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pdl410 | 1 year ago

The endosymbiosis that resulted in the harnessing of mitochondrial energy production appears to have only happened once (see work by Nick Lane) and resulted in a ~20 fold increase in available energy to the cell was followed very closely by the Cambrian explosion. We could still all still be bacteria today without it.

https://nick-lane.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lane-J-Theo...

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order

baq|1 year ago

Once in a billion years is some very long odds bet. Drake’s equation should include this as a separate factor.

sandworm101|1 year ago

If it happened by chance, then we are alone in the universe. If literally trillions of bacteria all living and dying (ie evolving) with generations measured in hours ... and it still took a billion years to happen, then there is no hope for multicellular life elsewhere. There would have been more bacteria in earth's ancient ocean than there are planets in the visible universe. Hope of ever contacting multicellular aliens is over.

OR ... the switch to multicellular life was triggered by some sort of event, an evolved response to an environmental change. In that case then it is reasonable to think that it would happen on other planets too. So I really do hope that it wasn't a matter of pure chance. I want us to meet or at lease hear someone else some day.