Fire, Cells, and Circuits: Sparks of Life on a Dead Planet

Previously, we explored how the universe gave rise to Earth, and how its early environment, geology, and energy flows created the conditions for something extraordinary to happen. Now we step directly into the moment where the first sparks of life appear on a planet that is, until this point, completely dead.

In this session, we look at how chemistry, energy, and information begin organizing themselves into something that can persist, adapt, and eventually become the living cells we know. We’ll focus in particular on the work of Dr. Helen Hansma, whose mica-sheet model offers a powerful example of how early structures could have supported the emergence of life, and may have provided the launchpad for the formation of cells.

No background needed. Just curiosity, questions, and a willingness to explore how a lifeless world begins to live.