Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 6/17/2010

Question
Hello
I am constantly learning more about life and the beginning of life, thanks to the internet. Recently about a chemical found in iron meteors that may have been a key component in the development of life.

The part about all of this is I keep reading about chemicals combining developing eventually into life. That confuses me. As we - alive - are self-aware. Build things, fly to mars, etc, etc. But I keep reading that we are made of various chemicals.

That confuses me. We are alive, but we are made of chemicals... I guess I am missing something here. Example. death. Same chemicals, but we decompose into just a mass of chemicals. What is the missing part we call life?

I would appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks.

Answer
Dear David,

This is one of the great questions that can't currently be addressed with scientific methods.  But--like many complex structures, from cars to computers--living things are well known to be more than just the sum of their parts.

What is the spark we call life?  No one knows.  What is consciousness?  Self awareness?  These are mysteries that might eventually be better understood as we learn more about neuroscience.  But I suspect it may be a very long time before we learn (if we ever do) what exactly is that mysterious phenomenon we call "life."

Sorry I'm no help.  You'll probably get a different answer from every different person you ask.

Take care,

Dana