Is the Environment the Prime Driver of Life?

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Geologists are trying to understand whether it's almost like judging a book by its cover, right? Do you just look at an environment and then see whatever is present or scares in that environment. But we've done studies that show that it's not necessarily the straightforward. For instance, we looked at going back to nitrogen. One thing that's fascinating about the way cells fix nitrogen, the ones that can do, is that they also do this through a lot of help of a lot of metals,. And which geologists use to understand where did this metabolism even evolve where, at first place?

Betül Kaçar is an astrobiologist at University of Wisconsin. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(08:20) – History of life on Earth
(16:25) – Origin of life
(39:11) – Genetic language of life
(52:08) – Life and energy
(1:02:50) – Ancient DNA
(1:21:48) – Evolution
(1:33:19) – Alien life
(2:01:19) – Panspermia
(2:07:41) – Restarting life on Earth
(2:20:23) – Where ideas come from
(2:27:54) – Science and language
(2:36:31) – Love
(2:37:55) – Advice to young people
(2:42:29) – Meaning of life