On October 9th, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Prof. Jack Szostak from the University of Chicago gave a fascinating lecture at the Institute of Chemistry, TU Berlin, where he discussed his pioneering research on RNA in the context of the origins of life. Prof. Szostak, who was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Carol W. Greider for discovering how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, now focuses on one of science’s most fundamental questions: How did life on Earth begin?
In his talk, Prof. Szostak explored the widely accepted hypothesis that life on Earth may have started with RNA as its foundational genetic and functional molecule. His research team is investigating how RNA-based life could have emerged from the chemical conditions of early Earth, examining the critical transition from chemistry to biology.
A major challenge in understanding the origins of life is explaining how early RNA molecules could replicate in the absence of enzymes, which did not exist at the time. “Modern life is complicated, but it used to be much simpler,” Prof. Szostak noted. He explained that RNA could self-replicate using mechanisms vastly different from those in modern cells, where enzymes control the replication process. He proposed that life likely began near hydrothermal vents, where temperature fluctuations could have driven RNA replication.
The event drew a large audience, with over 200 attendees ranging from students to professors, and concluded with a lively discussion. A big thank you to Prof. Szostak for sharing his insights!