Question

how life began origins nova neil degrasse tyson hd
possible points: 2.22
scientists continue to debate whether rna or proteins came first in lifes origin. which argument best supports the rna - first hypothesis?
rna cannot form outside of living cells
dna replication requires rna primers
proteins existed before nucleic acids on the early earth
rna molecules can both store information and catalyze reactions

Explanation:

• Option 1: If RNA cannot form outside living cells, it would not support the idea that RNA came first in life's origin as life (with cells) would already need to exist.
• Option 2: DNA replication requiring RNA primers is more about the relationship between DNA and RNA in modern - day processes and not directly about which came first in the origin of life.
• Option 3: Proteins existing before nucleic acids would support a protein - first hypothesis, not an RNA - first one.
• Option 4: RNA molecules having the dual ability to store information (like DNA) and catalyze reactions (like proteins) is a key argument for the RNA - world hypothesis (RNA - first hypothesis). This shows that RNA could have played a central role in the early stages of life when there were no specialized molecules like DNA (for information storage) and proteins (for catalysis) as we know them now.

Answer:

RNA molecules can both store information and catalyze reactions.