Re:New organisms have been formed using the first ever 6-let...
by lamontcg on Monday January 30, 2017 @04:54PM
(#13525398)
That is what leapt to my mind as well.
Its entirely possible that there were other self-replicating molecules on Earth that evolved first, but DNA simply out-competed them to extinction.
If we ever produce a competitor to DNA that was more 'virulent' than DNA, it would similarly out-compete DNA.
It would be the most pandemic of plagues that would affect every form of life. Even if we could protect our own DNA against attack somehow, it would attack all the bacteria that is symbiotic with us and which we need to survive.
Its entirely possible that there were other self-replicating molecules on Earth that evolved first, but DNA simply out-competed them to extinction.
If we ever produce a competitor to DNA that was more 'virulent' than DNA, it would similarly out-compete DNA.
It would be the most pandemic of plagues that would affect every form of life. Even if we could protect our own DNA against attack somehow, it would attack all the bacteria that is symbiotic with us and which we need to survive.