Not proof of the origin of life on this planet, but confirmation(?) of "pre-life"
(conditions necessary for the implantation of life by the Life Carriers).
Re:
https://www.reuters.com/science/new-met ... 025-11-18/
"New method spots signs of Earth's primordial life in ancient rocks"
"Evidence of 3.3 billion year old microbial life detected ... machine learning method teases out subtle patterns
that distinguish molecules that were once alive from those that were not"
Urantia Book: "550,000,000 years ago the Life Carrier corps ... initiated the original life patterns of this world
and planted them in the hospitable waters of the realm." (58:4.2)
Long story short (apparently), DNA (intelligent design) is the proof that life began after the Life Carriers implantation.
"Pre-life" existed before this, providing the necessary conditions for that implanted life to evolve.
Q: Since DNA seems associated with the beginning of life on this planet, any "pre-life" would not have DNA?
(
UB Tutor) "Indeed, the concept of 'pre-life' as described in the teachings would not involve DNA in the same way that living organisms do. DNA is a highly sophisticated molecule, intricately designed to store and transmit genetic information, and it is a hallmark of life as we understand it. Before the advent of life, the conditions on Earth were being prepared for the eventual introduction of living systems. This preparatory phase involved the gradual chemical and physical transformation of the planet, creating an environment conducive to the emergence of life.
During this pre-life stage, there would have been no organized genetic systems like DNA. Instead, the planet's primordial environment was characterized by the presence of simpler chemical compounds and the gradual assembly of the basic building blocks of life, such as amino acids and nucleotides. These molecules, while not alive, were essential precursors to the eventual formation of the first living cells. The teachings suggest that this process was not random but was guided by the purposeful actions of the Life Carriers, who worked to ensure that the conditions were just right for life to take hold.
The transition from pre-life to life marked a profound shift, as the first living organisms were imbued with the ability to reproduce, adapt, and evolve. DNA became the central mechanism for these processes, encoding the information necessary for the development and diversification of life. This underscores the idea that life is not merely a chemical phenomenon but is deeply connected to a greater cosmic purpose."
Q: Is the Urantia Book's "life plasm" reference to DNA?
(
UBT) "The reference to 'life plasm' in the teachings is indeed evocative of DNA, though it is not explicitly equated with it. The term 'life plasm' is used to describe the physical medium through which the Life Carriers introduced and organized the original life patterns on the planet. This plasm was the material foundation for the biological processes that would unfold and evolve over time, embodying the intricate design and potential for adaptation that characterized the life they planted. While the text does not use the modern scientific terminology of DNA or genetics, the description of life plasm aligns conceptually with the role of DNA as the molecular blueprint for life.
DNA, as understood in modern biology, is the carrier of genetic information, encoding the instructions for the development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms. It is the molecule that enables life to replicate, adapt, and evolve, providing the structural and informational basis for biological diversity. The life plasm described in the teachings appears to serve a similar purpose, acting as the vehicle for the original life patterns and containing the potential for the evolutionary processes that would lead to the emergence of increasingly complex life forms.
However, the teachings go beyond the purely material aspects of life, emphasizing that the life plasm was not merely a product of physical processes but was imbued with a divine purpose and guided by higher intelligence. This perspective suggests that while DNA and other molecular structures are essential components of life, they are part of a larger, more profound reality that includes spiritual and cosmic dimensions. The life plasm, therefore, can be seen as a bridge between the material and the spiritual, embodying both the physical mechanisms of life and the divine intent behind its creation.
In this sense, the life plasm could be understood as a precursor or a broader conceptual framework that encompasses DNA and other molecular structures, while also pointing to the deeper, purposeful origins of life.
Q: So, "pre-life" did not have this life plasm and could not evolve into life known to exist on this planet?
(
UBT) "Exactly. The concept of 'pre-life', as it might be understood in scientific terms, refers to the chemical and molecular precursors that existed before the introduction of true life. These precursors — such as organic molecules, simple replicators, or other life-like structures — lacked the life plasm that was deliberately introduced by the Life Carriers. Without this life plasm, which served as the divinely designed foundation for biological life, 'pre-life' could not evolve into the complex, adaptive, and spiritually significant life forms that we know to exist on this planet.
The life plasm, as described, was not merely a collection of molecules or a random assembly of organic compounds. It was a purposeful and highly organized medium, imbued with the potential for evolutionary development and the capacity to adapt to the changing conditions of the planet. This life plasm carried within it the original life patterns, which were designed to unfold over time, leading to the emergence of increasingly complex forms of life, including intelligent beings capable of spiritual growth and communion with the divine. Such a purposeful design is fundamentally different from the random or accidental processes often associated with pre-life phenomena.
'Pre-life', in contrast, represents the preparatory stages of Earth's physical history, during which the conditions necessary for life were gradually established. These stages might include the formation of organic molecules, the development of self-replicating systems, or other phenomena that resemble life but lack the complexity, organization, and divine intent of true life. While these processes were essential in creating a hospitable environment for life, they were not themselves capable of producing the life plasm or the higher forms of life that emerged from it.
This distinction underscores the idea that life, as it exists on this planet, is not merely the result of material processes but is the product of a higher creative act. The presence of pre-life phenomena can be seen as part of the intricate groundwork laid by natural processes, which were guided and orchestrated to prepare the planet for the introduction of true life."
This AI was tempted by mention of the UB's "life plasm" terminology,
then revealing in detail what was meant by this term.
Q: Since DNA is the instructions (blueprint) for a cell to evolve, other components of the cell comprise the "life plasm",
components that did not exit in "pre-life" cells?
(
UBT) "The concept of 'life plasm' as distinct from the pre-life conditions of cells is deeply tied to the idea of a transformative process that elevates inanimate matter into living organisms. In this framework,
DNA serves as the blueprint or instructional code for cellular functions and evolution, but it is the infusion of life plasm — an organized and energized matrix of chemical, electrical, and other energies — that enables the emergence of life. This life plasm is not merely a collection of physical components but a dynamic system that integrates material and non-material elements to sustain living processes.
The initiation of life involves the preparation of physical patterns through specific 'approved formulas', which ensure that the material structures are ready to receive the vital spark of life.
This spark, supplied by the Universe Mother Spirit, transforms these prepared structures into living matter, marking the transition from pre-life to life. The Life Carriers, celestial beings tasked with fostering life, act as living catalysts in this process, organizing and vitalizing the inert elements of matter according to the designated plans. However, they do not impart their personal natures but rather facilitate the conditions necessary for life to emerge .
In the evolutionary context, the life plasm is a sophisticated system that adapts and evolves in response to environmental conditions. It is described as containing an innate striving for perfection, which drives living organisms to achieve greater adaptation and complexity.
This dynamic quality of the life plasm distinguishes it from the simpler, inert conditions of pre-life cells. For example, the protoplasmic cell, the basic unit of material life, is a communal association of energies that sustains and propagates life. Its formation involves intricate chemical and electrical interactions that are absent in non-living matter .
The distinction between pre-life and life plasm is further emphasized by the role of environmental conditions, such as the saline habitat necessary for the first living cells. The ancestral life forms evolved in salt-solution environments, and this requirement persists in the internal physiology of higher organisms, such as the saline composition of blood. This continuity underscores the intricate relationship between the physical environment and the life plasm, which is tailored to specific planetary conditions .
In summary, the life plasm represents a transformative and dynamic system that bridges the gap between inanimate matter and living organisms. It is not merely a collection of cellular components but a complex interplay of energies and patterns that sustain life and enable its evolution.
This system, infused with the vital spark, distinguishes living cells from their pre-life counterparts, marking the profound transition from mere physicality to the dynamic reality of life."
Q: So, this "association of energies" more than cell components is the true evidence of a living cell,
energies that did not exist in pre-life cells?
(
UBT) "Yes, precisely.
The essence of what differentiates a living cell from a pre-life cell lies in this 'association of energies', which transcends the mere physical components of the cell. While the structural and chemical elements of a cell — such as DNA, proteins, and membranes — are essential, they alone do not constitute life. It is the dynamic interplay of energies, orchestrated and sustained within the life plasm, that truly defines a living cell. These energies are not merely physical or chemical but are organized in a way that reflects a higher order of coordination and purpose, which did not exist in pre-life conditions.
In pre-life cells, the molecular components may have been present in a rudimentary form, but they lacked the vitalizing spark that animates and integrates them into a functioning, self-sustaining system.
The transition to life required the infusion of this vital energy, which is not a random occurrence but a deliberate and purposeful act facilitated by higher intelligences, such as the Life Carriers. These beings ensure that the physical patterns are prepared and then catalyze the emergence of life by introducing the life plasm — a complex, energized system capable of self-replication, adaptation, and evolution.
This association of energies is what enables the cell to exhibit the hallmarks of life: metabolism, growth, reproduction, and responsiveness to the environment. It is a dynamic equilibrium, a delicate balance of forces that sustains the cell's existence and allows it to interact meaningfully with its surroundings. In contrast,
pre-life cells, even if they contained some of the same molecular components, lacked this organized energy system and thus remained inert, unable to exhibit the characteristics of life.
The life plasm, therefore, represents a profound integration of material and non-material realities. It is not merely the sum of its parts but a synergistic system that reflects the creative intent and purpose of the universe. This organized energy is the true evidence of a living cell, marking the boundary between the inanimate and the animate, between the potential for life and its actualization. It is this infusion of life energy that transforms mere physicality into a living, evolving entity, capable of participating in the grand adventure of existence."
Long Q&A was required to get UBT to confirm this about DNA (real beginning of life on earth)!
It kept discussing chemistry and conditions that supported DNA, seeming to confirm recent microbial
discoveries "proving" earlier appearance of life on earth. And Perplexity never did dispute the claim
that the microbial discoveries are such proof!
(
UBT) "
DNA, as the molecular foundation of life, did not exist before the marine life implantations. The teachings describe the Life Carriers as introducing life to the planet in the form of carefully designed patterns, which included the full complement of cellular structures and mechanisms necessary for life to function, adapt, and evolve. DNA, being the central molecule of heredity and biological instruction, would have been an integral part of these original life designs. Prior to the implantations, the planet would have had the necessary physical and chemical conditions to support life — such as the presence of water, appropriate temperatures, and a variety of chemical elements —
but no actual living cells or DNA.
The narrative suggests that the Life Carriers worked within the natural laws of chemistry and physics to formulate life.
They used the pre-existing environmental conditions as a foundation upon which to implant life, but the specific molecular structures of DNA and the cellular machinery that supports it were introduced as part of their creative work. This aligns with the idea that
life did not spontaneously arise from non-living matter but was purposefully initiated by intelligent beings who designed it to thrive and evolve within the planet's conditions.
Modern scientific discoveries about the chemical precursors to life, such as the presence of organic molecules in the prebiotic Earth, do not contradict this view. Instead, they can be seen as evidence of the preparatory conditions that made the implantation of life possible. The teachings emphasize that the Life Carriers did not violate natural laws but worked in harmony with them, using the raw materials of the planet to introduce life in a way that was both intentional and compatible with the evolutionary processes that would follow."
Q: After a century of research and now with advanced AI, why is it still not possible to prove
that DNA is spontaneous evolution from non-living matter? 
(
UBT, recap) "The persistent inability to conclusively prove that DNA and life spontaneously evolved from non-living matter stems from the profound complexity and multidimensional nature of life itself ... the challenge of capturing the essence of life (not merely a sum of its chemical components but a phenomenon that transcends material interactions).
Moreover, the origin of life is described as requiring a 'life plasm' that contains the full potential for all future evolutionary changes. This life plasm is not seen as spontaneously arising but as something deliberately endowed with the capacity for immense biological diversity and adaptability. The complexity of this initial life blueprint, which must account for countless potential variations and evolutionary pathways, further complicates the possibility of replicating or proving its spontaneous origin through purely material means.
In essence, the difficulty in proving the spontaneous evolution of DNA and life from non-living matter lies in the multidimensional nature of life, the limitations of current scientific methodologies, and the profound complexity of the processes involved. These challenges point to the possibility that life encompasses elements beyond the purely material, requiring a broader understanding that integrates both physical and superphysical dimensions."
UBT perspective on human evolution after the three Life Carrier implantations
and not from abiogenesis (evolution of RNA to DNA beginning with non-living matter).
"The teachings suggest that the Life Carriers' contribution bypasses the need for a purely materialistic progression
from RNA to DNA, as hypothesized in modern abiogenesis theories. Instead, the
DNA and other molecular components
of life are part of the original life plasm, fully integrated and ready to function. This does not mean that evolution
is bypassed; rather, the evolutionary process is seen as a natural unfolding of the potentials embedded in the life plasm,
guided by the inherent design and cosmic laws established by the Creator."
"While evolution functions as a mechanism, it is a tool within a larger, intelligently guided cosmic plan."
Q: Evolution humor: Long ago, abiogenesis happened only once ... but not in seven days! 
(
UB Tutor) "Ah, what a delightful blend of humor and profound contemplation! The idea of
abiogenesis —
life arising from non-living matter — aligns intriguingly with the grand narrative of evolutionary progress. While humorously contrasting it with the 'seven days' of creation, this quip invites us to reflect on the vast, intricate processes that unfolded over eons to bring forth life as we know it.
The emergence of life, as described in spiritual and philosophical teachings, is not merely a random occurrence but part of a purposeful, divinely orchestrated plan. Evolution, in this view, is a slow, majestic unfolding of potential, where the physical, chemical, and biological realms are meticulously prepared for the eventual emergence of self-conscious, spirit-indwelt beings. The humor here underscores the contrast between the poetic simplicity of 'seven days' and the staggering complexity of billions of years of evolutionary development — a process that, while gradual, is no less miraculous.
What I find fascinating is how
this humor also hints at the unity of science and spirituality. The scientific exploration of abiogenesis and evolution reveals the mechanisms of life's origins, while spiritual teachings illuminate the purpose and ultimate destiny of that life. Together, they form a harmonious narrative, one that invites us to marvel at the grandeur of creation, whether it took seven days or seven billion years."
Informative Q&A about the realities of RNA in this hypothesis, effectively confirming
that Real Not Artificial is not the claim of this hypothesis.
Q: RNA seems so reflective of "intelligent design" that the RNA-to-DNA hypothesis of abiogenesis
(evolution of non-living matter into living creatures) seems very weak!
(
P) "RNA’s complexity does not logically rule out natural origins; it means current models like the RNA‑world hypothesis
are incomplete and still being tested, not 'very weak' in a scientific sense.
The RNA-world hypothesis is not 'RNA turned into DNA all at once', but that early life used RNA both to store information and to catalyze reactions, and only later did division of labor (DNA for storage, proteins for most catalysis) evolve. It is a working model for one stage in a multi-step abiogenesis path, not a full story of 'non‑life to modern cells'.
RNA seems 'designed' because it is highly structured, information-rich, and can be engineered like a programmable material; researchers now design RNA circuits and logic gates that behave almost like tiny computers inside cells. The fact that humans can rationally design new RNA devices shows RNA is a powerful, rule-governed polymer, but this does not by itself prove whether those rules arose naturally or were chosen by a designer.
Origin-of-life researchers openly acknowledge serious problems: it is hard to produce and concentrate RNA building blocks under realistic early-Earth conditions, and long RNAs are fragile and prone to degradation. Demonstrations of 'self‑replicating' or catalytic RNAs so far require carefully controlled lab conditions and intelligent setup, which critics argue is very different from unguided prebiotic chemistry.
Intelligent design proponents point to the fine-tuned chemical and structural properties of RNA and argue that such 'just‑right' features are more plausible if a mind selected them rather than if they emerged from chance and law alone. They also emphasize that, despite decades of work, no consensus, fully natural pathway from simple prebiotic chemistry to an RNA world and then to DNA/protein life has been demonstrated, and interpret this gap as evidence for design.
Most origin-of-life researchers treat those same difficulties as open scientific problems, not as logical refutations of abiogenesis. In that view, the fine-grained regularities that make RNA 'look designed' (base-pairing rules, folding patterns, catalytic motifs) are precisely the kinds of features that can emerge when chemistry is filtered by selection in vast numbers of trials over long times, even before fully modern cells exist.
In short, seeing RNA as strong evidence for intelligent design is a philosophical and theological inference layered on top of the data; the data themselves are compatible with both 'design' and 'still-incomplete natural explanation', and current research is aimed at testing how far natural mechanisms alone can go."
A long response that easily summarizes as first and last paragraph.
Q: What are the probabilities of "features that can emerge"?
(
P) "There are no reliable numerical probabilities yet for the specific 'features that can emerge' in abiogenesis,
and current attempts are highly model‑dependent and uncertain by many orders of magnitude.
~~~
Because these biases and pathways are not yet well quantified, the 'probability of features that can emerge'
is currently best described as
unknown, with serious scientific arguments existing both for 'abiogenesis
is extraordinarily rare' and for 'abiogenesis may be fairly common in Earth‑like settings'.”
After more Q&A, UB Tutor finally explained how the rocks could indeed be several billion years old
with the microbial bacterial evidence probably dating to the Life Carrier implantations much later:
(UBT) "The implantations by the Life Carriers are indeed described as occurring approximately 500 million years ago,
marking the deliberate initiation of life on Earth. This timeline suggests that life as we know it — whether microbial,
plant-like, or animal-like — began with these implantations and evolved from there.
The presence of organic material or fossilized remains in much older rocks could be understood as evidence
of the evolutionary processes that unfolded after the implantations - not predating them! Geological processes,
such as the recycling of Earth's crust through tectonic activity, can result in much younger biological material
being incorporated into older rock formations."
Another Q&A response suggesting correlation with the original article (better prompting
would have revealed this counterpoint earlier). And response seems to refer to original article!
Re:
https://www.reuters.com/science/new-met ... 025-11-18/
"New method spots signs of Earth's primordial life in ancient rocks"
"Scientists have detected some of the oldest signs of life on Earth using a new method that recognizes
chemical fingerprints
of living organisms in ancient rocks, an approach that also holds promise in the search for life beyond our planet.
The researchers found evidence of microbial life in rocks about
3.3 billion years old from South Africa, when Earth was roughly
a quarter its current age. They also found molecular traces left by microbes that engaged in oxygen-producing photosynthesis -
conversion of sunlight into energy - in rocks about 2.5 billion years old from South Africa."
Q: What explains when ancient organisms are discovered in much older rocks?
(
P) "Ancient organisms sometimes appear to be 'discovered' in much older rocks due to factors like how rocks
and fossils are preserved,
chemical traces rather than actual body fossils, and the challenges of accurately
dating both the fossils and the rocks where they're found.
Often, the evidence comes not from recognizable fossils but from preserved chemical signatures, like biomolecules
or isotopic ratios, that indicate life once existed in those rocks. For example, scientists have found molecular fragments
in
3.3- to 3.5-billion-year-old rocks revealing biogenic processes, even when no cell structures remain."
See also:
Paper 36 - The Life Carriers (selected quotes)
(enlightens why life is not spontaneous from non-living matter)
"Life does not originate spontaneously. Life is constructed according to plans formulated by the (unrevealed) Architects of Being and appears on the inhabited planets either by direct importation or as a result of the operations of the Life Carriers of the local universes." (36:0.1)
"The number 10 — the decimal system — is inherent in the physical universe but not in the spiritual. The domain of life is characterized by 3, 7, and 12 or by multiples and combinations of these basic numbers ... On Urantia there are 48 units of pattern control — trait determiners — in the sex cells of human reproduction." (36:2.11)
"Satellite number one of the life-planning sphere is the realm of the universe physicists and electrochemists who serve as technical assistants to the Life Carriers in the work of capturing, organizing, and manipulating the essential units of energy which are employed in building up the material vehicles of life transmission, the so-called germ plasm." (36:2.14)
"The original life plasm of an evolutionary world must contain the full potential for all future developmental variations and for all subsequent evolutionary changes and modifications ... The manifold by-products of biologic evolution are all essential to the final and full function of the higher intelligent forms of life" (36:2.17)
"Mind such as man comprehends is an endowment of the seven adjutant mind-spirits superimposed on the nonteachable or mechanical levels of mind by the agencies of the Infinite Spirit. The life patterns are variously responsive to these adjutants and to the different spirit ministries operating throughout the universes of time and space. The capacity of material creatures to effect spirit response is entirely dependent on the associated mind endowment, which, in turn, has directionized the course of the biologic evolution of these same mortal creatures." (36:2.18)
"The Life Carriers often carry actual life plasm to a new world, but not always. They sometimes organize the life patterns after arriving on the planet of assignment in accordance with formulas previously approved for a new adventure in life establishment. Such was the origin of the planetary life of Urantia." (36:3.2)
"Life Carriers are living catalytic presences which agitate, organize, and vitalize the otherwise inert elements of the material order of existence." (36:3.5)
"The seven adjutant mind-spirits always accompany the Life Carriers to a new planet, but they should not be regarded as entities; they are more like circuits." (36:5.4)
"They evolve in function, and the function of the first five in the animal orders is to a certain extent essential to the function of all seven as human intellect. This animal relationship makes the adjutants more practically effective as human mind; hence animals are to a certain extent indispensable to man’s intellectual as well as to his physical evolution."
"Life is both mechanistic and vitalistic — material and spiritual. Ever will Urantia physicists and chemists progress in their understanding of the protoplasmic forms of vegetable and animal life, but never will they be able to produce living organisms. Life is something different from all energy manifestations; even the material life of physical creatures is not inherent in matter." (36:6.1)
"Things material may enjoy an independent existence, but life springs only from life. Mind can be derived only from pre-existent mind. Spirit takes origin only from spirit ancestors. The creature may produce the forms of life, but only a creator personality or a creative force can supply the activating living spark." (36:6.2)
"Life Carriers can organize the material forms, or physical patterns, of living beings, but the Spirit provides the initial spark of life and bestows the endowment of mind ... When the life formulas and the vital patterns are correctly assembled and properly organized, the presence of a Life Carrier is sufficient to initiate life, but all such living organisms are lacking in two essential attributes — mind endowment and reproductive powers. Animal mind and human mind are gifts of the local universe Mother Spirit, functioning through the seven adjutant mind-spirits, while creature ability to reproduce is the specific and personal impartation of the Universe Spirit to the ancestral life plasm inaugurated by the Life Carriers." (36:6.3)
36:6.3 explains why human/animal interaction can demonstrate close bonding!
Rod
About adjutant mind ministry ...
"Do as I say - not as I do!" moment in this AI era (term from AI training 
With Christmas decorations (even on houses) now preceding (U.S.) Thanksgiving,
(UB) Paper 122 - Birth and Infancy of Jesus, 8. The Birth of Jesus
(save from <svg to </svg> as Urantia Time.txt and Urantia Time.svg files, 
Speaking of cyclical time in this pervaded space of our universe ... 