perhaps other) planets were likely to produce sentient beings is one that challenges mid twentieth century views of our cosmic significance as an unlikely accident - with all the spiritual and scientific implications such a shift in perspective highlights. In this short talk I will review the status of current evidence for "ease" and "reproducibility" in the rise of life-as-we-know-it with an emphasis on the earliest evolutionary steps that laid a fundamental foundation for all that followed.
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