Where Do We Come From? – Exploring the Origins of Life Lab

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

The Planetary Society

Technology, Science

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 7 November 2018

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

They may be the most important questions in all of science: Where do we come from? Are we alone? Researchers Ralph Pudritz and Maikel Rheinstadter are working on these puzzles with their new Planetary Simulator, possibly edging toward the natural creation of self-replicating molecules. Bruce Betts’ new book, Astronomy for Kids, is just one of the prizes offered in this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest. Learn more at: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/1107-2018-pudritz-rheinstadter-origins.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Where do we come from? This week on planetary radio.
0:04.0	Welcome, I'm at Kaplan of the Planetary Society with more of a human adventure across our solar system
0:15.6	and beyond.
0:17.2	Where do we come from?
0:19.1	Which is to say, how did life begin?
0:21.8	And did it only happen here on Earth or do we live in a universe teeming with life?
0:27.0	These are arguably the most important questions in science.
0:31.0	Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario
0:35.3	have created the Origins of Life Lab to help provide the answers. We'll meet two of
0:41.4	them in a moment. I hope you'll also join us for this week's
0:44.3	what's up with Bruce Betts. Work on the origin of life is taking place at
0:49.4	institutions around our world. Ralph Pudritt, Michael Reinstater, and Ying Fu Lee
0:56.1	are the partners who have created the Origins of Life Facility at Bigmaster.
1:00.6	It contains a marvelous new device they call the planetary simulator.
1:05.0	This stainless steel test chamber may reveal some of the vital steps that could have led
1:11.0	billions of years ago to the natural development of self-replicating molecules, and then living cells.
1:19.0	Ralph is an astrophysicist, while Michael is a biophysicist, they join me from their offices a few days ago,
1:27.0	prepare yourself for a deep dive into what might be our own genesis.
1:32.0	Michael, Ralph, gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us on
1:35.1	planetary radio and congratulations on the creation of this new lab, the
1:39.8	McMaster Origins of Life Lab, which we'll be talking about today.
1:44.7	Great to be on your shelf.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Planetary Society, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Planetary Society and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.