Why Is Life The Way It Is?
from Ask A Biologist Podcast Hosted by Dr. Biology Talks with Nick Lane
Life on Earth is tied to carbon and water, but would this be the same for life forms that evolved on other worlds? This is just one of many questions that Biochemist and author Nick Lane talks about while visiting with Dr. Biology. Listen in as Nick explores not only life on our Earth, but also what it might be like on other planets. Nick also reads from his book, The Vital Question, and weighs in on the question of viruses - are they living or non-living? Get the book: The Vital Question If you have not already, please subscribe to the podcast so you can be notified about new episodes.
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Chapters
- 1:15 Would life on other planets be anything like us?
- 2:12 Would life on other planets be carbon based?
- 3:25 Would they have DNA?
- 4:35 What about water? Would it be important for life on other planets?
- 5:42 Do we need cells to have life? [Jumping Genes]
- 7:21 Why is life the way it is? [recent book]
- 9:04 Nick reading from his book - The Vital Question
- 10:48 Viruses - living or nonliving?
- 14:06 Virus and cell - which came first?
- 15:47 Viral Attack - comic book adventure.
- 16:27 The role of cells - and how they've learned to defend themselves.
- 17:55 Flu vaccine.
- 18:42 Mitochondria and its role in advanced life forms.
- 22:06 Bacteria - stuck in a rut.
- 22:48 3 Questions.
- 22:56 When did you first know you wanted to be a scientist?
- 24:10 What got you started writing?
- 26:28 What would you do if you could not be a biologist?
- 28:04 The adventure in science is as great as any other adventurous life.
- 28:50 Advice for future biologists.
- 30:07 Sign-off
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