atmosphere

HURDLE NUMBER 22. THE ATMOSPHERIC HURDLE.

The early atmosphere of The Earth did not contain the ingredients that could produce the molecules of life. Here are some quotes from authoritative sources that substantiate this statement:-

Here is a quote from the book The Spark of Life – Darwin and The Primeval Soup, by Christopher Wills (Professor of Biology at The University of California in San Diego) and Jeffrey Bada (Professor of Marine Chemistry), published by Oxford University Press, 2001, Page 40:-

The authors explain that Stanley Lloyd Miller sent electric sparks through a mixture of METHANE, AMMONIA, Hydrogen, and Water Vapor. This resulted in the production of some amino acids.

(My comment:- Miller conducted this experiment on the supposition that the early atmosphere of The Earth was indeed composed of Methane, Ammonia, Hydrogen, and Water Vapor. Unfortunately this supposition was incorrect. The next two quotes substantiate this statement.)

The following quotes are from the book Origins – A Skeptic’s Guide to The Creation of Life on Earth, by Robert Shapiro (Professor of Chemistry at New York University), published by Heinemann, 1986.

Pages 111 to 112:- “The presence of a strongly reducing atmosphere - - - underlies the design of Stanley Miller’s experiment - - - - based - - - - on the - - - - composition of the solar nebula. - - - Current geological consensus supports the idea that the atmosphere (ie:- of The Earth) came from the interior of The Earth (ie:- via volcanoes) rather than the nebula. - - - nitrogen, carbon dioxide - - - but NO METHANE, AMMONIA, or oxygen - - - - A METHANE AND AMMONIA ATMOSPHERE WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND YEARS by chemical reactions caused by sunlight.” The author then goes on to state that Stanley Miller’s experiment NO LONGER WORKS if the atmosphere has no methane or ammonia – but only nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Most of the amino acids do NOT form in this type of atmosphere. Miller has admitted that methane in the atmosphere would be required in order to produce amino acids. (My capitals.)

Pages 96 to 97:- The author explains that Earth’s original atmosphere was stripped away by the solar wind. The evidence for this is that the gases of the original solar nebula (and hence Earth’s original atmosphere) contained neon (and other noble gases), whereas our present atmosphere does not. Earth existed for a while in an airless condition. Then volcanoes spewed out gases, giving us a new atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water.

The next quote from the book The Spark of Life – Darwin and The Primeval Soup, by Christopher Wills (Professor of Biology at The University of California in San Diego) and Jeffrey Bada (Professor of Marine Chemistry), published by Oxford University Press, 2001, Page 75:-

“Hydrogen - - - - was so light that it could escape and disappear into space. As hydrogen became scarcer - - - in the atmosphere - - - methane and ammonia - - - would have - - - - converted into carbon dioxide and nitrogen. This process would have been accelerated by the fierce short wave ultraviolet light that bathed the Earth.”

(My comment:- The original atmosphere of The Earth had no oxygen, and therefore no ozone layer, and therefore no protection against ultraviolet light, which would have rapidly broken down methane and ammonia.)

My comment on The Atmospheric Hurdle:- I can provide a host of similar quotes from authoritative sources confirming that the atmosphere of the prebiotic Earth did not contain the ingredients required to form (by electric discharge – or by any other means) the molecules of life or their precursors. In that case, the idea that the precursors of the molecules of life formed in the atmosphere, and then floated down into the primordial soup, ready to form life is not in accordance with the scientific facts. Effectively, life could not possibly have emerged from a primordial soup; and to insist that it did (or that it “must have done” – because we’re here aren’t we!?) is simply pseudoscience.