How to Cook Up Life on a Planet - with Jamie Green, author of The Possibility of Life

<p>Hello everyone! This week, we are looking at <em>How to Cook Up Life on a Planet</em>. Later in the show, we will be talking with Jamie Green, author of the new book, <em>The Possibility of Life</em>.</p><p>So, how does life form on a new planet? Chemicals and energy. That’s how. You know what else you can do with chemicals and energy? Cook food, that’s what! </p><p>(Excuse me a minute while I put on this chef’s hat)</p><p></p><p>Listen to the podcast here, or <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/rPCFZ-gPGm8">watch this episode as a video</a>!</p><p></p><p>If you are looking to cook up life on an early-career planet, here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:</p><p>An abundance of amino acidsSome supply of sugarsA quantity of nucleotidesAt least a Little LipidsWater andenergy</p><p>First, let’s talk about amino acids. These guys are the building blocks of proteins, which are essential for life as we know it. </p><p>Vegetarian sources of amino acids include nuts, berries, beans, almonds, mint, or… </p><p>[look around]</p><p>oranges. Kind of like these tangerines right here. Look, we’re letting this sit in for primitive amino acids, let the orange thing slide. OK?</p><p>The first amino acids may have formed through a process called “abiogenesis,” where simple organic compounds combine and react along with energy, such as lightning strikes or ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The molecules and structures within foods can change radically when they cook. </p><p>[ <<< Those changes are pretty much the whole reason we cook.] </p><p>(exactly!)</p><p>Next up, we have sugars. These are vital for providing energy to cells and making up the structure of DNA and RNA. Laboratory experiments reveal that simple sugars can form from basic organic compounds. </p><p>Here, we are going to have sugars represented by… well, sugar. In this case, cane sugar. The 95% of this which is actually sugar is a disaccharide, made up from glucose and fructose. </p><p>[sweeeeeeetttt…]</p><p>Nucleotides are another essential component of l