Mr. Butler Burke has, under the action
of radium, caused the birth of certain minute specks which
strangely imitate the behaviour of bacteria. Dr. Bastian has
maintained for years that he has produced living things from
non-living matter. In his latest experiments, described in the
book quoted, purely inorganic matter is used, and it is
previously subjected, in hermetically sealed tubes, to a heat
greater than what has been found necessary to kill any germs
whatever.
Evidently the problem of the origin of life is not hopeless, but
our knowledge of the nature of living matter is still so
imperfect that we may leave detailed speculation on its origin to
a future generation. Organic chemistry is making such strides
that the day may not be far distant when living matter will be
made by the chemist, and the secret of its origin revealed. For
the present we must be content to choose the more plausible of
the best-informed speculations on the subject.
But while the origin of life is obscure, the early stages of its
evolution come fairly within the range of our knowledge. To the
inexpert it must seem strange that, whereas we must rely on pure
speculation in attempting to trace the origin of life, we can
speak with more confidence of those early developments of plants
and animals which are equally buried in the mists of the Archaean
period.
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