Episode
#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
3:47:44
Published: Wed Sep 07 2022
Description
Nick Lane is a biochemist at UCL and author of Transformer, The Vital Question, and many other amazing books on biology, chemistry, and life. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Backbone: https://playbackbone.com/lex to get perks with order - Notion: https://notion.com - BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/lex to get 10% off - Blinkist: https://blinkist.com/lex to get 25% off premium EPISODE LINKS: Nick's Website: https://nick-lane.net Nick's Books: Transformer: https://amzn.to/3cy7lpO The Vital Question: https://amzn.to/3q0vN6q Oxygen: https://amzn.to/3edy3V5 Power, Sex, Suicide: https://amzn.to/3B3OInk Life Ascending: https://amzn.to/3wKIsOE Books mentioned: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century: https://amzn.to/3AZQaqy The Black Cloud: https://amzn.to/3wJhDKC PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (05:45) - Origin of life (19:31) - Panspermia (25:05) - What is life? (38:20) - Photosynthesis (41:55) - Prokaryotic vs eukaryotic cells (51:56) - Sex (59:39) - DNA (1:06:51) - Violence (1:17:25) - Human evolution (1:23:21) - Neanderthals (1:26:53) - Sensory inputs (1:37:43) - Consciousness (2:09:17) - AI and biology (2:38:36) - Evolution (2:59:07) - Fermi paradox (3:12:27) - Cities (3:20:14) - Depression (3:22:50) - Writing (3:30:49) - Advice for young people (3:37:57) - Earth
Chapters
The podcast mentions several product sponsorships, including Backbone for gaming, Notion for startups, BetterHelp for mental health, and Blinkist for non-fiction, emphasizing their usefulness for small businesses and startups.
00:00 - 06:02 (06:02)
Summary
The podcast mentions several product sponsorships, including Backbone for gaming, Notion for startups, BetterHelp for mental health, and Blinkist for non-fiction, emphasizing their usefulness for small businesses and startups. The ad-supported model allows for these tools to be provided to the masses for free or at a lower cost.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The early earth had a wet rocky surface with hydrothermal vents that generated hydrogen gas and cell-like pores that could've driven life's chemistry.
06:02 - 12:56 (06:54)
Summary
The early earth had a wet rocky surface with hydrothermal vents that generated hydrogen gas and cell-like pores that could've driven life's chemistry. The introduction of gene information like RNA molecules into growing protocells could've been the starting point for life with carbon-based organic molecules on earth four billion years ago.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Summary
The origin of life is still a mystery. All we know is that there is a single common ancestor for all life, but the exact process of how life began is still unknown.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This episode discusses the principles that govern the emergence of life on any planet and how continuous conversion, growth, and reaction contribute to the formation of living cells.
20:26 - 25:25 (04:58)
Summary
This episode discusses the principles that govern the emergence of life on any planet and how continuous conversion, growth, and reaction contribute to the formation of living cells. It also ponders the possibility of pan-spermia and the increase in entropy of the universe.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The NASA working definition of life is a self-sustaining system capable of evolution.
25:26 - 30:02 (04:35)
Summary
The NASA working definition of life is a self-sustaining system capable of evolution. Bacteria were the first living things on Earth and after two billion years, eukaryotic cells emerged, which are able to make an exact copy of themselves.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The environment dictates the trajectory of life, making the chances of finding carbon-based life forms in water highly probable according to theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku.
30:02 - 37:49 (07:46)
Summary
The environment dictates the trajectory of life, making the chances of finding carbon-based life forms in water highly probable according to theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The process of splitting water, extracting hydrogen, and discarding oxygen as waste using the energy of the sun requires careful wiring and is performed by cyanobacteria through photosynthesis, changing iron ions from iron two plus to iron three plus, which solidifies as rust.
37:49 - 40:48 (02:58)
Summary
The process of splitting water, extracting hydrogen, and discarding oxygen as waste using the energy of the sun requires careful wiring and is performed by cyanobacteria through photosynthesis, changing iron ions from iron two plus to iron three plus, which solidifies as rust.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The mitochondria is like the bacteria that got inside a cell and discarded some things that were not needed.
40:48 - 45:49 (05:01)
Summary
The mitochondria is like the bacteria that got inside a cell and discarded some things that were not needed. It plays a role in switching genes on and off, which is important for complex life in plants and animals.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In order to have multicellularity, cells must live inside one another to allow for efficient gene distribution and maintenance, leading to hierarchical control and better storage and use of energy.
45:49 - 51:38 (05:49)
Summary
In order to have multicellularity, cells must live inside one another to allow for efficient gene distribution and maintenance, leading to hierarchical control and better storage and use of energy.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The process of sexual reproduction involves the combination of two gametes with different genetic material, resulting in offspring that have a unique combination of traits from each parent.
51:38 - 54:45 (03:06)
Summary
The process of sexual reproduction involves the combination of two gametes with different genetic material, resulting in offspring that have a unique combination of traits from each parent.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The larger the genome, the more pressure there is to maintain its quality and prevent mutation.
54:45 - 59:40 (04:55)
Summary
The larger the genome, the more pressure there is to maintain its quality and prevent mutation. Organisms with smaller genomes have a higher chance of picking up the right bit of DNA from the environment, while eukaryotic cells must work to prevent their larger genomes from mutating to nothing.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
JavaScript has become faster and is now taking over much of the backend for dynamic interactive websites.
59:40 - 1:09:12 (09:31)
Summary
JavaScript has become faster and is now taking over much of the backend for dynamic interactive websites. Meanwhile, there is a deep connection between chemistry and the ability to have genetic information that may involve both the hardware and software of DNA and RNA.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast discusses how the ideals of capitalism and communism have both had negative consequences throughout history, and how modern society is now experiencing an evolutionary arms race as a result of the harsh economic environment they created.
1:09:13 - 1:17:22 (08:08)
Summary
This podcast discusses how the ideals of capitalism and communism have both had negative consequences throughout history, and how modern society is now experiencing an evolutionary arms race as a result of the harsh economic environment they created.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Population density, interactions between different groups, and complexity of human interactions seem to work as drivers of human-specific genes, leading to the development of cultural complexity while violence and interactions between groups lead to the development of cleverness on how to resist it.
1:17:22 - 1:28:34 (11:11)
Summary
Population density, interactions between different groups, and complexity of human interactions seem to work as drivers of human-specific genes, leading to the development of cultural complexity while violence and interactions between groups lead to the development of cleverness on how to resist it.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Exploring the threshold for the level of realism required for people to prefer virtual reality to their actual life, and how the human brain processes sensory input to construct our perception of reality.
1:28:34 - 1:36:33 (07:59)
Summary
Exploring the threshold for the level of realism required for people to prefer virtual reality to their actual life, and how the human brain processes sensory input to construct our perception of reality.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Discussing the limitations of artificial intelligence for capturing emotional intelligence and the complexity involved in creating a mind that has emotional capabilities.
1:36:33 - 1:46:02 (09:28)
Summary
Discussing the limitations of artificial intelligence for capturing emotional intelligence and the complexity involved in creating a mind that has emotional capabilities.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The interaction of organisms with their environment is crucial for survival and learning, and electrical fields on the membranes of organisms can provide real-time feedback on their relation to the environment, which can be selected over generations.
1:46:02 - 1:52:12 (06:10)
Summary
The interaction of organisms with their environment is crucial for survival and learning, and electrical fields on the membranes of organisms can provide real-time feedback on their relation to the environment, which can be selected over generations. This physical aspect is linked to behaviors and reactions that help the organism adapt to different circumstances.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker argues that objects like a toaster can have consciousness and be meaningful in our lives as much as romantic relationships, but humans are more comfortable acknowledging the emotional intelligence of animals rather than objects.
1:52:12 - 1:56:59 (04:47)
Summary
The speaker argues that objects like a toaster can have consciousness and be meaningful in our lives as much as romantic relationships, but humans are more comfortable acknowledging the emotional intelligence of animals rather than objects.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The question of whether biochemistry is an algorithm has arisen, causing people to question whether we could create a software system capable of running the human body.
1:56:59 - 2:02:01 (05:01)
Summary
The question of whether biochemistry is an algorithm has arisen, causing people to question whether we could create a software system capable of running the human body. However, the idea is incorrect, as biochemistry is algorithmic and all we need to do is figure out which aspects of it to play to trigger different emotions and feelings.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The process of building a human is much easier than reverse-engineering consciousness.
2:02:01 - 2:08:23 (06:22)
Summary
The process of building a human is much easier than reverse-engineering consciousness. The level of complexity of the total biochemical system at the level of a single cell is less complex than the level of neural networking in the human brain or in an AI.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The way proteins fold is very complex as it has to happen in a specific environment but the human mind is capable of analyzing how they fold by understanding the exit tunnel, whereas AI is able to collect vast amounts of data and make important discoveries.
2:08:23 - 2:16:26 (08:02)
Summary
The way proteins fold is very complex as it has to happen in a specific environment but the human mind is capable of analyzing how they fold by understanding the exit tunnel, whereas AI is able to collect vast amounts of data and make important discoveries.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Mitochondrial DNA is often disregarded when studying gene interactions, but it controls not just our energy but also the biosynthesis needed for cellular growth.
2:16:26 - 2:20:38 (04:11)
Summary
Mitochondrial DNA is often disregarded when studying gene interactions, but it controls not just our energy but also the biosynthesis needed for cellular growth. Delving deeper into its role is a new story waiting to be discovered.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the challenges in developing AI systems that are truly human-like, as current understanding of human creativity and intelligence may not be extensive enough.
2:20:38 - 2:26:52 (06:13)
Summary
The speaker discusses the challenges in developing AI systems that are truly human-like, as current understanding of human creativity and intelligence may not be extensive enough. Solving games like chess may not be a significant milestone towards understanding human nature in its entirety.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The origin of the eukaryotic cell is the central problem to the existence of complex life, and without it, life would have remained simplistic.
2:26:53 - 2:32:21 (05:28)
Summary
The origin of the eukaryotic cell is the central problem to the existence of complex life, and without it, life would have remained simplistic. However, the chances of complex life existing elsewhere in the universe are still significant but not as abundant as previously thought.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Is the origin of life a result of statistical probability or deterministic chemistry and thermodynamics?
2:32:21 - 2:37:35 (05:13)
Summary
Is the origin of life a result of statistical probability or deterministic chemistry and thermodynamics? This episode explores the origins of life and how it could have started on Mars and Earth.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The Great Oxygenation Event, which occurred around 2.2 billion years ago, led to a new stable equilibrium in which cells producing oxygen were balanced by cells consuming it.
2:37:36 - 2:46:41 (09:05)
Summary
The Great Oxygenation Event, which occurred around 2.2 billion years ago, led to a new stable equilibrium in which cells producing oxygen were balanced by cells consuming it. Oxygen levels continued to rise over hundreds of millions of years, leading to the evolution of complex multicellular life forms.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The assumption that evolution works slowly over billions of years is challenged with the idea that a huge diversity of animals were created in a short amount of time due to sulfur instead of oxygen in the atmosphere.
2:46:41 - 2:52:35 (05:53)
Summary
The assumption that evolution works slowly over billions of years is challenged with the idea that a huge diversity of animals were created in a short amount of time due to sulfur instead of oxygen in the atmosphere. This theory is imperative in explaining the paradox of mass balance in the air and oceans of the Earth.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The principles that govern the evolution of life on Earth might limit the possibility of finding a human-like civilization on other planets.
2:52:35 - 3:00:00 (07:24)
Summary
The principles that govern the evolution of life on Earth might limit the possibility of finding a human-like civilization on other planets. Understanding the brain's wiring as a series of circuits could help us understand consciousness.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses the potential for bioengineering the human body to extend life and merge with AI to carry consciousness to multiple planets and solar systems.
3:00:00 - 3:08:10 (08:10)
Summary
The podcast discusses the potential for bioengineering the human body to extend life and merge with AI to carry consciousness to multiple planets and solar systems. While there is inherent sadness to this idea, it is seen as a potentially beautiful step for the future of life.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The introduction of a small stretch of RNA as a gene introduces real evolvability and biology as we know it with selection.
3:08:10 - 3:13:00 (04:50)
Summary
The introduction of a small stretch of RNA as a gene introduces real evolvability and biology as we know it with selection. This can be inherited through forms of membrane heredity, effectively allowing the possibility to view Earth as its own organism.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker hypothesizes that cities can be seen as a living being with memes or ideas as the essential organisms for life on earth.
3:13:00 - 3:22:40 (09:39)
Summary
The speaker hypothesizes that cities can be seen as a living being with memes or ideas as the essential organisms for life on earth. He argues that this perspective on cities is derived from the biological framework of thinking about what is considered as life in the history of science.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The path to answering big, fascinating questions is not always smooth, but thrilling nonetheless.
3:22:40 - 3:33:13 (10:33)
Summary
The path to answering big, fascinating questions is not always smooth, but thrilling nonetheless. By finding the simplest possible way to explain what we do and don’t know, the story emerges, and the adventure continues.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Being curious about everything around you and constantly being surprised by new things is the ultimate fun, instead of getting too focused on achieving success and risking growing an ego too big to enjoy life's beauty.
3:33:13 - 3:39:16 (06:02)
Summary
Being curious about everything around you and constantly being surprised by new things is the ultimate fun, instead of getting too focused on achieving success and risking growing an ego too big to enjoy life's beauty.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The constant bickering online and possible global catastrophes shouldn't deter us from building innovative solutions to prevent them.
3:39:18 - 3:46:17 (06:59)
Summary
The constant bickering online and possible global catastrophes shouldn't deter us from building innovative solutions to prevent them. The late 1920s serve as a reference point of when individuals began to worry about world catastrophes, and although many things like global warming inadvertently contribute to it, it's crucial we continue to strive to create a beautiful outcome.
Episode#318 – Nick Lane: Origin of Life, Evolution, Aliens, Biology, and Consciousness
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the importance of studying and writing about the intersection of biology and technology is discussed, and Nick Lane provides insight on the subject.
3:46:17 - 3:47:25 (01:07)
Summary
In this podcast, the importance of studying and writing about the intersection of biology and technology is discussed, and Nick Lane provides insight on the subject. Support for the podcast is available through the sponsors in the description, and the episode ends with a quote from Steve Jobs about the future of innovation.