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The Origin Of Life Terrestrial Or Extraterrestrial Essay

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Introduction There is no one universally accepted paradigm for the origin of life. Rather, there are two competing schools of thought that debate the question: Was the origin of life terrestrial or extraterrestrial? Both of these theories recognize that life must have been synthesized under natural conditions, that molecules organized themselves into the first molecular system, that atmospheric oxygen and ozone were rare, and that electrical activity may have produced monomers. The scientific and technological advancements that have emerged as a result of investigations into the origin of life have profoundly impacted our society and our knowledge of life, space, and cosmochemistry. Early Emergence of Cosmochemistry and Sociopolitical Hindrance The list of cosmic abundances was compiled by Victor Goldschmidt in 1938 and concluded that “Extraterrestrial material must also be included to produce the most accurate and robust data” (Citation). The template for life remained unknown to society, so a broad approach to include both terrestrial and extraterrestrial sources was imperative to the investigation into the origin of life. Unfortunately, the Great Depression diverted society’s attention towards surviving through the low living standards, so there was an overall disinterest in anything scientific. Although World War II lifted society out of the Great Depression and brought many scientific advancements related to warfare, no breakthroughs in interstellar science and

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