Big Think What is life? A Nobel Prize-winning scientist answers | Paul Nurse Full Interview
Aug 16, 2025
In this enlightening conversation, Paul Nurse, a British biochemist and Nobel Prize winner, explores the essence of life. He discusses the critical role of cells as the foundation of living organisms and highlights our surprising genetic connections to yeast. Nurse dives into cell division’s significance and the impact of natural selection on evolution. He emphasizes our shared responsibility to care for all living beings, concluding that life is a complex interplay of chemistry and information.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Five Foundational Ideas Define Life
- Paul Nurse frames five core ideas (cell, gene, evolution, chemistry, information) as the basis to define life.
- Combining these gives principles that explain what living things are and how they operate.
The Cell As Life's Fundamental Unit
- The cell is the simplest, unambiguous unit that shows life’s properties like growth and reproduction.
- Nurse calls the cell 'life's atom' and argues understanding cells is key to understanding organisms.
A School Microscope Sparked A Career
- Nurse recounts first seeing cells at age 12–13 under an inspiring teacher and feeling revelation.
- That childhood microscope moment sparked a lifelong study of cells over 50 years later.
