In the 1700’s, many scientists believed that life spontaneously generated from non-living matter (such as raw meat or sewage). In the 1800’s, using careful experimentation, Louis Pasteur proved this concept wrong and verified that life only comes from previously existing life. Ironically, many scientists have once again returned to the belief that life came from nonlife…in spite of the fact that there is no experimental evidence to show how that could have happened. The reason for the return of this unsupported belief is that science has been defined to eliminate the consideration of the only other alternative—the creation of life by an intelligent designer.
Even the simplest living cell is an incredibly complex machine. It must be capable of detecting malfunctions, repairing itself, and reproducing itself. Man has never succeeded in building a machine capable of these same functions. Yet, most scientists accept the belief that life arose from non-life despite the ever increasing amount of evidence clearly indicating that it did not and could never happen. It would be easier to believe that a chemical manufacturing facility found on Mars had built itself.
A classic experiment used to support the belief that life “built itself” was first proposed in 1953 by Stanley Miller. In this experiment, sparks were discharged into an apparatus through which common gases were circulated. These gases reacted to form various organic products which were then collected and analyzed. The experiment succeeded in producing a few of the 20 amino acids required by living cells. These results have been heralded as proof that life could have arisen by itself. However, dozens of major problems with this experiment, (clearly understood for more than 30 years), still go unanswered and are not even mentioned to students.1
For instance, our early atmosphere is assumed to have had no oxygen because this would stop amino acid formation. However, with no oxygen, there would be no ozone shield. With no ozone shield, life would be impossible. The fact that oxidized rocks throughout the geological record indicate that oxygen has always been present is ignored.
In addition, the same gases which can react to form amino acids in the presence of sunlight undergo known reactions which remove them from the atmosphere. The required gases simply could not have been around long enough for life to have developed. Further-more, a cold trap was used to keep the reaction products from being destroyed as fast as they formed. Where is this “cold trap” in nature?
The biggest problem is that the amino acids formed in this experiment are always a 50/50 mixture of stereotypes (L and D forms). Stereotypes are like a drawer full of right-hand and left-hand gloves, identical in every way except a mirror image of each other. Life uses only L stereotypes of these random amino acids. Yet, equal proportions of both types are always produced. How could the first cell have selected only L stereotypes from the random, equally reactive mixture produced in this experiment? And what about the other required types of amino acids which have never been formed in this experiment?
These are just some of the myriad problems regarding the fanciful idea that life generated itself. What this experiment really proves is that life could not possibly have developed in this manner. Yet, students are told just the opposite.
No experiment has ever shown that matter has the ability to come alive. The best explanation for life is still that life only comes from pre-existing life. As you search for the truth, perhaps you should consider the possibility that the source of all life... is God.
1. Thaxton, C.B., Bradley, W.L., Olsen,R.L., The Mystery of Life’s Origin, Chapter 4, Philosophical
Library, 1984.
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