The Origin & Search for Life
Of all of life's mysteries, perhaps the greatest is how life first originated on planet Earth, and whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. Scientists initially believed that all Earth life forms emerged from nonliving matter (a process known as spontaneous generation). We now know that life begets life, but that still doesn't answer the question of how the first life forms evolved.
In 1953 Stanley Miller synthesized organic molecules by recreating a primordial atmosphere in the lab. Remarkably these same organic molecules are now known to be drifting in outer space, created in the interstellar dust of deceased stars. A number of hypotheses on the origin of life on Earth have developed over the years: Did life evolve in primordial seas or deep-sea hydrothermal vents, or does life have an extraterrestrial origin? We also want to know how the genetic code originated and how the first cells formed. Scientists have made significant progress on these fronts, and our first speaker, Antonio Lazcano, will bring us up to date on this fascinating area of research.
We also wonder about our place in the universe — are there other life forms out there? Did or does Mars have life? Could Jupiter's moon, Europa have life? Our Milky Way Galaxy has 100 billion stars and the universe has at least 10 billion galaxies — how many of these stars have a planetary system? How many of these systems include planets with Earth-like conditions? Given all the stars and the numerous planets that we have just begun to document, it seems unimaginable that life has not evolved elsewhere in the universe. Our second speaker, Jeffery Bada, will discuss the science and strategies involved in searching for life in outer space.
Humans often seek to know the "true" meaning of life. Perhaps by exploring these ideas, we'll get a better understanding of that ultimate question.
ABOUT THE BROTHER LUCIAN BLERSCH SYMPOSIUM
Organized by the School of Natural Sciences at St. Edward's University, the event is free and
open to the public. This symposium and a professorship in the School of Natural Sciences were
endowed by a gift from J.B.N. Morris, hs '48, '52, and his family to honor Brother Lucian Blersch,
CSC, a longtime professor of engineering at St. Edward's who died in 1986.