Life Began With a Planetary Mega-Organism

ONCE upon a time, 3 billion years ago, there lived a single organism called LUCA. It was enormous: a mega-organism like none seen since, it filled the planet's oceans before splitting into three and giving birth to the ancestors of all living things on Earth today.

This strange picture is emerging from efforts to pin down the last universal common ancestor - not the first life that emerged on Earth but the life form that gave rise to all others.

The latest results suggest LUCA was the result of early life's fight to survive, attempts at which turned the ocean into a global genetic swap shop for hundreds of millions of years. Cells struggling to survive on their own exchanged useful parts with each other without competition - effectively creating a global mega-organism.

Source

While this still seems to be highly speculative at this time it is certainly an interesting hypothesis. To think that all life descends from a single organism that pretty much covered the entire planet sounds like something straight out of sci-fi. I just want to clarify though that this is not the first organism ever. It is the last organism that every other organism can be traced back to as a common ancestor. In a sense it is from this one organism that has caused the diversity of life currently seen on Earth.

reply to post by Xcalibur254


No doubt at all that this is highly speculative and interesting, but I find my brain getting trapped in a chicken and egg loop here. Let me show you why:

The latest results suggest LUCA was the result of early life's fight to survive, attempts at which turned the ocean into a global genetic swap shop for hundreds of millions of years.

So, how can LUCA be the start of all life on earth? Wouldn't "early life" be the common ancestor? I'm ashamed to admit I didn't read the article, so feel free to mock if it's deserved.

reply to post by charles1952


LUCA is not the earliest common ancestor, it is the last. From LUCA three distinct types of organisms emerged, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and plants. Any ancestors LUCA has are also common ancestors for us, but it is with LUCA where the diversity of life really begins.

reply to post by Xcalibur254


Dear Xcalibur254,

I can't ask for forgiveness any more ashamedly than I do now. You mentioned those points in the Opening Post and they just didn't sink in for some reason. I didn't read the source article and didn't fully understand your post before I typed my response. Inexcusable.

With respect,
Charles1952

well thinking about this it makes sence as something had to be the FIRST life form on earth (even if god did it lol)
and being the first meant it had the whole planet to its self farther more it could have been classified as a single life form .
HUMM as Spock would say Fascinating and quite logical caption

Oh snap! I thought you said it was because of a Planetary Orgasm. This thread could have been so much more interesting. It would have also solved the "Unexplained White Goo" that has showed up in a few places....

Reminds me of the opening game in SPORE...

Already posted

Researchers make the case that modern life sprang from early mega-organism

Here are some more comments and information regarding LUCA. www.abovetopsecret.com...

This theory raises some significant questions. There are more than a few different opinions about it, scientifically and otherwise.

Good thread!

reply to post by WiseThinker


It's OK to look at any posted BAN item from the perspective of a different forum. So we usually don't discourage new threads on previous breaking news items. For example this material could be looked at from a scientific perspective to question the issues about cellular structure and such biomechanical aspects; or a 'creationist' perspective with an eye towards the potential for this to be embraced by different spiritual and cultural doctrines and histories.

Originally posted by SkyMuerte
Oh snap! I thought you said it was because of a Planetary Orgasm. This thread could have been so much more interesting. It would have also solved the "Unexplained White Goo" that has showed up in a few places....

I thought it said the same thing!! Makes sense that a Planetary Mega-Organism would come from a Planetary Mega-Orgasm

reply to post by Xcalibur254

What a feast for the imagination! LUCA is reminiscent of the Pattern Jugglers, gigantic organic mats floating in the oceans of numerous worlds in the Revelation Space universe invented by the science-fiction writer Alastair Reynolds. I wonder if Reynolds had any contact with people working on this idea in its early stages?

Thank you for posting about this exciting and inspiring concept.