One of the most fascinating sections of the book is “Circus Toy Models” where Mazur interviews those scientists involved with efforts to make life in the lab – from Jack Szostak and Matt Powner to Vincent Noireaux and Albert Libchaber to Steen Rasmussen and Norm Packard. Mazur also chats with James Simons (“Impresario Extraordinaire”) whose Simons Foundation is now seriously bankrolling origins research, including protocell development.
In Rethinking the Circus, i.e., the origin and evolution of life, Mazur talks with the late Carl Woese, and also with Nigel Goldenfeld – who calls for a consensus on what life is. Pier Luigi Luisi, who thinks we need all new origin of life “mindstorms.” And astrophysicist Piet Hut, who suggests that young scientists should consider a career in origin of life research over say, particle physics, and start organizing origins conferences. More.
Suzan Mazur The Origin of Life Circus
Follow UD News at Twitter!