Reason with Science

This episode is with Michael Russell. He is geologist who works on the origin of life. Mike is an originator of the theory that life emerged at alkaline submarine hydrothermal vents. In this conversation we talk about topics related to origin of life, hydrothermal vents, alien life, artificial life, and are there new life forms emerging now? Guest info: Website: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/directory/russell-michael/ Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/life-origins-at-hydrothermal-vents-with-michael-russell Youtube: https://youtu.be/CtKMl5Gr5JY Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xyGOMu6CNOfbIknRhFis3?si=LqPekasnTv6mUo6e8AAGkA Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/life-origins-at-hydrothermal-vents-|-michael-russell-|-reason-with-science-|-geology-|-chemistry/a651d6d1-2124-46e7-b83d-c1a2918dfceb Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/ZjU3MjQ0MTctYWJkZC00ODExLWEzOTAtZDUwM2UzMDVkMGUz?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjggpygouH_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: ⁠⁠https://www.reasonwithscience.com/⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh⁠⁠ Apple podcast: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 ⁠⁠ Google podcast:⁠⁠ https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw ⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:49 What are the most interesting aspects of life? 00:04:02 Beginning of space-time 00:08:42 Dawn of chemistry 00:11:47 Progress in science 00:16:37 Discovery of hydrothermal vents for emergence of life 00:28:12 How the submarine alkaline vents were discovered? 00:37:06 Early earth conditions for the origin of life 00:44:22 Major issues to explain orgin of life 00:49:45 Composition of green rust 00:52:07 Disagreement on engines of hydrothermal vents 00:54:15 Can we link origin of metabolism at hydrothermal vents with the information? 00:56:22 Next step after origin of metabolism 00:59:22 Membranes and viruses 01:02:34 Did protocells escape hydrothermal vents? 01:08:47 Did LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) evolve in hydrothermal vents? 01:18:56 Creating an artificial hydrothermal vents 01:29:00 Thank you!

This episode is with Lee Cronin. He is the Regius Chair of Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. He and his team are trying to make artificial life forms, find alien life, explore the digitization of chemistry, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals and construct chemical computers. In this conversation we talk about topics related to origin of life, framework to build life from inorganic material, assembly theory, Darwinian evolution, and alien life. Guest info: Website: https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecronin?s=20 Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/building-life-from-chemistry-with-lee-cronin Youtube: https://youtu.be/IrTp7uu8le0 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/02qVFLcY6AF7HWvCJqHqZe?si=gDcdgmjbSAy93Pne9rcWcw Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/building-life-from-chemistry-|-lee-cronin-|-reason-with-science-|-artificial-life-|-origin-of-life/9ed704ca-7836-4a52-a3a3-b894f537ff4a Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/MmJhZDViOTUtZWZjMS00NjY0LTlmZDYtZmM2ZTdiNTRlNmVl?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjA1ZHF27v_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: ⁠https://www.reasonwithscience.com/⁠ Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh⁠ Apple podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 ⁠ Google podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw ⁠ Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:59 Lee's point of view of origin of life research 00:02:24 Are there different scales in chemistry of origin of life? 00:04:01 Framework to build life 00:06:57 Theory of life 00:12:06 Can darwinian evolution works beyond at the chemical level? 00:15:59 Fundamental level of selection 00:22:04 Memories of compounds 00:22:42 Assembly theory 00:24:51 Multiverse 00:28:05 Why haven't we managed to build life so far? 00:31:33 How to use automation to build life? 00:36:33 What is essence of life? 00:39:03 Why do we have life only on earth in our solar system? 00:39:33 Experiment to build life 00:40:33 What will be the information of artificial life? 00:41:19 Chemputer 00:44:38 3D printing life forms 00:49:07 How to identify alien life? 00:50:22 Explanation of assembly theory 00:54:22 How to differentiate alien organic or inorganic matter? 00:58:12 Selection at artificial cells 01:02:45 Thank you!

This episode is with Robert Aumann (94 years old now). He is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in game theory and decision theory. His exceptional work has not only reshaped the way we understand strategic decision-making and cooperation but has also garnered him numerous accolades. In 2005, Aumann was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering work in game theory and its applications. His groundbreaking insights have not only advanced our theoretical understanding of strategic decision-making but also have practical implications in various fields, such as negotiations, conflict resolution, and the design of market mechanisms. In this conversation we talk about the topics related to his scientific journey including game theory to study the conflict and cooperation, Nash equilibrium, Aumann Agreement Theorem, Knot theory, rationality, and future directions of game theory. Guest info: Website: https://mathematics.huji.ac.il/people/robert-j-aumann Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/behavioral-economics-and-game-theory-with-robert-aumann Youtube: https://youtu.be/l6AK1RlNPSo Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hKAlf7GqPwhtkrNLaPU9I?si=55G-9LCwS-qn5ecZvPQ6DQ Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/behavioral-economics-and-game-theory-|-robert-aumann-|-reason-with-science-|-nobel-laureate-|-psychology/b975ea0c-2501-448a-8bd3-ea58628da534 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/NjRmN2RlMTEtYWY1NS00ZGNmLTkwNzgtMGE3ZmJkMDY3YzZl?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwiQ5IGWuKn_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:07 Interest in mathematics and economics 00:12:34 What is game theory? 00:16:35 War is an example of a game 00:17:30 Zero sum game 00:18:33 Politics is also a game 00:19:05 Contributions of John Nash to game theory 00:28:35 Examples of game theory regarding economics 00:47:00 Concept of common knowledge 00:58:30 Agreement theorem 01:04:25 Bayesianism and agreement theorem 01:05:42 Importance of education 01:13:48 Rationality 01:22:55 Kahneman and Tversky's work 01:25:30 Wars are rational 01:43:40 Life at the age of 93! 01:44:30 Thank you

This episode is with Denis Noble. He is a renowned biologist, physiologist, and systems theorist, known for his pioneering research in the fields of cardiac physiology and systems biology. Noble's early work on the electrical activity of the heart was centered on this topic, and he was the first to put forth the notion of the cardiac action potential, which is now generally recognized in the field. He has also contributed significantly to our understanding of cardiac arrhythmias, irregular heart rhythms that can cause serious health concerns. In addition to his work in cardiac physiology, Noble has been a critical player in the development of systems biology, which aims to comprehend complex biological systems by integrating data from different sources. He has also been a vocal proponent of using mathematical and computational approaches in biology, and his work has contributed to developing a new paradigm for biological research. In this conversation we talk about the topics related to evolution, including Neo-Darwinism, the role of DNA as information, the use of genes as templates for evolution, the emerging field of epigenetics, the significance of bioelectricity, and potential future directions for evolutionary research. Guest info: Website: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/denis-noble Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=J6kLmsIAAAAJ&hl=en Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Denis-Noble/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ADenis+Noble Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/what-drives-evolution-with-denis-noble Youtube: https://youtu.be/V09fJ38Qt6E Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5DtKdllyvzMtNxMc3hS4cI?si=grH2uw6ySNmMMa-Uq6pv_g Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/what-drives-evolution-|-denis-noble-|-reason-with-science-|-darwin-|-selfish-genes-|-richard-dawkins/714742fe-f764-44f6-ac50-bb4e52dabd1f Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/N2QwMGUwY2ItMWU0NC00N2FlLWE0YjgtMTM1MGE3N2UzMmFj?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjAwbSUgfb-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:58 DNA as the information in biological systems 00:20:30 What drives evolution? 01:00:49 Horizontal gene transfer 01:05:03 What is an organism? 01:23:08 Importance of metaphors 01:31:00 What is a gene? 01:31:57 Evolution of species 01:39:03 Artificial life 01:41:04 Thank you!

This episode is with Michael Levin and Nick Lane. Mike is a Professor in the Biology department at Tufts University. He studies the role of bioelectric signals in regulating development and regeneration in animals. Nick is a professor of Evolutionary Biochemistry at University College London. His work is focused on the fundamental processes that underlie the origin and evolution of life. In this conversation, we talk about major transitions and key innovations in biology, information in biological systems, bioelectricity, emergence of eukaryotes and importance of bioelectric signals to create artificial life. Guests info: Nick Lane- Website: https://nick-lane.net/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nick-Lane/e/B001IXSEJ2/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1 Google scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F4olJCJHK40l0_0fVpJFgPP2JYynLUs5cpCsX0ADVj9y4VIo99TJ598Hr0_ItDJucJJGG4Tlxw9nr0zvdBMl8ow3iI3rA&user=eChselQAAAAJ Michael Levin- Website: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/levin/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/powering-the-complexity-of-life-with-michael-levin-and-nick-lane Youtube: https://youtu.be/GBxVvLVzF68 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4P3znAFYC8JofY2dcAUVRz Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/powering-the-complexiy-of-life-with-michael-levin-and-nick-lane-|-reason-with-science-|-biolectricity/0a003abf-4d67-48c2-aed8-e4dadcebe574 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/ZDc3OTZlMDktYWZiMi00OGMyLTk0ZmYtNzY1MGI0ZDhjODIy?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjAvoyG3-P-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:58 Transition from chemistry to biology 00:06:53 Emergence of complexity 00:09:53 Key innovation of biology (Resting potential over genome) 00:13:53 Hardware-software in biology 00:15:35 Evolutionary biology and software of extinct species 00:18:48 Bioelectricity and biology 00:21:45 Biolectricity at molecular level 00:29:05 Metabolism is central to bioelectric signals 00:32:21 How bioelectric systems evolve? 00:43:33 Emergence of eukaryotes 00:47:05 Multicellularity 01:19:55 Plasticity at the genome level 01:30:02 How the memories are stored? 01:44:00 Ploidy (genome copies) and biology 01:49:00 Anaesthesia 01:53:37 Importance of bioelectricity to create synthetic life 01:58:38 Thank you

Support ALFA Mars: https://www.alfamars.org/get-involved/ For years, humanity has been captivated by the idea of the red planet and the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life. With advancements in technology and space exploration, the search for life on Mars has become more realistic than ever before. In this stream, we will talk about latest discoveries and developments in our understanding of the Martian environment, and explore the potential for life to exist on this neighboring planet. We will also discuss why NASA or ESA would not be able to find life on Mars. How a new project 'ALFA Mars' will contribute in this endeavor. Guests: 1) Steven Benner https://www.alfamars.org/about-us/#bio-3 2) Miguel Ángel Fernandez https://www.alfamars.org/about-us/#bio-32 3) Catherine Maggiori https://www.alfamars.org/about-us/#bio-29 4) Jan Špaček https://www.alfamars.org/about-us/#bio-1 Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/life_on_mars Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/xLi05sr-Ivk?feature=share Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NPFfY0WzT7LabCxORLwYI?si=SXZjmmfBSIScuVPh_WbGvA Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/life-on-mars-|-reason-with-science-|-alien-life-|-alfa-mars-project/ba1ff7ee-0885-4d95-a094-683a18a584f0 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/Mjk1NDVjODMtZTRjMS00MTQzLTkyOWMtNzQwYWYxYWVlMzQ2?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjQ3ruopcD-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:54 Why Mars is an important candidate for life? 00:09:00 What kind of life are we looking at Mars? 00:14:00 Is there water on Mars? 00:17:33 Temperature ranges on Mars 00:24:09 What type of microbes are present in Mars like conditions? 00:26:14 Understanding Mars geology from meteorites 00:38:23 How to avoid contaminating Mars? 00:51:50 Assembly theory by Lee Cronin and Sara Walker 00:59:20 Many microbe species live together, so why don't we see any biosignatures yet? 01:04:04 Do we see any biosignatures on Mars? 01:06:13 Panspermia on Mars 01:09:46 Contribution of the Moon for origin of life 01:15:48 ALFA Mars project and how to support it? 01:25:28 Thank you!

This episode is with Chris Stringer. Chris is a renowned paleoanthropologist and a leading expert in the study of human evolution. He is a researcher at the Natural History Museum in London. He is best known for his work on the origins and evolution of modern humans. In this discussion, we will delve into the topics of evolution of sapiens, the development of modern humans, the reasons for our unique existence, and making projections about the future of human evolution. Guest info: Website: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/staff-directory/chris-stringer.html Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisStringer65?s=20 Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/human-evolution-with-chris-stringer Youtube: https://youtu.be/uFAQcL5wacM Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1wnn9ACTMToBBRV5i9IzVl?si=atBWYw4_ToqYTGhAHEYodA Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/how-modern-humans-evolved-|-chris-stringer-|-reason-with-science|-hominins/afc3479e-2ce2-4fd3-8359-4643956ad509 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/NjBhNjViZjEtYWYxNS00ODdjLWI0MTMtNjBjMTBhMjQwNDZm?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjo15SX_rL-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:56 Where did the Homo Sapien first appear and when was it? 00:03:38 What is a species and when does a species become a species? 00:07:03 What are hominins and when did they appear? 00:12:33 Where did hominins diverge? 00:16:50 Homo Sapiens is not the only humans which moved out of Africa! 00:23:08 Tools to study the evolution 00:28:06 Why there are limited fossils from certain regions? 00:30:48 Importance of fossils 00:31:54 Origins of Homo Sapiens 00:38:05 Genomes of the various homo species 00:40:14 How to get the proteins from fossils to study evolution? 00:41:22 Why are we alone? 00:49:22 'Bigger brain' argument for the survival of sapiens 00:50:46 Language and fire use in other hominins 00:55:05 Major questions about the evolution of hominids and hominins 00:56:53 Presence of humans in America 00:58:18 Future of human evolution 01:00:30 Thank you! #reasonwithscience #evolution #sapiens

This episode is with Kate Adamala. She is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. Kate is a renowned synthetic biologist and biochemist who has made significant contributions to the field of artificial life. Her research focuses on building synthetic cells, designing artificial genetic circuits, and exploring the origins of life on Earth. In this discussion, we will cover topics related to the first artificial life created in the lab, the creation of synthetic cells, various techniques for constructing artificial life, the origins of life, and the significant applications of synthetic cells. Guest info: Website: http://www.protobiology.org/indexd.php Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateAdamala Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@build-a-cell2765 Episode links: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/building-life-in-the-lab-with-kate-adamala Youtube: https://youtu.be/E6-6u1evt60 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1a5BrycZKA9yZhnqweggk6 Apple podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/building-life-in-the-lab-|-kate-adamala-|-reason-with-science-|-artificial-life-|-origin-of-life/53206ca2-e51f-4753-9778-cc23eafb178c Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/MWQwNDI1MGItZDI0Ny00ZjFlLTkwMmItODQ2NzI4OGFhNjFm?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwiY99uFzZn-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:01 First synthetic life at Craig Venter institute 00:03:46 What is a synthetic cell? 00:05:27 Definition of life 00:07:54 Replication of synthetic cells 00:10:00 Meaning of building life in the lab 00:11:22 Properties of biochemistry 00:12:55 Top-down or bottom-up approaches to build synthetic cells 00:14:28 Major components to build a cell 00:15:53 Importance of compartmentalization for synthetic cells 00:17:23 Liquid-liquid phase separation compartments 00:18:36 Requirements for the assembly of synthetic cells 00:20:04 Life from scratch 00:22:05 Information system in the synthetic cells 00:26:25 Genes to replication of the synthetic cells 00:30:11 Life of the synthetic cells 00:30:31 Limiting factors for the growth of synthetic cells 00:31:57 How the compartments are maintained? 00:32:58 Can synthetic cells grow forever? 00:33:51 Size of synthetic cells 00:35:20 Shape of the cells 00:35:49 Transporters in the synthetic cells 00:37:55 Applications of synthetic cells 00:42:20 Synthetic cells to study origin of life 00:43:36 Evolution of protocells 00:46:45 What is missing in building life in the lab? 00:48:12 How the work on synthetic cells can help in astrobiology? 00:49:52 Understanding multicellularity 00:51:07 Work on snowflake yeasts 00:52:17 Studying eukaryogenesis 00:53:01 How can we study evolution (by natural selection) using synthetic cells? 00:54:20 Synthetic cells for the environment 00:56:27 Limits to the biochemistry of synthetic cells 00:58:42 Engineering prosthetic 01:01:07 Viruses and the synthetic cells 01:02:27 Replication competent viruses 01:03:40 Alternatives of metabolism and biochemistry of synthetic cells 01:07:13 Yields from synthetic cells 01:09:22 Build-a-cell initiative 01:12:55 Major questions in the build-a-cell community 01:15:21 Further reading 01:16:54 Thank you!

This episode is with Eugene Koonin. He is a highly respected computational biologist who has made significant contributions to the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Eugene is a distinguished investigator at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). His research interests include the evolution of viruses and the development of new computational methods for analyzing large-scale genomic data. Here we talk about origins and evolution of viruses, major transitions in evolution, diversity of viruses, and tools to study viruses. Guest info: Website: ⁠https://irp.nih.gov/pi/eugene-koonin Episode links:   Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/evolutionary-origins-of-viruses-cellular-life-with-eugene-koonin⁠ Youtube: https://youtu.be/lJ-fw4nszDU Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/0itkqCyuTwqIs83mHHrH07?si=7e8c71dd68984fa8&nd=1 Apple podcast:  https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/evolutionary-origins-of-viruses-and-cellular-life-with-eugene-koonin-%7C-reason-with-science-%7C-genomics/f81f10bb-82e5-4dcb-b96e-8687ca1b0e86 Google podcast:  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/ZWNhY2YyZTYtNjJjOC00OThiLWJhZGYtNWM4ODQ1ODI3ZGRk?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjouLLfiuf9AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science:  Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh  Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894  Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:03 How do we define viruses? 00:04:12 Major transitions in evolution and viruses 00:10:15 Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) and its virome 00:15:50 Diversity of viruses 00:26:40 Multiple origins of viruses 00:28:56 Origin of viruses 00:35:21 Viruses and replicators 00:38:11 Selfish elements as information carriers 00:40:01 Nature of selfish elements 00:42:45 Why selfish elements emerge? 00:47:46 Membranes of viruses 00:53:00 Connection between information and compartments 00:56:10 Replication strategies of selfish elements 00:58:33 Strategies of viruses to organize and replicate their genomes 01:00:18 Genomes of giant viruses 01:02:56 Small or Giant viruses: which came first? 01:03:34 Tools to study phylogenetics of viruses 01:06:40 Can we identify the host of a virus from the genome and vice versa? 01:08:39 Minimum number of genes required for the survival 01:12:55 Understanding the complexity of alien life forms 01:14:31 Last Bacterial Common Ancestor (LBCA) and Last Archaeal Common Ancestor (LACA) 01:18:56 Evolution of Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA) from bacterial and archaea 01:23:02 Endosymbiosis in nature 01:26:15 Bacterial and Archaea emdosymbiosis effects on compartments 01:28:27 Size differences in bacteria and archaea 01:29:33 Future of phylogeny of viruses 01:31:20 Thank you!

This episode is with William (Bill) Martin.  He is the head of the institute of molecular evolution at the University of Düsseldorf.  With a career spanning over decades, he has made significant contributions to the field of molecular biology, particularly in the areas of evolution and symbiosis. Here we talk about the question of origin of life, importance of metabolism, prebiotic chemistry at hydrothermal vents, emergence of information, compartmentalization, and early evolution of cells. Guest info: Website: https://www.molevol.hhu.de/en/prof-dr-william-f-martin Google scholar: https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=ms16utkAAAAJ&hl=en Episode links:   Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/home/orgin-and-early-evolution-of-life-with-william-martin  Youtube: https://youtu.be/yHM7ajYoE00  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2RUyROkiSeXqXq1lQVSdTW?si=QHleURybSiyncB04p5NAaw  Apple podcast:  https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/reason-with-science/407cd478-4271-4319-8318-fc378d4e7ccb/episode/origin-and-early-evolution-of-life-with-william-martin-|-reason-with-science-|-hydrothermal-vents/eece8a5c-62fe-456a-99dd-4ccbe96f633f  Google podcast:  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/NWFlYzFiOTAtNTM3My00MGRlLThjZGEtMzNiZjA4N2JmODk5?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjox6bOhNT9AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA Follow Reason with Science:  Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/reasonwithscience  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh  Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894  Google podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iMjMyNDZlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:51 Charles Darwin's idea of warm little pond  00:04:19 Progress in the field of origin of life 00:13:46 Importance of energy for origin of life 00:20:40 Origin of life at the hydrothermal vents 00:30:45 Reaction of hydrogen and Carbon-DI-oxide at the hydrothermal vents  00:36:40 Crucial transitions for origin of cellular life  00:55:06 Emergence of information at hydrothermal vents 01:01:56 Importance of enzymes    01:06:25 Link between information and compartmentalization  01:08:24 Last Bacterial Common Ancestor (LBCA) and Last Archaeal Common Ancestor (LACA) 01:11:14 Importance of phase separation   01:16:10 Origin of life as an engineering problem  01:21:40 Life on exoplanets  01:23:57 Thank you!